Latest Articles about Central Asia
KAZAKHSTAN EYES LATVIA AS GATEWAY TO EUROPEAN OIL MARKETS
When Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev visited Riga on July 18, the overriding topic of discussion was how best to send Kazakh oil to energy-hungry markets in Europe and Scandinavian via Latvia. Nazarbayev did his best to give the impression of a pragmatic leader unburdened by... MORE
IRAN BUILDS PARTNERSHIP WITH TAJIKISTAN
Iran, despite intense U.S. and British diplomatic efforts, has pressed ahead with its strategy of strengthening regional ties in Central Asia, putting a special focus on Tajikistan. Washington and London have probed these evolving relations without making any headway on the Tajik government’s support for... MORE
RUSSIA HIGHLIGHTS CENTRAL ASIAN AGENDA AT G-8 SUMMIT
By welcoming Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the only post-Soviet leader invited to attend the G-8 summit, Russia emphasized Central Asian energy issues at the meeting in St. Petersburg. At a bilateral meeting during the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed Nazarbayev's attendance as "useful" (RIA-Novosti,... MORE
PUTIN AND NAZARBAYEV INK DEAL TO PROCESS GAS AT ORENBURG
On the sidelines of the G-8 summit, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a declaration on long-term cooperation in processing Karachaganak gas at Gazprom's Orenburg plant. Both sides pledged to jointly develop the Karachaganak gas field and set up a joint... MORE
BAKIYEV RELIES ON RUSSIA IN DOMESTIC AFFAIRS
Kyrgyzstan’s relations with Russia have noticeably intensified after the March 24, 2005, Tulip Revolution. Today, bilateral ties are at the peak of cooperation, with Kyrgyzstan and Russia collaborating in the political, economic, and military spheres. The slogan “Kyrgyzstan and Russia -- Eternal Friends” is seen... MORE
WASHINGTON SECURES DEAL ON KYRGYZ BASE
The United States has successfully secured the future of its military deployment at the Ganci airbase at Manas, ending a period of protracted uncertainty over the presence of the American military in Kyrgyzstan. This resulted from yet another round of negotiations, triggered by Kyrgyz demands... MORE
KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT RISKS RELATIONS WITH U.S. BEFORE G-8 SUMMIT
On Monday, July 10, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs threatened to expel two U.S. diplomats for allegedly interfering in Kyrgyzstan’s internal affairs and having inappropriate contacts with local non-governmental organizations. According to the Ministry, the allegations are based on facts acquired by the Kyrgyz... MORE
BISHKEK COURTS ASTANA FOR BIG INVESTMENT
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev paid an official visit to Astana, Kazakhstan, July 4-5 at the invitation of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Bakiyev was given an exceptionally warm, brotherly welcome, and he was obviously satisfied with the outcome of his visit, despite some difficult talks on... MORE
TAJIKISTAN CAUTIOUS ON TIES WITH WESTERN MILITARIES
There are growing signs of unease within Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defense over relations with Western militaries. While these ties are valued and needed in order to assist in reforming key military infrastructure, Tajik officials are becoming increasingly cautious regarding Western security-assistance ties. The Tajik Ministry... MORE
KYRGYZ NGOs WARN ABOUT RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROBLEM
This year more and more Kyrgyz mass media outlets and NGOs are urging the Kyrgyz government to address the problem of radioactive waste left after the collapse of the Soviet Union. At the March 23 Eurasian Economic Community meeting in Minsk, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev... MORE