Latest Articles about Central Asia
RUSSIAN LUKOIL PLANS TO DIG DEEP FOR KAZAKH OIL
After two fruitless years exploring the Tyub Karagan deposits, Russia's Lukoil refuses to remain a bystander while major Western and Chinese companies battle for Kazakhstan's oilfields. The most persuasive indication of the Russian drive to regain lost positions in Kazakhstan is the announcement of Lukoil's... MORE
TAJIKISTAN SEARCHES FOR BORDER SECURITY ASSISTANCE
Tajikistan has launched another serious diplomatic effort aimed at increasing its border security capabilities and addressing the long-standing international security issues presented by the weakness of the Tajik-Afghan border. Dushanbe is looking not only towards the United States and NATO, but also seeking funding from... MORE
CACO-EEC MERGE TO ELIMINATE OVERLAPPING GOALS
As leaders of Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan gathered for the October 6 Central Asian Cooperation Organization (CACO) summit in St. Petersburg, they decided to merge their grouping with yet another post-Soviet institution. The move appears to indicate that Moscow's policies in Central Eurasia still... MORE
KYRGYZ, UZBEK LEADERS CHOOSE COLD PEACE OVER OPEN CONFRONTATION
On October 6 Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Uzbek President Islam Karimov held a bilateral meeting to discuss future cooperation. The meeting took place during Central Asian Cooperation Organization summit in St. Petersburg. This is the first face-to-face meeting between the two presidents following several... MORE
KAZAKHSTAN STRENGTHENS TIES WITH NATO
Kazakhstan has taken further steps towards strengthening its partnership with the NATO Alliance, as part of its ongoing strategy aimed at improving its domestic and regional security while balancing its relations with the United States, Russia, and China. During a visit to Kazakhstan in early... MORE
KYRGYZ PARLIAMENT REJECTS FEMALE CABINET NOMINEES, INCLUDING OTUNBAYEVA
On September 30, the Kyrgyz parliament completed the appointment process all 16 cabinet ministers and key members of the new government. The selection process took two rounds, because six of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's candidates were rejected in the first round. Roza Otunbayeva, the primary force... MORE
ANDIJAN TRIAL OPENS IN TASHKENT WITH SHAKY GOVERNMENT CASE
The trial of 12 Uzbek citizens and three Kyrgyz citizens accused of organizing the May uprising in Andijan, Uzbekistan, opened in Tashkent on September 15. The 15 defendants are accused of terrorism, murder, taking hostages, trying to organize an anti-constitutional coup, and receiving $200,000 from... MORE
ASTANA ADOPTS MORE PRUDENT POLICY TOWARD ETHNIC KAZAKHS
On September 29 around 300 ethnic Kazakhs from 32 countries gathered in Astana for the Third World Congress of Kazakhs. For many participants this was their first time to see the booming new capital in the land of their ancestors. They were obviously impressed to... MORE
INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOCUSING ON TAJIK-AFGHAN BORDER
Landmark agreements on border security and combating the narcotics trade were signed on September 26-29 in Dushanbe with a view toward stemming the Afghan heroin flow, the world's largest. Afghan drugs are being trafficked via Tajikistan to Russia and Europe. Following the mid-2005 completion of... MORE
CHANCE MISSED TO SAVE KARSHI-KHANABAD
On September 27-28, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried headed an interagency delegation to Tashkent on the first leg of a Central Asian tour. A hoped-for Uzbek consent to continued American use of the irreplaceable Karshi-Khanabad (K-2) air base did not materialize during this... MORE