On July 14 cultural ministers from 12 Turkic countries gathered at the Okan Intercontinental hotel in Astana for the 21st session of Turksoy, the international organization of Turkic-language nations set up in April 1992 to promote Turkic culture and spiritual values. In his opening speech,... MORE

The United States has slashed foreign aid to Uzbekistan by $18 million, according to a July 13 announcement by the State Department. The move was a calculated rebuttal to the Karimov regime over its lack of progress in human rights and democratic reforms. However, Tashkent's... MORE

In the first years of independence, ethnic Kazakhs barely made up 40% of the population of Kazakhstan. In a bid to regulate the ethnic balance, particularly in the heavily Russian-populated northern regions of the country, the government is encouraging oralmans ("returnees," i.e. ethnic Kazakhs returning... MORE

Kazakhstan has recently undertaken a number of steps towards improving its military capabilities through seeking closer military cooperation with Western countries. These efforts have congealed into what Moscow interprets as an emerging policy in Astana favoring the West. These areas of military cooperation, combined with... MORE

According to Kazakhstan's influential youth paper Express K, the Saryarka district court in Astana is investigating an unprecedented case. For the first time in Kazakhstan's history, a member of a skinhead movement has been indicted for stirring up racial and interethnic strife. Yevgeni Yefimenko, a... MORE

On June 21, the Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya gazeta published a sensational report implicating Turkmenistani officials in the illegal drug trade. So far the revelations have apparently been overlooked both in Russia and Turkmenistan. During the interview with Nezavisimaya gazeta, the former deputy head of the... MORE

On July 2 two members of the Islamic extremist organization Hizb-ut-Tahrir (Islamic Party of Liberation) were given two-year prison terms by authorities in Pavlodar, Northern Kazakhstan. Security forces had detained Arman Hamzin (age 29) and Ruslan Ghinatulin (22) two months ago for distributing Hizb-ut-Tahrir leaflets... MORE

Since Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev made an official visit to China in May, the number of exchanges between the two countries has increased remarkably. Never have bilateral relations been so close and so warm. On June 17, just a few days after his official visit... MORE

Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently issued an official statement praising Uzbekistan's decision to de-mine the border between the two countries. According to the statement, Uzbekistan's action will "contribute to the strengthening of traditionally friendly and mutually beneficial relations in the Central Asian region" (RIA... MORE

Journalists in Kazakhstan had little reason to celebrate during this year's national "Journalism Day" on June 28. Traditionally a joyous event, this year the festivities were spoiled by recent attempts by officials wanting to silence the press. The rights of journalists to investigate and disseminate... MORE