11 July to 16 July 2010

Azerbaijan


Political Front

• Azerbaijani, Armenian Leaders Avoid Contact At Summit

The presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and five other ex-Soviet states meet in Yalta, Ukraine on July 10. YEREVAN -- The presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan avoided face-to-face talks on the sidelines of an informal summit of seven former Soviet republics held in Yalta, Ukraine over the weekend, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports.

Geo Strategic Front

• EU Special Reps To Caucasus, Moldova To Get New Lease On Life, For Now

EU vehicles leave a base in the Georgian town of Mukhrani for cease-fire monitoring in October 2008, just two months after the brief Georgia-Russia conflict.

• EU Launching Talks On Closer Ties With Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili (left) and European Union High Representative Catherine Ashton in the Black Sea city of Batumi on July 15.

Economic /Energy Front



Social Front

• Is Azerbaijan Deploying IDPs To Crush 'Wahhabis?'

Azerbaijani media last week reported that several people, including two police officers, were injured on July 6 during a large-scale brawl in the village of Shotlanly in the Terter district between local residents and internally displaced persons (IDPs) recently relocated there. Police from neighboring Agdam and Barda and Interior Ministry special-purpose troops were reportedly deployed to restore order.

Kazakastan

Political Front



Geo Strategic Front

• Two Killed In Shoot-Out On Kazakh-Kyrgyz Border

ASTANA -- Two Kyrgyz shepherds were killed and a Kazakh border guard wounded in a shoot-out on the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border, RFE/RL's Kazakh and Kyrgyz services report.

Kazakh Border Guard Service deputy head Amangeldy Abylkanov told journalists in Astana that the incident took place near the Saty checkpoint on July 13.

• OSCE Foreign Ministers Set To Meet In Kazakhstan

Foreign ministers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are set to start a two-day informal meeting at a resort area outside Kazakhstan's commercial capital Almaty.

Economic /Energy Front

• Kazakhstan Reimposes Taxes On Oil Exports

ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- Energy-rich Kazakhstan is restoring oil export tariffs as the government tries to eliminate shortfalls in the national budget.

According to a government decree approved today, a tariff of $20 will be levied on every ton of crude oil that is exported from the Central Asian nation.

• Russia to lend Kazakhstan $700 million for power plant

(SRI) - Russia will lend Kazakhstan $700 million to build the third unit of the Ekibastuz GRES-2 power plant, according to a loan agreement signed on Monday by the countries’ presidents on the sidelines of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) session in Astana, RIA Novosti reported.

Social Front

• Kyrgyz Complain To Kazakhs Over Web Report Amid Violence

The office of Kyrgyzstan's prosecutor-general has sent a complaint to Kazakh authorities about two journalists from a regional Internet site who were publishing during last month's deadly ethnic violence.

A child migrant worker from Kyrgyzstan picks tobacco leaves near the village of Koram, Kazakhstan.

This 12-year-old girl isn't doing her schoolwork. In fact, she says she has missed months of classes. That's because nearly every hour of her day is spent working in the tobacco fields of Kazakhstan alongside her parents, who are migrant laborers from neighboring Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyzstan

Political Front

• Another Top Kyrgyz Official Resigns To Run In Elections

BISHKEK -- Another official in Kyrgyzstan's interim government has announced his resignation in order to take part in upcoming parliamentary elections, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

• Kyrgyz Interim President Names New Ministers

BISHKEK -- Kyrgyz interim President Roza Otunbaeva appointed several new members to the country's caretaker government at a cabinet session on July 14, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

• U.S.-Kyrgyz Talks Focus On Need For Stability, Democratic Reforms

BISHKEK -- A top adviser to U.S. President Barack Obama says his talks with Kyrgyz interim government officials this week focused on the democratization process as well as the need to bolster stability in the country's south, after last month's deadly ethnic violence there.

• Top Kyrgyz Officials Resign To Take Part In Parliamentary Elections

BISHKEK -- Two deputy chairmen of Kyrgyzstan's interim government have announced their resignations so they can campaign for the upcoming parliamentary elections, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

Geo Strategic Front

• Senior U.S. Adviser Meets With Kyrgyz President In Bishkek

Michael McFaul, special assistant to the U.S. president and senior director for Russian and Central Asian affairs at the National Security Council, speaks at a news conference in Bishkek in May.

• OSCE Foreign Ministers Meet In Almaty On Kyrgyzstan



German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle visits a neighbourhood hit by ethnic unrest in Osh on July 16.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has said it would send a 52-member police force to southern Kyrgyzstan.

• Two Killed In Shoot-Out On Kazakh-Kyrgyz Border

ASTANA -- Two Kyrgyz shepherds were killed and a Kazakh border guard wounded in a shoot-out on the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border, RFE/RL's Kazakh and Kyrgyz services report.

Kazakh Border Guard Service deputy head Amangeldy Abylkanov told journalists in Astana that the incident took place near the Saty checkpoint on July 13.

Economic /Energy Front



Social Front

• Kyrgyz 'Revolutionaries' Demand Social Benefits

BISHKEK -- Some of the participants in the antigovernment demonstration on April 7 that contributed to the ouster of Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev are demanding social benefits from the government, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

• Red Cross Says Plight Of Missing In Kyrgyzstan Renewing Tensions

An ethnic Uzbek refugee shows photos of her missing grandsons on July 15.

The Red Cross has warned that the fate of missing people has renewed tensions in southern Kyrgyzstan, the scene of deadly interethnic riots last month.

• Kyrgyz Complain To Kazakhs Over Web Report Amid Violence

Ethnic Uzbeks on a street in the village of Vlksm, destroyed during recent clashes in Kyrgyzstan.

The office of Kyrgyzstan's prosecutor-general has sent a complaint to Kazakh authorities about two journalists from a regional Internet site who were publishing during last month's deadly ethnic violence.

Tajikistan

Political Front

• Tajik President's Son-In-Law Denies Ties To Company

DUSHANBE -- A Tajik government official who also is the son-in-law of President Emomali Rahmon has denied having any links to a private firm that collects tolls on a major road in Tajikistan, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports.

Geo Strategic Front

• A Tajik Peace Recipe For Kyrgyzstan?

Government soldiers in the outskirts of Kabodien, Tajikistan in August 1997

Imagine relatives of yours were killed by angry mobs. Your house set alight. Your livelihood wrecked overnight. Knowing that such atrocities took place in the city you called home, and possibly even committed by your neighbors, how could you ever expect to return to life as normal?

• Uzbek Air-Traffic Controllers Delay Tajik Flight

KULOB, Tajikistan -- Uzbek air-traffic controllers refused for more than an hour on July 10 to allow a Tajik passenger plane to leave Uzbek airspace, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports.

• Tajik FM meets with head of Iranian’ president’s office

DUSHANBE, July 13, 2010, Asia-Plus -- Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi yesterday met here with visiting Head of Iranian President’s Office also Chairman of the Council of Iranians Abroad, Mr. Esfandiyar Rahim Mashaei, according to the Tajik MFA information department.

• Tajik leader to receive head of Iranian president’s office today

DUSHANBE, July 12, 2010, Asia-Plus - Tajik President Emomali Rahmon will receive visiting Head of Iranian President’s Office also Chairman of the Council of Iranians Abroad, Mr. Esfandiyar Rahim Mashaei, today.

Economic /Energy Front



Social Front

• 13 athletes to represent Tajikistan in I Summer Youth Olympic Games

DUSHANBE, July 13, 2010, Asia-Plus -- Thirteen young athletes will represent Tajikistan in the I Summer Youth Olympic Games, Maliksho Nematov, the head of the Committee for Youth, Sports and Tourism Affairs, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

“Among them are Bahodur Qodirov (free-style wrestling), Abduqodir Barotov (track and field), K. Zayniddinova (archery), Sh. Shukurova (taekwon-do WTF), D. Atabayev (track and field), and some others,” Neamtov said.

Turkmenistan

Political Front



Geo Strategic Front

• King of Malaysia invites Turkmen president to visit his country

On July 14, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia Anifaha Bin Aman at "Serdar" hotel situated on the shore of the Caspian Seal. The Malaysian Foreign Minister arrived in Turkmenistan at the head of the high-level delegation of his country.

Economic /Energy Front

• Federation Council of Russia ratifies agreement with Turkmenistan on mutual protection of investments

The Federation Council approved the Federal Law "On Ratification of Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of Turkmenistan for the Promotion and Mutual Protection of Investments" at its regular plenary session on July 14. According to the press service of the upper house of the Russian parliament, investments of Russian investors in Turkmenistan and Turkmen investors in Russia are fully protected for the period of ten years.

Social Front

• Turkmenistan Plans To Allow Privately-Owned Media

President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov voiced support for the creation of new political parties as well as private media.

Uzbekistan

Political Front



Geo Strategic Front

• UN Resident Coordinator praises Uzbekistan’s efforts in responding to Kyrgyz crisis

UN country team in Uzbekistan highly evaluates the effective efforts of Uzbekistan in response to the humanitarian crisis, which became a result of the violence in Kyrgyzstan in June and led to mass flow of refugees to eastern regions of Uzbekistan, UN Resident Coordinator Anita Nirody said.

• President meets with German Vice Chancellor

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov met with Vice Chancellor of Federal Republic of Germany, Minister of Foreign Affairs Guido Westerwelle, on July 15 at Oqsaroy. Welcoming the guest, the head of our state underscored the high level of mutual understanding and confidence reached between the two nations that is confirmed by the persistent progress in Uzbek-German cooperation in many spheres.

• Iranian Official Blames Uzbekistan For Hydropower Plant Delay

DUSHANBE -- Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's chief of staff has blamed an Uzbek rail blockade for delaying the completion of a hydroelectric plant in southern Tajikistan that Iran is helping to build, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports.

• Uzbek Air-Traffic Controllers Delay Tajik Flight

KULOB, Tajikistan -- Uzbek air-traffic controllers refused for more than an hour on July 10 to allow a Tajik passenger plane to leave Uzbek airspace, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports.

Economic /Energy Front



Social Front