31 july to 06 August 2010

Azerbaijan


Political Front



Geo strategic Front

• Azerbaijan, Turkey discuss Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Azerbaijani Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov has met Turkish counterpart on the sidelines of a meeting of foreign ministers of Turkic-speaking countries in Bodrum, Turkey.

• Foreign ministers of Russia and Azerbaijan talk over the phone

Foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Russia Elmar Mammadyarov and Sergei Lavrov had a phone talk. APA reports that the talk was initiated by the Russian side. The ministers discussed a number of issues on bilateral relations and regional situation.

• Senate Panel Delays Vote On Controversial Nominee For U.S. Ambassador To Azerbaijan

Matthew Bryza is U.S. President Barack Obama's pick to fill the vacant post of ambassador to Azerbaijan. The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee has postponed a vote on President Barack Obama's controversial pick for U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan.

• Azerbaijanis Demand Armenians Return Soldier's Body

BAKU -- Dozens of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and veterans of the Nagorno-Karabakh war held a rally on August 4 in central Azerbaijan to demand that Armenian authorities return the body of an Azerbaijani soldier, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports.

Economic/Energy Front

• Azerbaijani, Georgian and Romanian presidents to hold meeting on joint gas project

On September 14, Baku will host the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and the Romanian President Traian Basescu's meeting to support the project of gas supplies on the route Azerbaijan-Georgia-Romania Interconnection, the Ministry of Industry and Energy said.

Social Front

• Opposition Azerbaijani Journalists Barred From Office Due To Debt

BAKU -- Journalists from the opposition newspaper "Azadliq" were not allowed to enter the paper's premises today due to unpaid debts to a state-owned publishing house, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports.

• Jailed Azerbaijani Activists Begin Hunger Strike

Ten opposition activists jailed for participating in an unsanctioned rally in central Baku on July 31 have declared a hunger strike, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports.

Azerbaijan Popular Front Party Deputy Chairman Fuad Qahramanli told RFE/RL that a group of men wearing civilian clothes entered the activists' cell on August 2 and used abusive and insulting language.

Kazakhstan

Political Front



Geo strategic Front



Economic/Energy Front



Social Front

• Kazakh Journalist Jailed For Throwing Manure At Courthouse

ALMATY -- A Kazakh journalist was sentenced today to 10 days in jail for throwing dung at the Almaty city court building, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports.

Zhanna Baytelova's action on August 2 was found by the Almaty administrative court to be an act of hooliganism. She pleaded not guilty to the charge because she said what she did was a "protest action."

• Kazakh Inmates Maim Themselves In Prison Protest

Kazakh prison officials have said that six inmates in the Almaty detention center cut open their abdomens on July 30 to protest prison conditions, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports.

Kyrgyzstan

Political Front

• Kyrgyz Ombudsman Critical Of Demonstration Crackdown

BISHKEK -- Kyrgyz Ombudsman Tursunbek Akun has criticized police actions against antigovernment demonstrators in and around the capital, Bishkek, on August 5, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

• Kyrgyz President Admits Abuses Committed By Security Forces

Kyrgyz President Roza Otunbaeva has acknowledged that Kyrgyz security forces abused the rights of minority Uzbeks in the wake of deadly ethnic riots in June.

• Kyrgyz Ombudsman's Office Investigating Deadly Ethnic Clashes

BISHKEK -- The Kyrgyz Ombudsman's Office has set up its own commission to investigate the deadly clashes last month between ethnic Kyrgyz and minority Uzbeks in the southern part of the country, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

• Kyrgyz Communist Party Leader Resigns Due To Criminal Charge

BISHKEK -- The chairman of the Kyrgyz Communist Party says he is resigning because of a pending criminal case against him, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

Iskhak Masaliev told journalists in Bishkek that the charge of "organizing mass disorder" was preventing him from leaving Bishkek and campaigning for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

• OSCE Aims For Police In Kyrgyzstan Next Month

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) says it expects to have an advisory police force in southern Kyrgyzstan by early September, RFE/RL reports.

Frane Maroevic, deputy spokesman of the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna, told RFE/RL on August 4 that no concrete date has been set for the planned deployment of 52 unarmed police officers. But he said the technical details of the force have been finalized.

• Osh Officials Prevent Protest Against OSCE Police In Kyrgyzstan

There have been a number of demonstrations against the OSCE police mission in Osh, including this one last week.

• Kyrgyz Envoy To U.S. Says Interethnic Reconciliation Could Take Decades

Arslan Anarbaev: "Of course, the interim government does its best to control [the situation in the south], but I should say that this control is very fragile."

Arslan Anarbaev has been the interim head of the Kyrgyz Embassy in Washington as charge d'affaires since ex-President Kurmanbek Bakiev was ousted in April.

Geo strategic Front



Economic/Energy Front

• Kyrgyz Vendors Demand Osh Market Be Reopened

OSH, Kyrgyzstan -- Some 100 protesters gathered in front of the mayor's office in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh to demand the immediate reopening of the city's central market, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

Social Front

• Is Kyrgyz Media Providing The Whole Picture?

Stark differences have emerged in how the Kyrgyz media have covered the origins and aftermath of the interethnic violence that erupted the Central Asian country in mid-June.

In some cases, ethnic Uzbeks are vilified and accused of sole responsibility for the unrest that left more than 350 people dead and 400,000 displaced in the southern provinces of Jalal-Abad and Osh. Other coverage is notable for its failure to address the Uzbek side of the story, or to downplay the scope of the violence against ethnic Uzbeks.

• A Cri De Coeur For Kyrgyzstan

Two French academics -- Bayram Balci and Pierre Chuvin, both directors of the French Institute for Central-Asian Studies -- issue an impassioned call in today's "Le Monde" for the European Union to get involved in Kyrgyzstan "before further murderous rampages" take place there.

Tajikistan

Political Front

• Tajik High Court Rejects Appeal By Jailed Members Of Islamic Group

QURGHON-TEPPA, Tajikistan -- Tajikistan's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by 18 members of the banned Islamic group Jamaat ut-Tabligh seeking to have their prison terms reduced, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports.

• Tajik Opposition Politician Cleared Of Human-Trafficking Charge

KULOB, Tajikistan -- A court in southern Tajikistan has ruled that a regional leader of the opposition Islamic Renaissance Party and another man are not guilty of human trafficking, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports.

Geo strategic Front

• Tajikistan Sends Afghan Prisoners Home

KABUL -- Dozens of jailed Afghan prisoners have been transferred from Tajikistan to Afghanistan as a result of an agreement between the two countries, RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan reports.

• Iran Sees Regional Alliance To Counter NATO

Iran's president told the leaders of Aghanistan and Tajikistan today that the three neighbors could provide a counterweight to NATO in Asia once foreign troops exit the region.

• Tajik FM accepts copy of credentials of new Chinese envoy to Tajikistan

DUSHANBE, August 5, 2010, Asia-Plus -- Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi today morning accepted copy of credentials of new Chinese Ambassador to Tajikistan Fan Xianrong, according to the Tajik MFA information department.

• Rahmon departs for Tehran to attend trilateral summit of Persian-speaking countries

DUSHANBE, August 5, 2010, Asia-Plus -- President Emomali Rahmon heading high-ranking delegation has departed for Tehran to attend a summit meeting of the presidents of the Persian-speaking countries of Tajikistan, Iran, and Afghanistan that will convene in the Iranian capital today.

Economic/Energy Front

• Uzbekistan halts freight cars bound for Khatlon

DUSHANBE, August 6, 2010, Asia-Plus - Uzbekistan has suspended rail cargo traffic to Tajikistan’s southern Khatlon province.

• Tajik capital’s authorities to control prices at local bazaars during Ramadan

DUSHANBE, August 6, 2010, Asia-Plus -- Tajik capital’s authorities intend to strictly control prices at Dushanbe’s bazaars during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Shavkat Saidov, a spokesman for the Dushanbe mayor’s office, told Asia-Plus that Dushanbe Mayor Mahmadsaid Ubdaidulloyev yesterday held a meeting on this subject. The meeting participants included senior representatives from the Dushanbe mayor’s office and local entrepreneurs trading in essential goods.

Social Front

• Tajik Madrasah Leader, Students Detained

DUSHANBE -- The leader of a madrasah and dozens of his students at his religious school in southern Tajikistan have been detained, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports.

Tajik officials said Mavlavi Abduqahor, who is also a religious leader, was detained over the weekend along with the students at the school in the Rudaki district south of the capital, Dushanbe.

• Tajik Officials Keep Sharp Eye On Islamic Teaching

Abu-Umar Ahmadov says most of the eight- to 16-year-old students in his evening and weekend classes on Islamic principles and ethics are sent to him by well-intentioned parents.

• 'Technical Problems' Halt Publication Of Independent Tajik Weeklies

DUSHANBE -- The privately owned Mushfiqi printing house in Dushanbe says that "technical problems" will prevent it from printing several independent weekly publications, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports.

• Tajikistan's Sole Private University Files Lawsuit Against Education Minister

DUSHANBE -- Tajikistan's only private university is suing the country's education minister for defamation, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports.

Turkmenistan

Political Front



Geo strategic Front

• Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan hosts Turkmen-Afghan political consultations

The Turkmen-Afghan political consultations were held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan on August 4. A high level delegation from Afghanistan arrived in Ashgabat to participate in the consultations.

• Technical issues of construction of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline discussed in Ashgabat

A regular meeting of the technical working group on the project for construction of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline was held in Ashgabat on 4 August. The meeting was attended by representatives of all four member countries participating in the project.

• President of Turkmenistan sends condolences to Pakistan

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has sent condolences to President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari in connection with the natural disaster - massive flooding, which resulted in numerous human casualties and destruction.

Economic/Energy Front

• U.S. State Department special envoy for Eurasian Energy holds talks in Turkmenistan

The Special Envoy of the State Department the United States on the Eurasian Energy, Richard Morningstar, is discussing issues of cooperation with the government of Turkmenistan. As the Turkmenistan.ru correspondent reports, he was received by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on 2 August.

• Turkmenistan and UN to prepare international legal instrument on transit of energy

A governmental delegation of Turkmenistan will hold talks with UN officials to create an expert group to prepare an international legal instrument on the transit of energy resources.

• Russian investments in Turkmenistan protected for at least 10 years

Russian investments in Turkmenistan and Turkmen investments in Russia are fully protected for at least ten years. This is provided in the Intergovernmental Agreement on Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed yesterday the law ratifying this agreement. Upon expiration, the agreement is automatically extended for the successive five-year period if neither party notifies the other in writing of its intention to terminate the document twelve months prior to the expiration of the agreement.

• Turkmenistan's GDP rose by 4 per cent in January - July

All planned activities and plans provided in the state programs to further improve the welfare of the population of Turkmenistan are being successfully implemented in a timely manner.

• GDP per capita to reach 21.7 thousand U.S. dollars by 2015 in Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan expects GDP per capita to increase to about 21,7 thousand U.S. dollars by 2015 in terms of purchasing power parity. This data was released today by the Institute of Strategic Planning and Economic Development of Turkmenistan.

• Turkmenistan, Iran discuss cooperation in energy and water

A delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran headed by the chief of the Department of Engineering Technology of the Ministry of Water Resources, Mohammad Haj Rasuliha visited the Turkmen capital.

• U.S. companies eye Turkmen energy projects - envoy

ASHGABAT, Aug 3 (Reuters) -U.S. energy majors, overlooked in a near-$10 billion contract bonanza to develop Turkmenistan's largest natural gas deposit, are making inroads to participating in other projects in the Central Asian state, an official said.

Social Front



Uzbekistan

Political Front



Geo strategic Front



Economic/Energy Front

• Gas distribution system to be modernized

Uztransgas joint-stock company and Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell Co. (China) will modernize the gas distribution system in Uzbekistan in 2010-2011.

The work is being conducted in accordance with the President’s resolution of 12 March 2009 on the Program of measures to implement the most important projects of modernization, and technical and technological renewal of production for 2009-2014.

• Uzbekistan halts freight cars bound for Khatlon

DUSHANBE, August 6, 2010, Asia-Plus - Uzbekistan has suspended rail cargo traffic to Tajikistan’s southern Khatlon province.

Andrey Tropin, the head of the shipment department at Tajik Railways, told Asia-Plus today that 241 freight cars bound for Khatlon province have been stranded on Uzbek territory.

• Uzbek-Korean ICT cooperation considered

The Uzbek Agency of Communication and Information (UzACI) hosted the Uzbek-Korean seminar on studying the advanced experience and prospects of bilateral cooperation in introducing information technologies in public administration.

Social Front

• Internet festival starts in Uzbekistan

Internet festival of national domain UZ 2010 started in Uzbekistan on 5 August. The organizers of the event are the Fund “Forum of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan”, “Kelajak ovozi” youth initiatives centre, UZINFOCOM center and Mirada Software company.