To Be or Not to Be...? Someone’s grief, and someone’s drinking party

Traditions of the Kyrgyz people were being formed with the help of economic, trade, domestic and other relations with kindred and other tribes that were closely related to the geography of their ha...

Iran of the 60s: unsuccessful attempt to reform

After the coup of 19 March 1953 in the socio-political history of Iran there were fundamental changes: the powers of parliament were limited and the absolute power of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi was...

Topic: Regional rivalry in the Middle East.

In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran are two countries that claim to leadership in the region. With a powerful resources and political potential these countries are the...

Science & Technology, Kazakhstan

EDB to provide loan for large-scale wind power plant construction in Kazakhstan
06.05.2013
Cental Asia|Kazakhstan|Science & Technology

The First Wind Power Plant Ltd. (a 100-percent subsidiary of Samruk-Green Energy LLP and the Eurasian Development Bank signed an agreement in the capital of Kazakhstan on a credit line worth 14.2 billion tenge (151.28 tenge = 1 dollar) to finance the turnkey construction of the first large wind power plant (WPP) in Kazakhstan, according to a statement by the First Wind Power Plant Ltd.

According to the statement, the wind plant will be built at the Yereimentau site (Akmola region). Its capacity will total 45 megawatts.

Astana-Almaty high speed railway to be constructed in Kazakhstan
01.04.2013
Cental Asia|Kazakhstan|Science & Technology

It is planned to start constructing the Astana-Almaty high speed rail line in 2013, Kazakh Minister of Transport and Communications Askar Zhumagaliyev said during a government hour in the Majilis (a lower chamber of the Kazakh parliament) on Monday.

"It is planned to begin constructing the railway this year," he said. "The travel time between the two large cities of the republic will be reduced from 12 to five hours."

Iran says "will listen" to proposals during nuclear meeting in Kazakhstan
12.02.2013
Cental Asia|Kazakhstan|Science & Technology

Member of Iran's negotiating team with P5+1 group, Mostafa Dolatyar said that at the upcoming nuclear meeting in Kazakstan, Iran will listen to the proposals of the opposing side, ISNA reported.

Talking to the journalists, Dolatyar noted that thus far Iranian side has not received any formal proposals from the P5+1 group members.

"We were supposed to receive new proposals," Dolatyar said. "Later it turned out the proposals were very much the same as we received from P5+1 during the talks in Moscow."

Internal trading hydrocarbon quota system to be introduced in Kazakhstan in 2013
07.11.2012
Cental Asia|Kazakhstan|Science & Technology

Kazakhstan is introducing an internal hydrocarbon quota trading system, Vice Minister Marlene Iskakov said at the Fourth Expert-100-Kazakhstan Economic Big Business Forum today.

"The Ministry initiated launching the internal system of trading hydrocarbon quotas in accordance with Kazakhstan's voluntarily assumed obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," he said. "The system will be introduced from 2013."

He said that the system is being introduced for one year in a test mode.

Biggest mobile operators accused of violating competition in Kazakhstan
30.07.2012
Cental Asia|Kazakhstan|Science & Technology

The results of the investigation over "Kar-Tel", "Mobile Telecom-Service" mobile operators were considered. Their actions are qualified as unfair competition (Article 23 "Competition"), the Kazakh Agency for Protection of Competition said today.

Kazakhstan launches digital broadcasting system
03.07.2012
Cental Asia|Kazakhstan|Science & Technology

Today, Kazakhstan has launched a national system of digital broadcasting. President Nursultan Nazarbayev made this statement addressing the Industry Forum in Astana during a videoconference with the regions on Tuesday.

"Thanks to a new broadcasting network, about 30 local TV channels will be available to all regions of Kazakhstan.. Previously only five TV channels were available to the Kazakhs," Nazarbayev said.

Also today a test launch of a new round-the-clock TV channel '24.KZ' was held, which will operate on Sept.1, 2012.

Kazakhstan to host International Mining and Metallurgical Congress
03.07.2012
Cental Asia|Kazakhstan|Science & Technology

The Third International Mining and Metallurgical Congress 'Astana Mining & Metallurgy'(AMM-2012) will take place in Kazakh city of Astana on July 4-6, the Kazakh Industry and New Technologies Ministry reported on Tuesday.

According to the Ministry, over 1,000 delegates from 18 countries will take part in the Congress. Moreover, over 1,500 representatives of the mining industry of Kazakhstan and other countries are expected to attend the Congress.

Kazakhstan to host International Oil Exhibition and Conference on Caspian Sea
12.06.2012
Cental Asia|Kazakhstan|Science & Technology

Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, will host a second International Oil Exhibition and Conference 'Development of the Caspian Sea Shelf' on June 14-15, Kazakhstan's Association of Oil, Gas and Energy Sector Organizations KAZENERGY reported on Tuesday.

During the Exhibition and Conference, operators of the largest oil and gas projects, key experts and government representatives of the Caspian Sea countries - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan will discuss the problems and prospects of development of the Caspian Sea shelf.

Kazakhstan, Russia to establish joint venture on uranium enrichment
12.06.2012
Cental Asia|Kazakhstan|Science & Technology

Kazakhstan and Russia will begin producing enriched uranium in the Russian city of Novouralsk in the future, "Rosatom" head Sergey Kiriyenko told media today.

"We already have a joint international center with Kazakhstan, but it supports the nonproliferation regime," he said. "Our joint work is underway to establish another commercial center for uranium enrichment. Its task is to reach a certain level of 5 million units."

He said that first, it was planned to establish this center in Angarsk, but the Kazakh side expressed its desire to create it at the Russian plant in Novouralsk.

Minister: Introduction of 4G cellular standards in Kazakhstan to be completed by 2018
29.05.2012
Cental Asia|Kazakhstan|Science & Technology

Introduction of 4G cellular standards in Kazakhstan will be completed in 2018, Kazakh Transport and Communications Minister Askar Zhumagaliyev said on Monday.

"The introduction of fourth generation mobile standard LTE (4G) in Kazakhstan will be ensured by JSC Kazakhtelecom. This year preparations for the project will begin. Next year it will be implemented in Almaty and Astana," Zhumagaliyev said.

He said in 2014 the 4G format should be introduced in all regional centres, in 2015 in areas with a population of more than 50,000 and by 2018 in all regional centres of the country.