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...

Cental Asia

Kyrgyz President doubts that his country will join Customs Union in 2015
22.05.2013
Cental Asia|Public Policy & Politics|Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev doubts that Kyrgyzstan will join the Customs Union in 2015, KyrTAG reported on Tuesday.

"The date of Kyrgyzstan's joining the Customs Union is 2015," Atambayev said.

This statement was made during the meeting with CIS, Baltic and Georgian media.

"But this date is wishful for the country's leadership," he added. "A road map for accession is being created. Time will tell how and when it will be adopted. It is necessary to adopt and agree on many documents. There are certain doubts."

Kazakh president initiates the ‘three sevens’
22.05.2013
Cental Asia|Culture & Living|Kazakhstan

The President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev has put forward the initiative of the 'three sevens' with regards to the promotion of innovation projects, KyrTAG reported with the reference to the KazTag.

Shale oil processing plant to be commissioned in Uzbekistan by 2016
20.05.2013
Business & Economics|Cental Asia|Uzbekistan

The National Holding Company (NHC) Uzbekneftegaz will commission a plant for processing shale oil from the Sangruntau deposit in the Navoi region (central part of Uzbekistan), the acting director general of UzLITIneftegaz JSC (Design Institute, part of Uzbekneftegaz), Ulugbek Saidov said during the Oil Gas Uzbekistan 2013 international exhibition on Thursday.

Indian Vice President to pay official visit to Uzbekistan
20.05.2013
Cental Asia|Public Policy & Politics|Uzbekistan

Indian Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari will be in Uzbekistan on an official visit from May 21 to 24, 2013, Uzbek government circles told Trend on Monday.

According to the report, Ansari will be accompanied by Minister of Environment and Forestry Jayanthi Natarajan and four members of the Indian parliament.

The program of the visit envisages negotiations in the ministries and departments of Uzbekistan on the development of a wide range of Uzbek-Indian cooperation, including stirring up of economic cooperation and the strengthening of inter-parliamentary relations.

Kazakh Deputy Education Minister detained on suspicion of budget funds theft
20.05.2013
Cental Asia|Kazakhstan|Law & Legal Issues

Kazakhstan's Financial Police Agency has detained the Deputy Minister of Education and Science Sayat Shayakhmetov and General Director of 'Management of Education and Science Projects Construction' A. Pak, the press service of the financial police reported.

Earlier the Financial Police Agency launched a criminal investigation on the misappropriation of budget funds in the amount of about $1.5 billion tenge (150.95 tenge = $1) while constructing an educational facility for 700 pupils in the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk.

Kazakh PM’s visit to Poland postponed
20.05.2013
Cental Asia|Kazakhstan|Public Policy & Politics

The visit of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Serik Akhmetov to Poland, which was scheduled for mid-May, was rescheduled for a later date, the official of the Central Communications Service under the President of Kazakhstan Altai Abibullayev said on Monday.

"The official visit of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Serik Akhmetov to Poland really was planned. However, the visit got postponed for a later date by agreement of the parties and given the tight schedule of the Prime Minister," Abibullayev said at a briefing.

Tajikistan to decrease liquified gas import
20.05.2013
Business & Economics|Cental Asia|Tajikistan

Tajikistan imported about 58,200 tons of liquefied gas during the four years of the year, Avesta.Tj reported on Monday.

The major seller of the fuel to Tajikistan is Kazakhstan.

In April the import of the liquefied gas amounted to 16,400 tons, decreasing by

15,600 compared to March, 2013.

Over 40 percent of automobiles in the country use liquefied gas as a fuel due to high prices for gasoline in the country.

Kazakhstan, Bolivia establish diplomatic relations
20.05.2013
Cental Asia|Kazakhstan|Public Policy & Politics

Kazakhstan and Bolivia established diplomatic relations after their permanent UN representatives signed a joint communiqué in New York, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan said.

"On the Kazakh side, the document was signed by the permanent representative of Kazakhstan to the UN Birganym Aitimova, and on the Bolivian side - by the country's permanent representative to the UN, Sasha Sergio Yorenti," a press release from the Foreign Ministry said.

Turkmenistan plans to build railway near Afghan border
17.05.2013
Business & Economics|Cental Asia|Turkmenistan

The President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov addressed the regional administration of the Lebap Velayat (region) with a number of instructions for the construction of the Atamyrat-Ymamnazar railway, the Turkmen government said on Wednesday.

According to the report, it is expected that construction will be carried out by the Ministry of Railway Transport. The project complies with the agreement reached in May 2011 during the official visit of Afghan President Hamid Karzai to Turkmenistan.

Uzbekistani president received the head of the Latvian Foreign Ministry
17.05.2013
Cental Asia|Public Policy & Politics|Uzbekistan

The president of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received on Thursday the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Edgars Rinkevics who arrived in Tashkent on an official visit, Uzbekistan National News reported.

Regular Uzbek-Latvian intergovernmental dialogue on a broad agenda allows not only to consider the practical issues of bilateral and multilateral nature, but also to openly exchange opinions and assessments on important regional and international issues, said the president during the meeting.