Provides the latest RSS feeds for Central Asia News. For more headlines on Breaking, National, Business, Finance, Sports and World News, visit our home page Afghanistan News.net http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/cat/929bcf2071e81801/ en-us Tue, 21 May 2013 08:46:30 -0400 Tue, 21 May 2013 08:46:30 -0400 30 Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari will undertake an official visit to Uzbekistan from May 21 to 24. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation. Minister of State for Environment and Forest Jayanti Natarajan and four Members of Parliament are likely to be part of the delegation. Vice-President Ansari will depart from Delhi on May 21 and reach Tashkent on the same day. On ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214636148/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 12:00:03 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214636148/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Armenians are characterized by the tendency to turn everything going on around into the myth. Political scientist Fikrat Sadikhov has told this to 1news.az, commenting on the statement of the chairman of so-called "Assembly of Armenians of Azerbaijan" Grigory Ayvazyan that allegedly "at this time, one million Armenian community is given an historic opportunity with its ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214659764/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 07:36:34 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214659764/scat/929bcf2071e81801 "Any deterioration in relations between the two countries is out of the question," Lavrov said. In a joint press conference with Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov answered journalists’ questions as to Russia’s suspension of the use of Gabala radar and export of Azerbaijan’s oil via Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline. ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214659765/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 07:36:31 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214659765/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Vladimir Socor The governments of transit countries in the Nabucco-West project - Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria - have appealed to the European Union's top executive authorities to support the selection of this pipeline route by the Shah Deniz gas producers in Azerbaijan. The producers' consortium intends to select either the Nabucco-West route to Central Europe, or ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214659766/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:54:23 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214659766/scat/929bcf2071e81801 The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) predicts an increase in oil production from the block of Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea. President of SOCAR Rovnag Abdullayev told reporters that now daily oil production from ACG is 95,000 tonnes. "With such daily volume, annual oil production at ACG is approaching 33m tonnes," said ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214658716/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:27:53 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214658716/scat/929bcf2071e81801 MOSCOW, May 21 (Itar-Tass) - The dynamics of trade and economic relations between Russia and Azerbaijan is positive, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after the negotiations with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mamedyarov here on ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214658717/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:24:48 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214658717/scat/929bcf2071e81801 LONDON | Tue May 21, 2013 4:27am EDT LONDON May 21 (Reuters) - The sovereign wealth funds of Qatar, Norway and Azerbaijan will each get about $500 million of the new shares being issued by VTB, the Russian bank's chief executive Andrei Kostin said on Tuesday. The $500 million allocation is the "kind of ticket we are thinking of" Kostin told Reuters in London. The allocations ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214657768/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 04:27:10 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214657768/scat/929bcf2071e81801 On 18 May, ambassador Elin Suleymanov and Azerbaijani MP Ganira Pashayeva attended 32nd Turkish Day Parade, the greatest cultural event of the Turkish world, that took place in New York. The parade held in downtown New York brought together thousands of people including Turkic-speaking nations living in the U.S. The parade participants watched a concert in Dag Hammarskjold, one of the major ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214655885/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 03:08:33 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214655885/scat/929bcf2071e81801 The Governor of California Jerry Brown has congratulated the people of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani community in California on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. In his letter sent to the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles, Governor Brown notes that Azerbaijan has a rich history and "the Azerbaijani people in California and throughout ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214655012/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 02:06:17 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214655012/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Azerbaijan`s Minister of Health Ogtay Shiraliyev has visited Hungary. During the visit, Ogtay Shiraliyev had a number of meetings with Hungarian dignitaries, including Hungarian Minister of Human Resources Zoltan Balog, State Secretary of the Prime Minister`s Office and co-chair of the Hungary-Azerbaijan joint economic commission Peter Szijjarto, to discuss bilateral cooperation in the health ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214654931/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 02:06:09 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214654931/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Azerbaijan`s state budget revenues in January-March, 2013, amounted to AZN 34669,4 mln, expenses - AZN 4514,8 mln. According to the State Statistical Committee, compared to last year budget revenues increased by 33.9%, while expenses rose by 58.8 % and made 1.2% of ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214654164/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 01:01:26 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214654164/scat/929bcf2071e81801 IFC approves first loan to finance energy efficiency and alternative energy in Azerbaijan. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has endorsed the first loan to finance into renewable energy and energy efficiency (RE/EE) in Azerbaijan. The IFC informs that on 17 May the Corporation`s Board of Directors endorsed a loan for Bank Respublika OJSC to finance energy efficiency and expand ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214654054/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 01:01:21 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214654054/scat/929bcf2071e81801 'Azerbaijan, NATO are enjoying good relations in different fields'. "Azerbaijan and NATO are enjoying good relations in different fields, particularly in the field of security. Azerbaijan is NATO`s partner in transportation of military equipments to Afghanistan. Azerbaijan is also enjoying cooperation with the European Union (EU), with the Eastern Partnership Program to be ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214654165/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 01:01:18 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214654165/scat/929bcf2071e81801 The dollar turned higher against the yen in Asia on Tuesday as investors waited for testimony by the US central bank chief and a policy meeting of the Japanese central bank. The dollar was changing hands at 102.61 yen in Tokyo morning trade, up from 102.26 yen in New York late Monday. The euro rose to 132.20 yen from 131.76 yen in New York while slipping to $1.2868 from $1.2884. The dollar was ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214653238/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 23:42:13 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214653238/scat/929bcf2071e81801 HONG KONG – Australian stocks declined, and Hong Kong equities pulled back from a three-day winning run on Tuesday, weighed by overnight losses on Wall Street and uncertainty over U.S. monetary policy.The S&P/ASX 200 dropped 0.7% in Sydney, and the Hang Seng Index gave up 0.2% in Hong Kong.Japan's Nikkei Stock Average was up 0.1%, but struggling for direction after a sturdy rally ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214653098/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 23:36:09 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214653098/scat/929bcf2071e81801 The Fed is currently conducting the third round of massive bond purchases known as quantitative easing to help drive down interest rates and spur lending. But recently improving data on the U.S. economy has led to speculation that the Fed might consider scaling back the program or winding it down earlier than ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214653194/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 23:20:29 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214653194/scat/929bcf2071e81801 THE head of Azerbaijan's state broadcaster has questioned the vote tally in the Eurovision Song Contest where it embarrassingly gave "nul points" to the entry from neighbouring Russia. The broadcaster is claiming votes for Russia were apparently not taken into account. "It is of serious concern and surprise that at the final count of votes from Azerbaijan, Russia was not given any ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214650310/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 20:00:36 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214650310/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Fozil Mashrab A legal dispute between the Kyrgyzstan government and Centerra Gold has entered a decisive stage for both sides after the Kyrgyz parliament instructed the government either to renegotiate a 2009 deal with the Canadian mining company or withdraw its mining license, though Kyrgyz Prime Minister Jantoro Satybaldiev recently ruled out any steps to nationalize the mine. The ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214642787/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 16:40:19 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214642787/scat/929bcf2071e81801 /enpproperty--> China and Tajikistan established a strategic partnership on Monday, which observers said would benefit the two countries' economies and regional stability. ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214638889/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 13:47:48 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214638889/scat/929bcf2071e81801 A number of media have recently spread reports about the alleged preparation of a bill on the occupied lands of Azerbaijan in Milli Majlis. According to the press service for the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan, in line with the information in media, there is a plan to submit the bill for discussion in the parliament of Azerbaijan soon. The statement disseminated by the press service for the Milli ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214637502/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 12:48:17 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214637502/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Vladimir Socor On March 22 in Copenhagen, the Danish and Turkish prime ministers, Helle Thorning-Schmidt and Recep Tayyp Erdogan, witnessed the signing of agreements between subsidiaries of Danish Moeller-Maersk and Azerbaijan's State Oil Company (SOCAR) to develop a giant port near Izmir in Turkey. The petrochemicals holding Petrokimya (Petkim), majority-owned by SOCAR, is ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214637504/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 12:09:25 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214637504/scat/929bcf2071e81801 importing of 1,000 London taxis to Baku, the construction of an international bus station, and a lucrative road-construction project. The group has received preferential treatment and the interlinked companies owned by the families have taken large shares or even monopolized certain transportation sectors like bus transport, taxis, road construction, and cargo-transportation services in the ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214637503/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 12:09:25 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214637503/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Azerbaijan says Eurovision made a mistake when it recorded 'nul votes' from the country for Russia's Dina Garipova, above, at the Eurovision Song Contest. Picture: ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214635896/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 11:24:05 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214635896/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Searchers found flight recorders from a U.S. military plane that crashed in Kyrgyzstan in early May, Kyrgyz's Transport and Communication Ministry said Monday. A ministry spokesman said the recorders were found in debris at the crash site and turned over to U.S. officials for analysis, RIA Novosti reported. The Boeing KC-135 refueling tanker with a three-member crew crashed into a gorge ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214634587/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 10:09:33 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214634587/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Azerbaijani member of jury Fakhriya Khalafova has commented on "zero" points for Russia from Azerbaijan. The statement made by Head of the Public Television of Azerbaijan Jamil Guliyev that Russia was to get a high score from Azerbaijan has caused a great resonance. Head of the Public Television made a statement on the fact of counting votes of Azerbaijani viewers in Russia's ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214633406/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 09:37:13 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214633406/scat/929bcf2071e81801 19 May 2013 at 6:30 am Nepal time, Murad Ashurly as part of an international team climbed Mount Everest, the highest point of the world (8,848 meters) and set the flag of Azerbaijan there, 1news.az reports. In a telephone conversation Ashurly Murad said that the raging hurricane winds didn't leave the snow and firn in the key segments of the route above 8,600 meters, revealing sloping rock ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214633407/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 09:37:09 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214633407/scat/929bcf2071e81801 /enpproperty--> The first technology cooperation week between Guangdong province and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region will take place in Guangdong's capital, Guangzhou, from May 25 to 31. The annual event will be one of the biggest economic cooperative ventures between the two areas. About 1,000 delegates from Inner Mongolia will visit Guangzhou and several other cities in Guangdong ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214633408/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 09:30:46 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214633408/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Offering scheduled and custom journeys to Russia, along the Trans-Siberian and across the Silk Route, MIR's Seattle-based experts design imaginative trips that take travelers far from the ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214633409/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 09:22:28 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214633409/scat/929bcf2071e81801 experiences, and confront the topic of sexual violence. Since American Eve Ensler wrote the play in 1996, it has been performed in over 140 countries and translated into 48 languages. A performance is scheduled for April 12 in Bishkek. The Culture Ministry sent a letter to local media outlets on April 1 saying the Vagina Monologues advocates "unnatural, perverted sex under the slogan of ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214633410/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 09:00:37 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214633410/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry continues the coordination work to get released Azerbaijani scholar Khalida Khalid and her assistant Shamkhal Huseynov, who have been detained in Tabriz earlier. The statement came from spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan Elman Abdullayev at a press conference ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214632266/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:37:23 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214632266/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon at the signing of a joint announcement to establish a strategic partnership, after their talks in Beijing, capital of China, May 20, 2013. Photo: XinhuaChina and Tajikistan established a strategic partnership on Monday, pledging to boost bilateral cooperation.The announcement was made during talks held between ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214632238/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:33:39 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214632238/scat/929bcf2071e81801 The operations are underway on north and north-west of Azerbaijan, APA reports. It involves bodies Azerbaijani and Russian law enforcement agencies. Posts have been created in Zaqatala, residents say. The police check both outgoing and incoming cars. Though Gakh Police Department confirmed the launch of operations, it declined to provide details citing its confidentiality. Guba Police ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214631167/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 07:38:48 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214631167/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi plans to visit Azerbaijan soon, Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan reports. Salehi had a telephone conversation with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214631168/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 07:38:43 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214631168/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Ali Hasanov visits Astrakhan. Head of the Azerbaijani delegation arriving in Astrakhan for participation in ceremonies on occasion of the 90th jubilee of national leader, Heydar Aliyev, chief of the public policy department of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan Ali Hasanov met the governor of Astrakhan, Alexander Zhilkin on 20 May. Special correspondent of AzerTag, governor of the ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214631170/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 07:38:40 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214631170/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Director of the Public Television of Azerbaijan Jamil Guliyev made a statement on the calculation of Azerbaijani votes for Russia in Eurovision 2013 song contest? AzerTag reports. The statement says: "Russia is a country that has much in common with Azerbaijan-these are common interests, common human values and common history. Today, cultural and artistic ties of Azerbaijan and Russia ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214631169/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 07:38:40 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214631169/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Vladimir Socor Russian President Vladimir Putin and Gazprom are announcing colossal plans to expand the capacities of existing gas export pipelines and build new ones, all in Europe beyond Russia's territory. Gazprom already co-owns and controls export pipeline capacities amounting to some 110 billion cubic meters (bcm) per year in Europe beyond Russia (Nord Stream One and Two, ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214631173/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 07:04:23 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214631173/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Armored patrol vehicle Pit-Bull VX, newly produced by Turkish Katmerciler company, will be presented in Azerbaijan, company representative Ramazan Dincer told APA. The vehicle designed for police and patrol operations was produced at Ford-550 chassis. Its maintenance is easy: "Net weight – 7530 kg, Pit-Bull VX is designed to carry 9 persons (2+7). The vehicle can move at a speed of 12 ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214629849/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 06:41:56 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214629849/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Investments in Azerbaijan's oil sector amounted to AZN1,414,000,000 ($1,805,000,000 by the current exchange rate ) by results of January-April ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214629848/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 06:41:54 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214629848/scat/929bcf2071e81801 BISHKEK, May 20 (RIA Novosti) - Flight recorders from a US military plane that crashed in northern Kyrgyzstan in early May have been found, the republic’s Transport and Communication Ministry said on Monday. The Boeing KC-135 aerial refueling tanker, carrying three American crewmembers, crashed into a mountain ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214629850/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 06:30:45 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214629850/scat/929bcf2071e81801 APA that relevant technologies on the production of the thermal system have already been handed to the "Optika" production unit of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense Industry. Currently, under the license of ASELSAN, Azerbaijan is producing "Tekgoz" optical system. ASELSAN also said that at present the Azerbaijani Armed Forces are widely using the company-produced ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214628660/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 05:45:29 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214628660/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Oil refineries of Azerbaijan produced 1.693mln tons of oil products in January-April 2012. The production of oil products rose 13.4% from the same period last ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214627346/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 04:50:46 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214627346/scat/929bcf2071e81801 HOHHOT, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Fire fighters on Sunday morning put out the blaze in a chemical plant in north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, which has caused one dead and three others injured.The accident happened around 5 p.m. Saturday at Inner Mongolia 3F Fluorochemical Co. Ltd. in the city of Fengzhen. A huge amount of flammable gas has been leaked after the chemical plant caught ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214627347/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 04:16:40 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214627347/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board Allahshukur Pashazade is on a visit to Iran. Members of the Azerbaijan-Iran Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group are also part of the ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214626250/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 03:56:21 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214626250/scat/929bcf2071e81801 * Thai Q1 GDP down 2.2 pct q/q, up 5.3 pct y/y; both below expectations * Thai fin min says worried about growth, wants rate cut * Singapore dollar up on short-covering after worst week in a year (Adds text, updates prices) By Jongwoo Cheon SEOUL, May 20 (Reuters) - The Thai baht hit a near three-month low against the dollar on Monday as news the economy shrank in ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214626251/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 03:43:36 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214626251/scat/929bcf2071e81801 In January-April this year, according to meters, Azerbaijan exported 2,345bn cubic metres of natural gas. Of this volume, 1.565bn cubic meters in the amount of USD 364.213m were exported on customs ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625334/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 03:02:34 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625334/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Roman Muzalevsky On February 12, Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovych paid a three-day visit to gas-rich Turkmenistan to sign a memorandum of understanding on energy cooperation and reiterate Kiev's interest in resuming direct imports of the Central Asian country's natural gas, which were suspended in 2006. The visit revealed Kiev and Ashgabat's strong desire to reduce ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625336/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:58 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625336/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Richard Weitz Kazakhstan has become South Korea's (also known as the Republic of Korea - ROK) main economic partner in Central Asia, and powerful complementarities exist between Astana's desire for foreign capital and technologies, especially in order to develop its infrastructure and new high-technology sectors, and Seoul's need for natural resources, particularly energy and ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625335/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:58 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625335/scat/929bcf2071e81801 reforms and intends to spend US$13 billion to double gross domestic product (GDP) in five years, drawing on aid and investment to fund projects in agriculture, mining, transport, power and other sectors. Doubling the GDP will require an annual growth rate of at least 7%. Kyrgyzstan's GDP growth is projected at 8.5% in 2013, up to 7.5% in 2014, and up to 3.5% in 2015; inflation is ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625343/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:57 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625343/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Pavel K Baev Last week marked the anniversary of the shocking performance staged by the Pussy Riot punk rock group in the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow. And this year saw a spectacular increase in the density of "patriotic" political noise silencing common sense in debates over such matters as separation of church and state, homosexual "propaganda" or the ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625341/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:57 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625341/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Georgiy Voloshin Just two weeks into 2013, Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced the reorganization of the country's government. On January 16, he ordered the establishment of a new ministry in charge of regional development whose head, Bakhytzhan Sagintayev, had previously led the day-to-day activities of the ruling Nur Otan party in the capacity of its ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625340/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:57 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625340/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Sergei Gretsky Kazakhstan is well known for the successful transformation of its economy following independence more than 20 years ago, and the leadership has consistently set ambitious goals to solidify the gains and diversify the economy to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The year 2012 ended on a high note - the 2012-2013 Global Competitiveness Report by the World Economic ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625339/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:57 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625339/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Shavkat Kasymov Fifteen years have passed since a peace agreement which ended a five-year long civil war in Tajikistan. Fought between regional groups and the national government of president Rahmon Nabiyev, the conflict killed between 50,000 and 100,000 and displaced more than a million. Presidential elections scheduled for the fall offer an opportunity to reflect on the disastrous ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625338/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:57 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625338/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Sergie Blagov Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich traveled to China on February 25 to attend a first meeting of the bilateral intergovernmental commission on energy cooperation. The commission was formed in December 2012 to replace the bilateral Russia-China energy dialogue. Dvorkovich held talks with his Chinese counterpart, Vice Premier Wang Qishan, to discuss ties in the ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625337/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:57 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625337/scat/929bcf2071e81801 China have started using the new railway crossing of Altynkol-Khorgos. It is expected cargo transportation will reach 10 million tonnes in 2015 and 15 million tonnes in 2020. Industry observers expect the Korgas Pass, which now connects China and Kazakhstan by a railway, a highway and an oil pipeline, to handle 20 million tonnes of cargo per year by 2020 and 35 million tonnes per year by ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625344/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:56 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625344/scat/929bcf2071e81801 increasingly vocal opposition, many believe Azerbaijan is in for a lot more political turmoil in the year to come. "The opposition political parties hope to expand their electoral base by using these protests and win the presidential election in October 2013," says Baxtiyar Haciyev, a member of the youth opposition movement Positive Change and a graduate of Harvard University. ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625342/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:56 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625342/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Jacob Zenn On December 4, 2012, the deputy chairman of Kazakhstan's National Security Committee, Kabdulkarim Abdikazymov, said that Jund al-Khilafa was a "real threat" to Kazakhstan's national security. Similarly, on November 26, 2012, the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security of Kyrgyzstan, Tokon Mamytov, warned that "there might be ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625346/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:56 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625346/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Tom Balmforth MOSCOW - Bek Takhirov knows all too well the problems that migrant workers face. The 38-year-old ethnic Uzbek came to Russia in 2004 and worked illegally, stacking cargo in a warehouse for alcoholic beverages. Two years ago, he completed a lengthy application for Russian citizenship in order to step out of the shadows. He now works legally in St Petersburg as a ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625345/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:55 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625345/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Farangis Najibullah and Zarif Nazar Foreign forces are preparing to leave the country, capital is fleeing, and it's the Afghan government's job to stop it. To meet its objective, the Afghan Finance Ministry has drafted a package of incentives to assure companies and individual that their investments in Afghanistan will be safe after the expected withdrawal of Western troops ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625349/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:55 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625349/scat/929bcf2071e81801 ensure students do not fall prey to supposedly subversive ideas. She's not thrilled about the task. "Students spend so much time playing games featuring violence, such as a [first-person shoot-'em-up] game called Counter-Strike, and chatting with complete strangers online. Parents don't seem to care, and the burden falls on us, poor teachers," Mahfuza told ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625347/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:55 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625347/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Alexandra Kazakova Last year's violence in the town of Janaozen has created a significantly more oppressive environment in Kazakhstan, according to human rights defenders and analysts interviewed by IWPR. The activists were attending a conference in Almaty on December 13, three days before the first anniversary of the bloodshed. On December 16, 2011, police shot dead at 16 people ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625350/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:55 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625350/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Robert Coalson Moscow seems to be growing frustrated with Ukraine's efforts to pursue closer ties with the European Union while simultaneously seeking benefits reserved for members of the Russia-led Eurasian Customs Union (ECU). "You cannot be a little bit pregnant," Russian Foreign Ministry official Aleksandr Gorban said on January 1, referring to the choice facing ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625348/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:55 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625348/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Margarita Assenova United States Senator Richard Lugar has urged the Obama administration to break Russia's energy monopoly in Europe and called on congress to lift limitations on deliveries of liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies in Europe. His critical report, "Energy and Security from the Caspian to Europe", and ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625352/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:54 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625352/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Ron Synovitz and Rikard JozwiakRussia's Gazprom said construction would begin last week on the underwater section of its South Stream pipeline, which will carry natural gas beneath the Black Sea and into the European Union. But is this really the case? Gazprom CEO Aleksei Miller announced last month that the final investment decision for the project had been reached. Miller ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625362/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:54 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625362/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Carey L Biron WASHINGTON - Although the United States and Russia have massively reduced their collective number of nuclear weapons since the heyday of the Cold War, the rate of that reduction is slowing, the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) warned on Monday. Further, these two countries alone continue to account for more than 90% of the worlds total nuclear arsenal, 15 times the ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625351/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:54 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625351/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Sergei Blagov Russia's gas monopoly, Gazprom, has apparently ruled out the possibility of building a subsea Sakhalin-Japan natural gas pipeline. However, the continuation of talks on this ambitious project is thought to remain a valuable bargaining instrument in Russia's difficult negotiations with China on gas prices. On November 8, the head of Gazprom's representative ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625353/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:54 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625353/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Claire Bigg Ever wanted to visit the northern Siberian city of Novy Urengoi, Russia's "gas capital"? You may have missed your chance. Novy Urengoi has slapped harsh new access restrictions on both Russians and foreigners, a dramatic move that has sparked mixed reactions. Officials say they want to protect the affluent city from unbridled immigration, a surge in crime ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625363/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:54 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625363/scat/929bcf2071e81801 A Wolfe loose as Miami meets Moscow Back to Blood: A Novel by Tom Wolfe Reviewed by John Helmer MOSCOW - The value difference and profit opportunity between a genuine piece of art and a fake are so large there's no deterring entrepreneurial forgers. Until now, the cleverest schemes have, ethnically speaking, been the specialty of Englishmen, Americans, and well-known art auction ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625357/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:53 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625357/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Georgiy Voloshin On November 26, Kazakh media reported that the US oil company ConocoPhillips was planning to sell its 8.4% stake in Kazakhstan's Kashagan oil field on the Caspian Sea. In the context of continuously falling revenues (in the third quarter of 2012, ConocoPhillips lost about 14% of its profits, earning slightly over US$15 billion), its top managers decided to ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625360/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:53 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625360/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Oleg Varfolomeyev As Russia refuses to cut gas prices for Ukraine and proceeds with its South Stream pipeline project - aimed at diminishing Gazprom's dependence on Ukrainian gas pipelines - Ukraine has announced plans to further cut Russian gas imports. Even more notably, Ukraine began buying gas from the German company RWE this month. The Ukrainian government believes this will ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625358/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:53 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625358/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By John Helmer MOSCOW - Blimps long ago lost their value as a means of cargo transportation, military reconnaissance, or anti-aircraft defense; whilst the helium that fills them - more safely than the combustible hydrogen gas which brought down the Hindenburg in 1937 - is sharply increasing its value in other applications. But the United States, which is currently producing most of the ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625361/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:53 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625361/scat/929bcf2071e81801 investigation, O'zdunorbita continuously violated national legislation by illicitly operating 48 base stations in various parts of the country, including 24 stations based out of Tashkent. On July 17, Uzbekistan's Communications Agency suspended the company's operating license for 10 days. On July 30, the Tashkent city court further extended this suspension for a period of ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625359/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:53 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625359/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By M K Bhadrakumar Barack Obama's four-year second term in office as the president of the United States will be setting the tone of the final countdown on China's emergence as a superpower. The power dynamic in Asia-Pacific becomes a crucial template in this historic process. While the US can count on Japan and Australia as time-tested allies, its cogitations with China and ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625371/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:52 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625371/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Anar Valiyev Last month, Baku hosted the 12th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). The presidents of Azerbaijan, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, as well as the prime minister of Turkey attended the event. ECO was established in 1985 as a regional, inter-state economic organization for the countries of the Middle East and Central Asia. Seven new states - ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625356/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:52 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625356/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Eid al-Adha, a Russian holiday? By Chris Monday Speaking Freely is an Asia Times Online feature that allows guest writers to have their ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625370/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:52 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625370/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Chris Rickleton BISHKEK - One morning last year in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Dilnoza awoke to find her brand-new Toyota Corolla missing. She knew immediately whom to call, and it wasn't her local police precinct. Dilnoza sought the help of a private security agency. And after six days of searching, the firm's operatives tracked down and recovered Dilnoza's car, which was ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625355/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:52 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625355/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Mark Vinson On October 27, Tajikistan's President Emomalii Rahmon formally inaugurated the Shahriston tunnel along the Dushanbe-Khujand highway. The 5,253-meter tunnel cuts the time required to drive between the capital of Dushanbe and Tajikistan's second-largest city, Khujand (Leninabad), from eight to less than four hours. The Chinese-built project began six years ago and ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625354/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:52 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625354/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Richard Weitz The latest meeting of the Kazakhstani-US Energy Partnership Commission took place in Washington on October 15-16, 2012. The two delegation heads, Kazakhstan's Minister of Oil and Gas Sauat Mynbayev and the US Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman, signed a Joint Action Plan for 2012 - 2013 that promotes cooperation in four broad categories: nuclear security and ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625369/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:51 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625369/scat/929bcf2071e81801 on October 27 and, if it passes the bureaucratic hurdles, would officially remove the name Zhanaozen from the map. Nurbol Telegenov, the head of the province's internal policies department, told RFE/RL's Kazakh Service that the final decision would be made in Astana. Hot topicTelegenov noted, however, that the proposal had already become a hot topic of discussion. ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625368/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:51 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625368/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Margarita Assenova Russia is moving rapidly to start building the South Stream natural gas pipeline before the end of the year. On October 29, Serbia became the first Gazprom partner to announce its final investment decision on the construction of South Stream. Bulgaria will follow suit on November 9; Hungary and Slovenia are expected to adopt similar decisions by November 15. The ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625367/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:51 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625367/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Roman Muzalevsky The visit to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan this month of the US Special Representative for Global Intergovernmental Affairs, Reta Jo Lewis, to discuss Washington's vision of a "New Silk Road" across Central Asia comes ahead of the pull-out of coalition forces from Afghanistan in 2014. It also comes a year after the US launched the New Silk Road Strategy ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625366/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:51 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625366/scat/929bcf2071e81801 All Central Asian roads lead to Muscovy By Himar Arjun Singh Speaking Freely is an Asia Times Online feature that allows guest writers to have their say. Please ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625365/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:51 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625365/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Stephen Blank In August 2011, Russia signed what appeared to be a momentous agreement with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea - DPRK), an accord that marked Kim Jong-il's last great foreign policy accomplishment. North Korea's Supreme Leader's last major foreign policy initiative was the August summit in Moscow, where he announced his willingness to ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625364/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:50 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625364/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Igor Rotar Despite the predictions of Kyrgyz and international analysts, a swift arrest and sentencing of the three Kyrgyzstani lawmakers who tried to capture the parliament building did not spark serious riots. On October 3, opposition party Ata-Jurt and parliamentary members Sadyr Zhaparov and Kamchibek Tashiyev galvanized a crowd of around 500 protesters in Bishkek who were ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625374/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:50 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625374/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Sergei Blagov Russian officials have reiterated pledges to boost economic cooperation with Tajikistan. Meanwhile, the authorities in Dushanbe seem to remain hesitant on some issues, notably the country's possible membership in the Russian-led economic grouping, the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.When Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Tajikistan on ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625373/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:50 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625373/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tamerlane through Central Asian eyes The Legendary Biographies of Tamerlane: Islam and Heroic Apocrypha in Central Asia by Ron SelaReviewed by Dmitry Shlapentokh This well-researched book focuses on what seems to be a very narrow subject - the written history of Timur (Tamerlane), ruler of a vast Central Asian empire in the late 14th century, with Samarkand as the capital. Similar to ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625375/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:50 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625375/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Went to town Now, the intriguing part is that it was left to a third party to resort to shrill rhetoric - the United States. The State Department spokeswoman in Washington used harsh language to allege that Moscow was pursuing a "morally bankrupt" policy on Syria. Victoria Nuland said: "No responsible country ought to be aiding and abetting the war machine of the Assad ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625372/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:49 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625372/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Sergei Blagov The latest top-level meeting of the oldest post-Soviet grouping, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), pledged to enact their free-trade arrangements next year. However, the CIS free-trade zone (FTZ) agreement has not been ratified by some signatory nations, while other CIS member states have continued to refrain from joining the deal. During the meeting of the ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625380/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:49 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625380/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Georgiy Voloshin On October 2 and 3, Kazakhstan's capital hosted an annual gathering of the Kazenergy Association, which is comprised of 50 of the biggest players in the oil and gas sectors as well as the non-hydrocarbon sector, including foreign and domestic companies. The association was created back in November 2005 and has the status of a not-for-profit membership organization ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625376/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:49 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625376/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Dmitry Shlapentokh Recent agreements signed between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Kyrgyz Republic counterpart, Almazbek Atambayev, are replete with mutual benefits. Russia affirmed the presence of its military bases in Kyrgyzstan, whereas the tiny Central Asian country Kyrgyzstan received a promise from Moscow over the building of a cascade of hydropower stations and ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625378/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:49 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625378/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By M K Bhadrakumar A multi-billion dollar arms deal with Iraq, a summit meeting with Turkey, a fence-mending exercise with Saudi Arabia, a debut with Egypt's Sphinx-like Muslim Brothers - all this is slated to happen within the period of a turbulent month in the Middle East. And all this is to happen when the United States' "return" to the region after the hurly-burly ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625377/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:49 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625377/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Sergei Blagov Russian and Kazakhstani leaders have reiterated plans to further develop bilateral commerce, relying on the free-trade arrangements of their Customs Union. Two-way trade, however, has appeared to advance slower than previously expected. Attended by Presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev and Vladimir Putin, the Inter-Regional Cooperation Forum, held in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan, on ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625382/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:48 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625382/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Fozil Mashrab Kyrgyz leaders are expected to play host to Russian President Vladimir Putin today, September 20, when he is due in Bishkek to oversee the signing of inter-governmental agreements covering deals related to the construction of large and controversial hydroelectric power stations, extension of the rental agreements for Russian military bases in Kyrgyzstan, and the writing ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625384/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:48 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625384/scat/929bcf2071e81801 originates from a volatile region with a lion's share of the supply passing through narrow waterways that could easily be sealed off to tankers. More than any other market factors, it is country risk , the threat emanating from political events in one country or the region, that pose the greatest threat to the stability of the oil market. Due to the vital importance of oil in the ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625383/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:48 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625383/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By RFE/RL In June 2010, southern Kyrgyzstan erupted in violence between the Uzbek minority and Kyrgyz majority. Almost 500 people were killed, hundreds injured, and many thousands left homeless in the Osh and Jalal-Abad regions. Most of the victims were ethnic Uzbeks and many members of the minority have since been tried and sentenced to long ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625379/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:48 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625379/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Moscow beckons Pakistan's Kiani By M K Bhadrakumar The phrase coined by the 17th-century English philosopher Francis Bacon is: "If the mountain won't come to Mohammed, then Mohammed must go to the mountain." So, if Russian President Vladimir Putin won't come to Islamabad on Tuesday, then Pakistani army chief Ashfaq Parvez Kiani will still go to Moscow. The ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625381/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:48 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625381/scat/929bcf2071e81801 serious implications for regions far away from the Caspian shores. Turkmenistan has come into possession of considerable amounts of gas, which it is anxious to sell to Europe. Indeed, European leaders are actively wooing Ashgabat. And, as usual when high profit is at stake, governments immediately forget about less-than-stellar human-rights records. Landlocked Turkmenistan has, however, ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625387/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:47 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625387/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Dmitry Shlapentokh The policies of Islam Karimov, the strongman of Uzbekistan, are not easy to decipher, at least in regard to foreign policy. He recently noted in conversation with Nursultan Nazarbaev, the president of Kazakhstan, that if Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan were to proceed with building hydropower stations that would prevent water flowing into desert-covered Uzbekistan, it ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625386/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:47 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625386/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Salafists challenge Kazakh future By Jacob Zenn Kazakhstan has experienced a rise in militant activity carried out by Salafist groups on its territory and periphery since late 2011. The Salafists' rejection of secularism and other types of Islam and their call for a return to the ways of the Salaf, or pious ancestors who lived at the time of Muhammad and the first four caliphs, are ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625385/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:47 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625385/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Zhulduz Baizakova Kazakhstan plans to build an international nuclear fuel bank in Ust-Kamenogorsk (Oskemen), in the country's east, at the site of Ulba Metallurgic Plant, part of the giant national company Kazatomprom, which produces fuel tablets for nuclear power plants. While the authorities are keen on the plan, some citizens are seriously questioning it - questions that are ... http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625388/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:30:47 -0400 http://www.afghanistannews.net/index.php/sid/214625388/scat/929bcf2071e81801