Category Archives: Uncategorised

Massimov re-affirmed as Kazakh PM

APRIL 29 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – In a constitutional formality, the Kazakh government resigned immediately after Nursultan Nazerbayev was re-elected as president for the fifth time. He re-appointed his trusted lieutenant Karim Massimov as PM, ensuring stability in the government.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 229, published on April 29 2015)

Saakashvili visiting Azerbaijan

APRIL 29 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Georgia has filed an extradition request to Azerbaijan for former president Mikheil Saakashvili, media reported. Mr Saakashvili, who is now based in New York and Kiev and is an adviser to the pro- Western Ukraine government, is visiting Azerbaijan for a conference.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 229, published on April 29 2015)

Armenia to get cheaper gas

APRIL 29 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Russian gas monopoly Gazprom has agreed to lower the price of gas it sells to consumers in Armenia by 13%, media reported quoting Gazprom chairman Alexei Miller. Gazprom owns the gas pipelines in Armenia.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 229, published on April 29 2015)

No devaluation, says Kazakh President

APRIL 27 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev dismissed rumours a devaluation of the tenge was now imminent after he had won another election. “There are no such plans,” he said at a news conference. The tenge has come under enormous pressure to devalue because of a fall in oil prices and a drop in the Russian rouble.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 229, published on April 29 2015)

Uzbek prosecutor quits

APRIL 24 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Uzbekistan’s prosecutor-general Rashid Qodirov has resigned unexpectedly, media reported. Mr Qodirov was made famous for ordering the arrest last year of Gulnara Krimova, eldest daughter of president Islam Karimov, for various economic crimes.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 229, published on April 29 2015)

Georgia wooing airlines

APRIL 23 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Georgia has been negotiating with several low-cost airlines — including Ryanair, EasyJet and Air Berlin — to fly to Tbilisi, media reported quoting deputy economy minister Ketevan Bochorishvili. Tourism is a major source of income for Georgia.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 229, published on April 29 2015)

Kazakh Astana cycling retains licence

APRIL 29 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Cycling’s Astana Pro Team, a Kazakhstan-backed franchise, will retain its World Tour Licence despite allegations of mass doping (April 24).

The International Cycling Union’s Licence Commission’s decision surprised many who had been urging it to take strong action to clean up the sport.

The International Cycling Union suggested in February that Astana Pro Team would lose its licence over what it described as “compelling grounds” that it had doped.

This would have embarrassed Kazakhstan. Last year an Astana Pro Team rider, Vincenzo Nibali, won the Tour de France.

Some online stories suggested that the International Cycling Union wanted to avoid a legal case with Astana Pro Team and so dodged scrapping its licence. Instead it said Astana Pro Team would be subject to special conditions next season.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 229, published on April 29 2015)

Kyrgyzstan rates stay steady

APRIL 27 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Kyrgyzstan’s Central Bank held interest rates steady at 11% because of slowing inflation, media reported. Previously the Central Bank has aggressively raised interest rates to try and curb inflation generated by the falling value of the som.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 229, published on April 29 2015)

Georgia hands bonus for WW2 vets

APRIL 24 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Georgia’s government said it will hand out a one-off bonus of 1,000 lari ($431) to the 2,000 World War II veterans still alive to mark the 70th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany. The payment will boost the Georgian Dream coalition which has seen its popularity drop.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 229, published on April 29 2015)

Tajik currency devalues

APRIL 29 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – A move by Tajikistan’s government to ban exchange booths from dealing in currencies has pushed currency trading into the black market and reduced the value of the Tajik somoni further, Eurasianet reported. The somoni has lost around 17% of its value this year.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 229, published on April 29 2015)