FEB. 10 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — Despite an antagonistic stand-off between Washington and the Kremlin over the civil war in Ukraine, media reported that Kazakhstan has organised a military exercise with the US. The US has held military exercises with Kazakhstan for several years. Kazakhstan is also a close ally of Russia.
ENDS
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(News report from Issue No. 218, published on Feb. 11 2015)
FEB. 6 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — Viktor Khristenko, chairman of the Kremlin-lead Eurasian Economic Union, said the final barriers to Kyrgyzstan’s entry to the group had been removed. He was talking to press after a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union. Kyrgyzstan aims to join the EEU, which includes Belarus, Kazakhstan and Armenia, later this year.
ENDS
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(News report from Issue No. 218, published on Feb. 11 2015)
FEB. 10 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — The authorities in Kyrgyzstan said they had arrested several members of the Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir in a number of coordinated raids across the country, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported. Kyrgyzstan is increasingly worried about Islamic extremists’ recruitment drive in the country.
ENDS
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(News report from Issue No. 218, published on Feb. 11 2015)
>>Inflation and Russian rouble devaluation are pressuring Armenian Central Bank>>
FEB. 10 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — Armenia’s Central Bank increased its key interest rate to 10.5% from 9.5%, the third rate rise since December, because of rising inflation.
Data from the Central Bank showed that annualised inflation hit 4.3% in January which is at the top end of the government’s target range.
Central Banks across Central Asia and the South Caucasus have steadily been increasing interest rates to keep pace with Russian monetary moves. Russia is trying to defend its currency against both falling oil prices and the impact of sanctions.
Armenia’s economy is particularly tied into Russia’s economy. At the beginning of the year, Armenia also joined the Kremlin-lead Eurasian Economic Union which many see as a Moscow inspired political union.
Inflation in Russia has hit around 12% and is still rising. Economists said this would undoubtedly push the price of goods in Armenia up too.
Before the Central Bank raised interest rates in December, the Armenia’s interest rate had stood at 6.75%.
ENDS
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(News report from Issue No. 218, published on Feb. 11 2015)
FEB. 6 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — Kazakhstan’s net gold and foreign currency reserves increased to $28.2b in January from $28b in December and $24b from a year earlier, highlighting its ability to fight downward pressure on its tenge currency. Kazakhs worry about another devaluation.
ENDS
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(News report from Issue No. 218, published on Feb. 11 2015)
FEB. 10 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — Tribesmen in Yemen have released a Tajik doctor they kidnapped in October, media reported. Gulrukhsor Rofieyva, 36, was working for a Russian company when she was kidnapped. It’s unclear why her captors released her but they had demanded the release of tribesmen held by the government.
ENDS
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(News report from Issue No. 218, published on Feb. 11 2015)
FEB. 9 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — Italian oil service company Saipem has won a $1.8b contract to replace leaky pipes at the Kashagan oil field in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea, media reported. It said the new pipes would be in place by the end of 2016, allowing oil to flow from Kashagan by the start of 2017.
ENDS
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(News report from Issue No. 218, published on Feb. 11 2015)
FEB. 4 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — Russian president Vladimir Putin ratified Russia’s alliance with Abkhazia, a Georgian rebel region. The strategic alliance, which has been criticised by Georgia, means Russia will likely send more military kit to Abkhazia.
ENDS
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(News report from Issue No. 218, published on Feb. 11 2015)
FEB. 4 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — Kyrgyzstan detained four Uzbek nationals on their shared border, media reported. Relations between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have been strained over the last few years by rows over border rights and hydro-electric dams. The rows have the potential to destabilise the region.
ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved
(News report from Issue No. 218, published on Feb. 11 2015)
FEB. 10 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has agreed to hold its AGM in Tbilisi in 2015. This will be the EBRD’s 24th AGM and the first to be held in the South Caucasus. For Georgia, the EBRD’s AGM gives it an opportunity to showcase Tbilisi.
ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved
(News report from Issue No. 218, published on Feb. 11 2015)
