Tag Archives: Kyrgyzstan

Two Tajiks die in dispute with Kyrgyzstan

AUG. 26 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Two Tajiks — a civilian and a soldier — died in a shootout with Kyrgyz forces on the Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border, the most serious violence along the disputed boundary this year. The row between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan threatens to destabilise the region.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 197, published on Aug. 27 2014)

Free speech case to be heard in Kyrgyzstan

AUG. 25 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – For human rights workers and freedom of speech activists, these are increasingly worrying times in Kyrgyzstan.

Once considered a bastion of political and social pluralism, Kyrgyzstan appears to be retarding. Earlier this year politicians prepared the ground to implement harsh anti-gay laws, now reports have emerged that say the intelligence services are prosecuting two journalists for alleged defamation.

Eurasianet reported that Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security (GKNB) has demanded damages of nearly $20,000 from Shorukh Saipov, a journalist who writes for the independent Fergana News website.

In an article in May, Mr Saipov said that the GKNB was extorting money from Muslims by threatening to prosecute them for extremism. The GKNB has said that the article deliberately tried to tarnish its reputation, charges that Fergana News has denied.

Highlighting the pressure on the media in Kyrgyzstan, Mr Saipov’s brother, also a journalist, was murdered in the southern city of Osh in 2007. His killers were never found.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 197, published on Aug. 27 2014)

Russia lifts restrictions on Kyrgyz food imports

AUG. 22 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Perhaps trying to woo Kyrgyzstan into the embrace of the Customs Union, Russia agreed to lift restrictions on the import of Kyrgyz agriculture products, media reported. The restrictions were imposed over food safety fears. Kyrgyzstan has applied to join the Russia-led Customs Union later this year.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 197, published on Aug. 27 2014)

Russia gives Kyrgyzstan $500m

AUG.12 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Russia has agreed to give Kyrgyzstan $500m to prepare for joining the Customs Union. Kyrgyzstan is hoping to join the Customs Union, which will morph into the Eurasian Economic Union, later this year. Belarus and Kazakhstan are already members.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 195, published on Aug. 13 2014)

Kyrgyzstan faces energy shortages

AUG. 8 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – The level of water in the Toktogul reservoir in Kyrgyzstan, vital for the country’s hydroelectric power production, is down by roughly a quarter because of the especially dry Central Asian summer, media reported. Uzbekistan has also reduced gas supplies leading analysts to predict energy shortages this winter.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 195, published on Aug. 13 2014)

Kyrgyzstan rows with Belarus

AUG. 5 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Kyrgyzstan complained to Belarus after reports circulated it had awarded Kurmanbek Bakiyev, a former Kyrgyz president living in Minsk since fleeing in a revolution in 2010, one of its highest awards. A row with Belarus may have implications for Kyrgyzstan’s entry into the Russia-led Customs Union. Belarus and Kazakhstan are already members.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 194, published on Aug. 6 2014)

Centerra Gold profit drops in Kyrgyzstan’s Kumtor

JULY 30 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Profit at Toronto-based Centerra Gold, owner of Kyrgyzstan’s Kumtor gold mine, fell because of low gold prices, media reported. Kumtor is Centerra Gold’s main asset and the focus of a major row with the Kyrgyz government. Ian Atkinson, Centerra Gold CEO, also said he was confident of a deal with the Kyrgyz government soon.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 194, published on August 6 2014)

US denies it wants an Uzbek base

AUG. 1 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – The United States denied it was discussing setting up a base in Uzbekistan after media reports said a deal was imminent. The US pulled out of its base outside Bishkek this year and speculation has been rising that it may be looking to set up a new Central Asia hub.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 194, published on Aug. 6 2014)

Bakiyev sentenced in Kyrgyzstan

JULY 25 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – A court in Kyrgyzstan sentenced former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev to life in prison for ordering soldiers to fire at street demonstrations in 2010. The sentence is largely symbolic as Bakiyev fled Kyrgyzstan in 2010 and now lives in Minsk.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 193, published on July 30 2014)

Relations mended ahead of Kyrgyz CU membership

JULY 28 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Kazakh officials travelled to Bishkek to patch up their differences before Kyrgyzstan’s expected entry into the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia in 2015.

The meeting, attended by Kazakh deputy PM Bakitzhan Sagyntayev and Kyrgyz PM Djoomart Otorbayev ended positively with Kazakhstan pledging up to $200m in grants for Kyrgyzstan’s entry into the Union and discussing a possible electricity-for-water swap this winter.

But relations between the two sides have been unusually thorny in recent months.

Since April 14, Kazakh Customs Officials have been holding up wagons carrying petrol from the Russian energy giant Rosneft to Kyrgyzstan. Kazakh officials say they are simply complying with a government ruling banning all petrol exports from Kazakhstan. Kyrgyz officials have said that they are being obtuse.

Kazakh and Russian firms are expected to further dominate Kyrgyzstan’s domestic economy when Bishkek becomes a member of the Customs Union, which is morphing into the Eurasia Economic Union, either at the end of this year or the start of next year.

The Customs Union/Eurasian Economic Union will harmonise trade customs procedures and increase tariffs against non-members such as China. This all increases Kyrgyzstan’s reliance on Kazakhstan, making this week’s meeting even more important.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 193, published on July 30 2014)