Yesterday, the US House of Representatives voted for a USD 6.4 billion aid package for Afghanistan through 2010. According to yesterday's Reuters report, the House also stipulated that Afghanistan's aid should not go to provinces where officials are involved in drug trade or aiding insurgents. Reports on province-by-province governance will now be required for Congressional […]
Over at the Eurasian Transition Group Web site, Mr. Laubsch has translated into English and posted Rakhat Aliev's interview with Austria's Profil Magazine. In it, Mr. Aliev states that his nomination of Mr. Nazarbaev to King of Kazakhstan last year was an ironic statement, which I personally missed along with a bunch of others. Or. That […]
The undisclosed percentage of Aliev-Nazarbaeva shares in Nurbank has at last been reported at 51% in Financial Times. Along with the 6.3% owned by Mr. Aliev's father, we now know about 60% of Nurbank ownership is held by Aliev connections. I don't believe in conspiracy theories very often, for the simple reason that few people keep […]
In this five-minute video, we can hear an Afghanistani official's opinion and will to follow official, nation-building policy; the best-faith efforts of an Afghanistan soldier who is supervising poppy eradication, an enormous manpower effort on one field of many. This is followed by an attack by Taliban forces on U.S. troops; and the troops’ return to safety. […]
Mr. Grono and Ms. Nathan of the International Crisis Group have written a new article in the Christian Science Monitor about the two most prominent debates concerning Afghanistan's opium/heroin economy. They accurately note that neither poppy eradication nor legalizing pharmaceutical-end use poppy cultivation looks like a workable idea–they’re right. They target instead the corruption of Afghanistan's officials: they’re right […]
Well, the authorities nabbed Mr. Aliev as he returned from the barber shop, based upon a court order issued in Vienna. Personally, with his millions, I would have asked for a house call. The puns that come to mind are endless: e.g., giving one's head for washing. . . but on to the serious aspects […]
This video explains a little about poppy cultivation:[kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/Aqn-6Asqixo” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /] And then this is the next half of the video instruction. [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/KbIFmPBsN7Q” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /] These were number 4 and 5 of a six-part series at YouTube, and I know I learned a lot.
Dear Readers, It's only three months, and I promise never to do this again: this somewhat self-indulgent summation. But after over 100 posts and 150 comments, who knew the great people I would meet who talk and write about Central Asia? I only know you by your writing, your comments and letters, the quality of your analysis […]
The Eighth Session of the EurASec Interparliamentary Assembly met yesterday in St. Petersburg to discuss further economic cooperation, education, and coordinated anti-terrorist activities, particularly in regard to terrorist finance. EurASec is an economic collective security joined by Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The IPA is the legislative arm of EurASec, designed to help the passage of common legal […]
The Republic of Iran and the Republic of Tajikistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding in regard to increased direct investment in the Tajik Republic. What's upcoming: facilitation of Iranian business investment; the reconstruction of one cement plant and the construction of another; some large-scale construction projects; and the development of an auto plant. This last […]
Every year, a new typhoid epidemic: The most famous one in 2003, during the Central Asian Games, hosted in Dushanbe. Officials made one public service announcement, while residents and visitors continued to get sick. Tajikistan does better with this obligation now, because they are reporting that: Right now, in Kulyab, Tajikistan, there are 62 confirmed cases of […]
Okay, it's not Friday, it's Wednesday. That should be your first hint. At Registan.net, they’ve been discussing how ridiculous things get in a hurry when news analysts get dramatic. This is particularly related to new developments in the Nazarbaev – Aliev controversy now spinning out. This is my mostly non-verbal warning for all Central Asia […]
For the first time, Mongolia's representative (Nyamaa Enkhbold) attended the EU-based Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), which is held every two years. Benito Ferrero-Waldner praised Mongolia's progress. New aid in the amount of Euro 17 million (USD 23 million) over the next three years almost doubles the earlier annual aid levels of Euro 3 million. In addition, Mongolia will enjoy […]
Today in the Wall Street Journal, the President of the Uyghur-American Association and World Uyghur Congress writes about the human rights situation in China's Xinjiang province. Ms. Kadeer was jailed for five years in China for her activities. Photo: Chinapage
On May 28, the President of Turkmenistan, Mr. Berdymuhammedov, visited Kazakhstan to engage in bilateral meetings with Kazakhstan's President Nazarbaev and crew. The news wires are more or less blipping through these developments as they do most short news stories in Central Asia, but in aggregate these articles are describing a watershed event. I’m so excited about this I’m finding it hard […]