Simply put, Kyrgyzstan's Tulip Revolution of March, 2005, saw the ouster of President Akaev for one political and two economic reasons. Politically, he was consolidating the power of his presidency and weakening the legislature. Constitutionally-mandated term limits were extended under Akaev's rule. As Akaev neared the limit of his last extended term, he began grooming two […]
On January 26, 2006, the Eurasian Economic Security Council (EAEC or EurAsSec) announced the inception of a new development bank that aims to improve economic issues for its member states. According to Vladimir Putin, the Eurasian Development Bank (EADB, or sometimes EDB) was proposed by Nursultan Nazarbaev in 2004, in order to create regional economic […]
What in the West we consider to be the Central Asian state furthest from international access, India is calling "the fulcrum of regional geopolitics." In a move little noted elsewhere, India has developed its first foreign air base‚ in Tajikistan. The Ayni base is a former Soviet airbase used to supply the Soviet-Afghanistan war, but […]
Eighty years ago, Stalinists attempted to eradicate specific Central Asian religious and cultural practices: one such undesired practice, again relevant, concerned the customary headcoverings for Islamic women (hijab). According to articles by Douglas Northrop in 2000 and 2001 (see Worth Reading: Uzbekistan), Bolsheviks in Uzbekistan began korenizatsaiia (nativization) in the early 1920's. By 1926, they had identified traditional Islamic […]
"more than words can wield the matter" Dariga Nazarbaeva, the eldest daughter of Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbaev, continues to be the most influential word-wielder in Kazakhstan. Ms. Nazarbaeva is the Founder, previous President, and Chairperson for Khabar, Kazakhstan's media conglomerate. According to BBC, Darigha Nazarbaeva and her husband, Rakhat Aliev, own a media empire that […]
Mongolia Web reports that New York's Lincoln Center Fest will present the Secret History of the Mongols July 22-29, 2007. Nine musicians and storytellers will perform the work at the Clark Studio Theater. This passage is from The Secret History of the Mongols: In time Dobun passed away and after he was gone Alan the Fair, without a […]
Human rights groups have recently come forward to ask that the European Union (EU) continue to implement sanctions against Uzbekistan in response to the Andijan Massacre of May 12, 2005. The EU met on March 5, 2007, to review the sanctions, which have not thus far borne any positive behavioral results. They called for Uzbekistan […]
The pageant's focus now turns again to domestic considerations. As suitable for a seamless transition, the new policies thus borrowed heavily from the old. The new President of Turkmenistan has announced the commissioning of a new statue of Turkmenbashi, to honor in death a man who has had countless statues of himself erected already; raising […]
Saparmurat Niyazov, Leader and Showman, Turkmenbashi the Great and President for Life of Turkmenistan, passed away on December 21, 2006. Turkmenistan's constitutionally-mandated succession was bypassed in favor of the Acting Presidency of Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, the Minister of Health and Pharmaceutical Industries. The legal successor, Ovezgeldy Atayev, the Speaker and Deputy Chairman of the 2,500-member legislature […]
Hello, Central Asia Watchers, and welcome! This quotation comes from the Say It In Kazakh Web page of the Kazakhstan Embassy to the United States and Canada. Click here for a table of Central Asia Flash Facts; go to the “Worth Reading” Page of this blog for a kind of running bibliography of non-Internet source […]