· March, 2007

Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from March, 2007

Kazakhstan: Russian Chill

  30 March 2007

neweurasia discusses chilliness in relations between Kazakhstan and Russia, but says that the relationship is far from on the rocks.

Kyrgyzstan: Trouble Brewing

  30 March 2007

At Registan.net, Teo Kay shares some the political cartoons about Central Asia he co-created for an English-language newspaper distributed in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Afghanistan: 800 Years of Rumi

  30 March 2007

Bonnie Boyd notes that Rumi, the famous poet often associated with Sufism who was born in what is now Afghanistan, was born 800 years ago and she reports on a celebration of his work that took place in Washington, DC.

Armenia: Targeting Students

  29 March 2007

At the CRD/TI Armenian Election Mointor 2007, a student from Yerevan writes about how the Prosperous Armenia party targets students.

Afghanistan: Watch out Ahmed!

  29 March 2007

Afghanistanica says that the well-known writer on the Taliban, Afghanistan, and Central Asian Islamism, Ahmed Rashid, seems to have a bit of a problem with Uzbeks.

Uzbekistan: New Attitude

  29 March 2007

Registan.net says that Uzbekistan has not shown the change of heart regarding its human rights practices that some European Union officials claim it has.

Georgia: Worker's Paradise

  28 March 2007

Cuttino Alexander pays a visit to Chiatura a town that flourished under the Soviet Union and has since experienced economic and population collapse.

Uzbekistan: Locking up the Press

  28 March 2007

Bonnie Boyd sums up the arrests of journalists over the last six months in Uzbekistan and concludes that the world will be getting even less news from the country.

Kazakhstan: Cook for a Cause

  28 March 2007

News from the Caravan tells readers how to get a cookbook with good Central Asian recipes and help out a Kazakh orphanage at the same time.

Afghanistan: Higher Education Crisis

  28 March 2007

Safrang reports that there are too few university spots for eligible students in Afghanistan and that the problem is only getting worse. The blogger argues that failing to provide education for them will create a large number of dissatisfied youth.

Uzbekistan: Picking Cotton

  27 March 2007

neweurasia posts photos of children taking part in Uzbekistan's cotton harvest and translates some discussions on LiveJournal blogs of the use of child labor to harvest Uzbekistan's white gold.

Kazakhstan: Green Cover

  27 March 2007

Ben Paarmann says that the Kazakhstani government's newfound interest in stricter environmental regulation of the energy sector may all be a way for them to justify not meeting stated production goals.

Tajikistan: Implications of -ov

  27 March 2007

Bonnie Boyd says that the Tajik president's decisions to drop Russian endings from surnames potentially has foreign policy implications for Tajikistan. She says that the decision does nothing for Tajikistan but satisfy a presidential whim.

Kazakhstan: Serbia Defeated

  27 March 2007

At neweurasia, Leila reports on Kazakhstan's upset win over Serbia in Group A of the Euro 2008 qualifiers. This is Kazakhstan's first victory in a competitive match and second victory overall since joining the Union of European Football Associations in 2002.

Armenia: Something Smells Fishy

  27 March 2007

At the Armenian Socialist-Libertarian Movement blog, Sasuntsi Anarchist says that the timing of the Armenian prime minister's death is suspicious.

Armenia: Consultations & Mourning

  27 March 2007

Onnik Krikorian reports on public mourning of Armenia's recently deceased prime minister and the political uncertainty that has followed his death.

About our Central Asia & Caucasus coverage

Nurbek Bekmurzaev
Nurbek Bekmurzaev is the Central Asia editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.

Arzu Geybullayeva
Arzu Geybullayeva is the South Caucasus editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.