Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from July, 2008
Armenia: Bloggers Attend Presidential Press Conference
On 21 July at a news conference held at the presidential palace to mark the 100th day of the new president's term in office, two bloggers were invited to attend alongside 38 journalists. Although the bloggers involved argue that the event was important and unprecedented, not everyone agrees.
Azerbaijan: US Election Conference
Michael J. Totten's Middle East Journal reports that it will be visiting Azerbaijan next month for a conference on the U.S. Presidential Election and locally related matters. The blog also solicits questions from its readers which can be put to senior government officials in the country as well as religious...
Caucasus: Tolerance
Social Science in the Caucasus comments on its own research into the attitude of citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia towards their neighbors.
Armenia: Divided Blogosphere
Following news that two bloggers were allowed to attend a presidential press conference, Unzipped comments on the event and says that the unprecedented event was actually a disservice to the local blogging community. The pro-opposition Nazarian accuses the bloggers of serving the government.
Abkhazia, Georgia: “Home”
As everyone seems to be talking about an impending war over Abkhazia, here is a translation of a post by LiveJournal blogger cyxymu, a Georgian who spent his childhood in Abkhazia but now lives in Tbilisi, having become an "internally displaced person" during the hostilities in the early 1990s.
Armenia: Bloggers Attend Presidential Press Conference
Real Armenia reports that two local bloggers, Akanumatata_Ser [RU] and Pigh [RU], were allowed to attend a presidential press conference to ask questions collected online. The blog says congratulates the two bloggers and says that bloggers might now be considered equal to local journalists.
Kazakhstan: Astana Anniversary
Bloggers discuss how the celebrations of the anniversary of Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan, went. They were so widely advertised and loads of public finance was spent on the tenth anniversary of the capital, that most of the citizens - and bloggers - sighed with relieve when the whole fuss was over.
Georgia: Hacker Attack
The Threat Expert Blog reports that political tensions between Russia and Georgia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia have spilled over into cyberspace. The IT security blog implies that Russian hackers were behind a DOS attack on the website of the Georgian president, Mikhail Saakashvili.
Kazakhstan: Olympics Blogwatch
On the eve of the Beijing Olympiad, the Kazakhstani bloggers discuss what chances their country has to performs decently in summer sports.
Mongolia: State of Emergency Aftermath
Guido Verboom reflects on the popular protests during the parliamentary elections in Mongolia.
Kazakhstan: Mega Media Holding
Adam reports on creation of a new Kazakhstan media holding company, made up of state-owned and – of course – pro-government outlets.
Kazakhstan: Mittal’s Business Still at Risk
Adam Kesher reflects on the recent developments around Arcelor Mittal’s enterprise in Kazakhstan against the background of evolving resource nationalism trends in Kazakhstan and consolidation of major industries in hands of the state.
Central Asia: Update on EU's Cantral Asia Strategy
Phillip posts his impressions of a panel discussion of the German Association for Eastern European Studies about the Central Asia strategy of the European Union.
Kazakhstan: The Rise of Kazakh Military
Adam tells that new types of ammunition, designed in Israel, but made in Kazakhstan, comply with the world trends in the sphere of design of high-precision weaponry.
Kyrgyzstan: Schoolchildren Partake in Festival of National Cultures
Elena tells that pupils-winners of school olympiads from Kyrgyzstan took part in the festival of national cultures in Moscow, Russia.
Kazakhstan: New Scandal, Bribes and Politics
The Roberts Report reviews the new scandal evolving around Kazakhstan following the Sunday Times article, alleging that KazmunaiGas paid $2 million for vice-president Cheney’s visit to Astana in 2005.
Afghanistan: The Myth of Taliban Tribalism
Josh Foust says that one of the most shallow prejudices on the conflict in Afghanistan is the assertion that the Taliban insurgent groups are being driven by tribal loyalties
Kazkahstan: Pipeline Blast
Patrick Frost reprots that a 20-mile section of a natural gas pipeline, which travels from western Kazakhstan into Russian territory, was shut down late yesterday after an explosion damaged the line.
Afghanistan: Government Blames Pakistan for Terrorism
Barnett R. Rubin reports that the government of Afghanistan, chaired by President Hamid Karzai, formally endorsed a statement charging Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate with responsibility for most of the terrorism carried out in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan: Women Shot by Taliban
The Rumi reports that two women who had been returning home from shopping in the Kandahar province of Aghanistan, were abducted and shot to death by Taliban insurgents.
Afghanistan: Hizb-i Islami Press Release on Bombing
Barnett R. Rubin posts translation of the Hizb-i Islami press release on the bombing of the Indian Embassy in Kabul, Afghainistan, in which Northern Alliance is blamed for for the attack.