Stories about Turkmenistan from December, 2007
Turkmenistan: the First Year with Turkmenbashi II
Maciula sums up the results of the first year of rule of Turkmenistan's second president, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov.
Turkmenistan: Life of Turkmen Conscripts
Maciula tells about terrible situation of coscripts in the Turkmen army – reportedly, they escape from military bases, sell their forms and sometimes also guns, and then they hide in their relatives’ homes. .
Kazakhstan: Nabucco Pipeline Lacks Commitments
Steve LeVine notes that this week's Washington appearance of Valekh Aleskerov, Azerbaijan's former chief oil negotiator, highlighted the absence thus far of concrete commitments by Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan to a prospective Trans-Caspian gas pipeline.
Turkmenistan: End of Illusions?
Maciula analyzes the recent President Berdymukhammedov’s last speech in which he ordered that satellite TV dishes be removed from all Ashgabat houses.
Turkmenistan: Turkish Connection
Maciula reports on the Turkish President’s first visit to Turkmenistan in an apparent evidence of the fact that more Western countries are having keen interest in the country.
Turkmenistan: Siemens and Ruhnama
Maciula writes about the ethical aspect of Western companies operating in Turkmenistan, taking as an example the Siemens Corp., which Siemens has openly supported the Ruhnama book in Turkmenistan, written by the late dictator Saparmurat Niyazov.
Turkmenistan: Railways Construction Plan Announced
Maciula reports about launching the construction of the Uzen-Gyzylgaya-Bereket-Etrek-Gorgan transnational railway, which will link Iran, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and probably also Russia.
Turkmenistan: Natural Gas to Be Sold for a Higher Price
Bboyd reports that Russia's Gazprom agreed to hike its price for Turkmenistan’s gas: from USD 100 per cubic meter (cum) to USD 130 starting January of 2008.
Turkmenistan: New Award Named After Dictator
Maciula informs the readers that the Turkmen authorities established a new – extremely controversial – order named after Tukmenbashi, who died almost a year ago. It is to be awarded to foreign politicians for their “contribution to the fostering of peace in the region and in the world, raising Turkmenistan’s...
Turkmenistan: Bush Administration Looks at Ashgabat
Joshua Foust reiterates that the U.S. has been strategically negligent with regards to Turkmenistan, and reports that few days earlier Condoleeza Rice has appointed Thomas Pickering, one of the most respected diplomats, to take over the job of coordinating the U.S. diplomatic push in the Caspian region in a newly...
Turkmenistan: Anniversary of Assasination
Maciula recollects about the fifth anniversary of failed – and highly controversial – assasination attempt against the first leader of Turkmenistan, despotic and notorious Saparmurat Turkmenbashi, and reflect if there are hazards for the new president.
Turkmenistan: Insisting on Rise of Gas Prices
Maciula opines on the increase in Turkmen gas prices for Russia, saying that the new president Berdymukhammedov’s pragmatic policy starts bringing results.