Latest posts by Adil Nurmakov from December, 2007
Tajikistan: Hydropower Delayed
Bboyd reports that the launch of Tajikistan’s big hydropower plant is delayed again due to lack of concrete deliveries.
Kyrgyzstan: Criticism Prevails in Elections Estimates
Asel posts official results of the parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan, and provides an overview of observers’ reactions to the conduct of the vote.
Kyrgyzstan: Election's Over
The Azamat Report says violations during yesterday's voting process (not counting the pre-election irregularities) were massive.
Kazakhstan: Zebra Mussels Invade U.S.
Steve LeVine says that communities around the U.S. are in a panic over the creeping invasion of a native Caspian Sea mollusk called the Zebra Mussel, which had been first described in the eighteenth century by a visitor to the mouth of the Ural River in the northeastern Caspian near...
Kyrgyzstan: A Kyrgyzstani nominated for Grammy
Asel reports that Eldar Djangirov, a Kyrgyz musician, has been nominated for the 2007 Grammy Best Contemporary Jazz Album.
Uzbekistan: News Portal Not-Approved by Google Sec
Libertad writes about the incompatibility of Fergana.ru with Google Web Search’s security system. Fergana.Ru is known for its timely and objectively given information about Central Asian countries.
Tajikistan: Fortune Tellers to Be Banned
Vadim reflects on the authorities’ decision to banish witchcraft and fortune-telling, and thinks that this is another trick of authorities to draw away the attention of people from more important issues, such as electricity cut-offs, increase in food and oil prices, lack of gas etc.
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: Offshore Islands as Best Investors and Importers
Marat reviews statistics on the investments in Kazakhstan and exports from Kazakhstan – and in both cases the offshore paradises occupy a significant space.
Kyrgyzstan: Women and Youth Score Worst in Elections
GenderStan opines that the way Kyrgyz society is structured does not allow for diversity in the parliament. The party called “New Power” won as little as 0,23% of the votes. It has included mostly women and young people and was not able to invest into a large-scale campaign.
Uzbekistan: Rightless and unprotected militia
Bordersca shares a story of a former militiaman, who lives now in Europe tells his own story about what he had to go through, while working in Uzbekistan, and why he had to do “evil” things.
Afghanistan: More aid, more personnel
Bboyd reviews a new report on aid progress in Afghanistan, published by Senlis, a European-based think tank, which is saying that aid inflows have been inadequate.
Afghanistan: Who's to Blame?
Barnett R. Rubin analyzes the change of tactics in dealing with NATO allies in Afghanistan, announced by Robert Gates, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, at a NATO meeting in Edinburgh.
Kazakhstan: Trial over President's Ex-Adviser Postponed Again
Steve LeVine reports that a U.S. court today pushed the foreign bribery case of James Giffen, former energy adviser to the Kazakhstan's leadership, into its fifth year. Giffen is accused of bribing the foreign officials, money laundering, wire fraud and tax evasion.
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.
Kyrgyzstan: Elections Update
The Azamat Report reviews the most important election-related problems that can affect the results, highlighting apathy of the voters, possible ballot stuffing and intimidation.
Kazakhstan: “Happy” Childhood
Revavle posts a set of pictures, capturing the children playing on the devastated area behind the glossy new apartment houses in the downtown of Almaty.
Kyrgyzstan: Opposition Parties Plan To Ally Ahead Of Elections
Almaz says that six opposition parties in Kyrgyzstan can ally in the near future in order to have the elections in the country be held fairly and transparently.
Tajikistan: Aluminum & Brass
Bboyd reports that Tajikistan’s aluminum company Talco is having commercial relationship with Norway’s Hydro. He notes that although it is good that Tajikistan has a commodity that could fund some serious domestic development, but, unfortunately, corruption and switched contracts are turning this potential cash cow into mincemeat.
Kyrgyzstan: Trading with Chine
The Azamat Report reviews official Chinese statistics, according to which the trade turnover between Kyrgyzstan and China is around $1 billion, while the Kyrgyz government puts it at $289 million.
Kazakhstan: Latinization of the Kazakh Language
Arseny reviews the prospects of forthcoming reform of the Kazakh language with its transformation into the Latin script.
