http://www.rferl.org Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty is an international news and broadcast organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries http://www.rferl.org/img/rssLogo.gif http://www.rferl.org en-US Copyright 2009 - RFE/RL, Inc. 60 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:15:06 +0000 Pangea CMS – RFE/RL When Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev put the finishing touches on his restructured government last week, he entrusted the country's future economic course to a person he has known for decades -- his youngest son, Maksim Bakiev. http://www.rferl.org/content/With_First_Sons_New_Role_Kyrgyz_Government_Remains_A_Family_Affair/1870575.html http://www.rferl.org/content/With_First_Sons_New_Role_Kyrgyz_Government_Remains_A_Family_Affair/1870575.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:38:59 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/With_First_Sons_New_Role_Kyrgyz_Government_Remains_A_Family_Affair/1870575.html#relatedInfoContainer Representatives of the CIS are holding a summit in the Moldovan capital today, but most of the Central Asian presidents won't be in attendance. The presidents of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan instead sent lower-level delegations. Focusing on the three Central Asian states that make up the CIS's southern frontier, we examine how, by skipping the summit, they might be exhibiting their discontent with Russia. http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_Facing_Resistance_With_Allies_On_CISs_Southern_Flank/1847880.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_Facing_Resistance_With_Allies_On_CISs_Southern_Flank/1847880.html Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:09:44 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_Facing_Resistance_With_Allies_On_CISs_Southern_Flank/1847880.html#relatedInfoContainer Without any set agenda, there was little information emerging from an informal summit of Caspian littoral leaders in Kazakhstan and it was unclear whether any formal conclusions were expected. But while there was silence in Kazakhstan, there was energy news coming out of neighboring Turkmenistan. http://www.rferl.org/content/Turkmenistan_Grabs_Energy_Spotlight_As_Caspian_Leaders_Gather/1821220.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Turkmenistan_Grabs_Energy_Spotlight_As_Caspian_Leaders_Gather/1821220.html Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:33:58 +0000 News An interesting event is taking place in Kazakhstan's Caspian port city of Aktau starting September. The Caspian littoral states are holding a first-ever "informal" summit. But one of the countries -- Iran -- has not been invited. Also, there seems to be an unusual sense of urgency on the part of some of the leaders who will be in Aktau. At the same time, however, Kazakhstan officials have suggested there is no set agenda. So what's about to happen in Aktau? http://www.rferl.org/content/Caspian_Summit_Opening_In_Kazakhstan_But_Iran_Not_Invited/1819715.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Caspian_Summit_Opening_In_Kazakhstan_But_Iran_Not_Invited/1819715.html Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:43:35 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Caspian_Summit_Opening_In_Kazakhstan_But_Iran_Not_Invited/1819715.html#relatedInfoContainer Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is coming to Russia looking for public support for the idea of forming a "gas OPEC," an idea that Russia, with the largest natural gas reserves in the world, has already been considering. Russian officials will certainly be interested in listening to Chavez's proposals, but are well aware that forming such a group may be more difficult than forming one based on oil exports. http://www.rferl.org/content/Venezuelan_Leaders_Gas_Cartel_Idea_Unlikely_To_Interest_Russia_Turkmenistan/1818973.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Venezuelan_Leaders_Gas_Cartel_Idea_Unlikely_To_Interest_Russia_Turkmenistan/1818973.html Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:38:32 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Venezuelan_Leaders_Gas_Cartel_Idea_Unlikely_To_Interest_Russia_Turkmenistan/1818973.html#relatedInfoContainer Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has arrived in Turkmenistan for a two-day visit to the Central Asian nation. http://www.rferl.org/content/Venezuelan_President_Arrives_In_Turkmenistan_For_Energy_Talks/1815880.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Venezuelan_President_Arrives_In_Turkmenistan_For_Energy_Talks/1815880.html Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:11:39 +0000 News On August 29, 1949, the Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb, sending a mushroom cloud high above the steppe of northern Kazakhstan, and a shadow of fear over the rest of the world. The nuclear arms race had begun in earnest. That initial blast, dubbed "First Lighting," and the many tests that followed, continue to claim victims in Kazakhstan. http://www.rferl.org/content/Sixty_Years_After_First_Soviet_Nuclear_Test_Legacy_Of_Misery_Lives_On/1809712.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Sixty_Years_After_First_Soviet_Nuclear_Test_Legacy_Of_Misery_Lives_On/1809712.html Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:36:45 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Sixty_Years_After_First_Soviet_Nuclear_Test_Legacy_Of_Misery_Lives_On/1809712.html#relatedInfoContainer Kyrgyzstan's 2005 "Tulip" or "People's" Revolution was hailed by many as a promising triumph of democracy in the brief era of "colored" revolutions. But the years since have seen a regression on the country's path to democracy. In fact, Kyrgyzstan has assimilated some of the more odious aspects of its Central Asia neighbors' authoritarianism. http://www.rferl.org/content/Rethinking_Kyrgyzstans_Tulip_Revolution/1807335.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Rethinking_Kyrgyzstans_Tulip_Revolution/1807335.html Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:25:43 +0000 Commentary http://www.rferl.org/content/Rethinking_Kyrgyzstans_Tulip_Revolution/1807335.html#relatedInfoContainer Officially, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is in Mongolia to mark the 70th anniversary of the battle of Khalkhin Gol, when combined Soviet-Mongolian forces repelled a Japanese invasion of Mongolia. But the two-day visit has far more economic significance. Medvedev and his Mongolian counterpart signed agreements for mining uranium and constructing electrical power stations that would serve Mongolia, Russia, and China. http://www.rferl.org/content/Russian_President_Signs_ChinaStyle_Energy_Deals_With_Mongolia/1807283.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Russian_President_Signs_ChinaStyle_Energy_Deals_With_Mongolia/1807283.html Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:40:08 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Russian_President_Signs_ChinaStyle_Energy_Deals_With_Mongolia/1807283.html#relatedInfoContainer While Central Asia has been preoccupied with the threat of the swine flu pandemic, another deadly virus is already marking its return to the region. Congo-Crimean hemorrhagic fever, a tick-borne illness, is starting to reappear, and has already claimed lives in Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. http://www.rferl.org/content/CongoCrimean_Hemorrhagic_Fever_Takes_A_Deadly_Toll_In_Central_Asia/1806599.html http://www.rferl.org/content/CongoCrimean_Hemorrhagic_Fever_Takes_A_Deadly_Toll_In_Central_Asia/1806599.html Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:05:22 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/CongoCrimean_Hemorrhagic_Fever_Takes_A_Deadly_Toll_In_Central_Asia/1806599.html#relatedInfoContainer When a small band of armed "refugees" crossed the Pamir Mountains from Tajikistan and seized a small village in Kyrgyzstan 10 years ago this week, they did not appear to pose much of a threat. It has since become clear that the storming of the international stage by IMU gunmen shattered Central Asian hopes that it could escape Pakistan- and Afghanistan-style Islamist insurgencies. http://www.rferl.org/content/Ten_Years_After_IMU_Raids_Central_Asia_Still_Battling_Militants/1794035.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Ten_Years_After_IMU_Raids_Central_Asia_Still_Battling_Militants/1794035.html Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:28:19 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Ten_Years_After_IMU_Raids_Central_Asia_Still_Battling_Militants/1794035.html#relatedInfoContainer Tashkent's chief imam remains in critical condition after he was stabbed multiple times outside his home last week in the Uzbek capital. Authorities are seeking three men suspected of carrying out the attack. The motive is believed to be revenge, with suspicion centering on Islamic extremists or possible business rivals. http://www.rferl.org/content/Motives_Behind_Attack_On_Uzbek_Imam_Remain_Unclear/1792475.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Motives_Behind_Attack_On_Uzbek_Imam_Remain_Unclear/1792475.html Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:27:07 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Motives_Behind_Attack_On_Uzbek_Imam_Remain_Unclear/1792475.html#relatedInfoContainer Long the object of great-power ambitions, Central Asia now resists the dominance of any single player. But the failure to form collective partnerships could leave the region vulnerable to the strategies of outside players. http://www.rferl.org/content/Central_Asian_States_Profess_Unity_But_Grow_Farther_Apart/1791740.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Central_Asian_States_Profess_Unity_But_Grow_Farther_Apart/1791740.html Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:19:34 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Central_Asian_States_Profess_Unity_But_Grow_Farther_Apart/1791740.html#relatedInfoContainer Russia and the United States were the first to step into the "new Great Game" that began in Central Asia after the fall of the Soviet Union. But other players have now entered the arena, with an eye on preserving security and tapping Central Asia’s vast energy resources. In the second of a three-part series, RFE/RL looks at the inroads China and the European Union have made in the region. http://www.rferl.org/content/China_EU_Wait_In_The_Wings_For_Access_To_Central_Asia/1790745.html http://www.rferl.org/content/China_EU_Wait_In_The_Wings_For_Access_To_Central_Asia/1790745.html Sun, 02 Aug 2009 11:17:34 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/China_EU_Wait_In_The_Wings_For_Access_To_Central_Asia/1790745.html#relatedInfoContainer Long the object of great power ambitions, Central Asia now resists the dominance of any single player. Russia, the United States, China, and Europe still seek to hold sway by offering mutual security deals or financial incentives in exchange for access to enormous energy reserves, but the Central Asia states now play a greater role in their own affairs. In the first of a three-part series, RFE/RL looks at the recent ebb and flow of Russian and U.S. influence in the region. http://www.rferl.org/content/Shifting_Tides_Of_Influence_In_Central_Asia/1790529.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Shifting_Tides_Of_Influence_In_Central_Asia/1790529.html Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:59:16 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Shifting_Tides_Of_Influence_In_Central_Asia/1790529.html#relatedInfoContainer Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan agreed on July 30 to coordinate efforts in their fight against Islamist violence which has threatened to spill over into the broader Central Asia region. http://www.rferl.org/content/Afghan_Pakistan_Leaders_discuss_CAsia_Security/1788818.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Afghan_Pakistan_Leaders_discuss_CAsia_Security/1788818.html Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:24:48 +0000 News Turkmenistan is preparing to take Azerbaijan to international court to resolve a long-standing dispute over ownership of three oil and gas fields in the Caspian Sea. A recent bilateral thaw fueled hopes of a new era of cooperation that could lead to the construction of a pipeline to bring Turkmen gas across the Caspian to Azerbaijan and on to Europe. http://www.rferl.org/content/FlareUp_In_TurkmenAzerbaijani_Dispute_Latest_Nabucco_Challenge/1786632.html http://www.rferl.org/content/FlareUp_In_TurkmenAzerbaijani_Dispute_Latest_Nabucco_Challenge/1786632.html Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:49:50 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/FlareUp_In_TurkmenAzerbaijani_Dispute_Latest_Nabucco_Challenge/1786632.html#relatedInfoContainer Kyrgyzstan enjoys a reputation of being the most democratic state in Central Asia, but that image stands to be tainted by the early presidential election to be held on July 23. The result is essentially a foregone conclusion – the only question being the margin by which current President Kurmanbek Bakiev will win reelection. http://www.rferl.org/content/A_Primer_On_Kyrgyzstans_Presidential_Election/1782995.html http://www.rferl.org/content/A_Primer_On_Kyrgyzstans_Presidential_Election/1782995.html Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:40:51 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/A_Primer_On_Kyrgyzstans_Presidential_Election/1782995.html#relatedInfoContainer Kyrgyzstan’s presidential election on July 23 is unlikely to unseat President Kurmanbek Bakiev. Since coming to power in 2005, Bakiev has co-opted part of the formerly strong opposition and marginalized other prominent opposition parties and movements. But for the five candidates still in the running, their campaigns give them a platform to speak out on a wide range of issues, from charges of corruption in government to the role of women in Kyrgyz society. RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service ... http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyzstans_Presidential_Challengers/1781892.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyzstans_Presidential_Challengers/1781892.html Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:08:31 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyzstans_Presidential_Challengers/1781892.html#relatedInfoContainer The mysterious death of one of Tajikistan's best-known public figures is focusing attention on what many consider to be the deteriorating security situation in southeastern Central Asia. http://www.rferl.org/content/Death_Of_Prominent_Tajik_Highlighting_Instability_In_Central_Asias_Southeast/1776540.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Death_Of_Prominent_Tajik_Highlighting_Instability_In_Central_Asias_Southeast/1776540.html Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:50:49 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Death_Of_Prominent_Tajik_Highlighting_Instability_In_Central_Asias_Southeast/1776540.html#relatedInfoContainer It's been an up-and-down year for the Nabucco natural gas pipeline. Just as work on the long-stalled project seems set to finally begin, some shift -- usually at the hand of Russian energy giant Gazprom -- alters the commercial landscape and Nabucco's chances appear to recede. But the pipeline's supporters have just selected a big name in European politics to help push the project toward realization -- former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer. http://www.rferl.org/content/Germanys_Gas_War_Nabucco_Vs_South_Stream__And_Schroeder_Vs_Fischer_/1768674.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Germanys_Gas_War_Nabucco_Vs_South_Stream__And_Schroeder_Vs_Fischer_/1768674.html Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:08:42 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Germanys_Gas_War_Nabucco_Vs_South_Stream__And_Schroeder_Vs_Fischer_/1768674.html#relatedInfoContainer A deal to restart the flow of Azerbaijani gas to Russia, beginning in January 2010, represents a breakthrough as both Moscow and the European Union court Baku in hopes of tapping its vast gas deposits to fuel favored pipeline projects to Europe. http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_Azerbaijan_Achieve_Gas_Breakthrough/1766221.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_Azerbaijan_Achieve_Gas_Breakthrough/1766221.html Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:18:31 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_Azerbaijan_Achieve_Gas_Breakthrough/1766221.html#relatedInfoContainer This week marks the 20th anniversary of Islam Karimov's selection as first secretary of the Communist Party of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. He has remained in power ever since, transitioning to become the president of independent Uzbekistan in 1991. Karimov's notoriously repressive regime has left its mark not only on his country but on Central Asia overall. http://www.rferl.org/content/Uzbekistans_Big_Papa_Karimov_Marks_20_Years_Of_IronFisted_Rule/1761704.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Uzbekistans_Big_Papa_Karimov_Marks_20_Years_Of_IronFisted_Rule/1761704.html Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:58:42 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Uzbekistans_Big_Papa_Karimov_Marks_20_Years_Of_IronFisted_Rule/1761704.html#relatedInfoContainer Washington and Bishkek have reportedly drafted a breakthrough deal that would allow U.S. troops supplying their mission in Afghanistan to continue using a key Kyrgyz facility. Reaction in Moscow is unlikely to be as positive as in Kabul and Ankara. http://www.rferl.org/content/US_Kyrgyzstan_Reportedly_Draft_New_Deal_On_Manas/1760682.html http://www.rferl.org/content/US_Kyrgyzstan_Reportedly_Draft_New_Deal_On_Manas/1760682.html Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:09:25 +0000 News Today is the first day candidates in Kyrgyzstan can campaign for the early presidential election scheduled for July 23. President Kurmanbek Bakiev's job may not be at risk -- no incumbent president in Central Asia has ever lost an election -- but Kyrgyzstan's image as the region's most progressive and democratic country could be. http://www.rferl.org/content/More_At_Stake_In_Kyrgyz_Presidential_Vote_Than_Would_Appear/1757395.html http://www.rferl.org/content/More_At_Stake_In_Kyrgyz_Presidential_Vote_Than_Would_Appear/1757395.html Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:39:04 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/More_At_Stake_In_Kyrgyz_Presidential_Vote_Than_Would_Appear/1757395.html#relatedInfoContainer The Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO) annual summit, held on June 16 in Yekaterinburg, Russia, was intended to focus on the global financial crisis and security issues. But it was the SCO's observer nations that stole the spotlight, with Iran's president making his first trip abroad since his controversial reelection and the Indian and Pakistani leaders meeting for the first time since the terrorist attack in Mumbai in November. http://www.rferl.org/content/SCO_Observers_Steal_The_Spotlight_At_Regional_Summit/1755798.html http://www.rferl.org/content/SCO_Observers_Steal_The_Spotlight_At_Regional_Summit/1755798.html Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:29:55 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/SCO_Observers_Steal_The_Spotlight_At_Regional_Summit/1755798.html#relatedInfoContainer A year ago, Gazprom was sitting on top of the world, but the fortunes of Russia's state gas company have taken a dramatic turn for the worse. While the company still ranks among the world's most valuable, it's worth less than half what it was in 2008, and a number of problems lurk on the horizon. http://www.rferl.org/content/New_Era_For_Gazprom_As_Gas_Giants_Fortunes_Plummet/1751186.html http://www.rferl.org/content/New_Era_For_Gazprom_As_Gas_Giants_Fortunes_Plummet/1751186.html Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:44:57 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/New_Era_For_Gazprom_As_Gas_Giants_Fortunes_Plummet/1751186.html#relatedInfoContainer Iran may be selling huge amounts of natural gas to China and even Europe in the not-too-distant future. Even as Iran signed a multibillion-dollar deal with China to develop part of a massive gas field in the Persian Gulf, a U.S. official said that under the right conditions, Iran could contribute gas to a planned pipeline linking Iran's northern (and maybe western) neighbors to the heart of Europe. http://www.rferl.org/content/Iran_Signs_Major_Gas_Deal_With_China_Is_Europe_Next/1747803.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Iran_Signs_Major_Gas_Deal_With_China_Is_Europe_Next/1747803.html Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:31:14 +0000 News Boasting huge hydrocarbon reserves, Central Asia has become accustomed to the stream of foreign companies and politicians who visit hoping to lock up energy deals. For the most part, European representatives have returned home empty-handed. But with Central Asian states seeking to break Russia's dominance of their energy-export routes, they are hitting the road to court the EU. http://www.rferl.org/content/Turkmen_Uzbek_Eyes_Stray_Toward_Brussels/1746840.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Turkmen_Uzbek_Eyes_Stray_Toward_Brussels/1746840.html Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:55:06 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Turkmen_Uzbek_Eyes_Stray_Toward_Brussels/1746840.html#relatedInfoContainer The lights are on again in Kabul. And that’s no small change. For years, residents of the Afghan capital endured shortages of electricity, with power sometimes rationed to only a couple of hours a day. But thanks to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Afghanistan’s neighbor Uzbekistan, things are now looking a little brighter. http://www.rferl.org/content/New_Power_Line_Lights_Up_Afghan_Capital_/1742690.html http://www.rferl.org/content/New_Power_Line_Lights_Up_Afghan_Capital_/1742690.html Fri, 29 May 2009 16:07:05 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/New_Power_Line_Lights_Up_Afghan_Capital_/1742690.html#relatedInfoContainer He was once considered one of the richest and most powerful men in Kazakhstan: the head of a company with access to the world's second-largest reserves of uranium, with lucrative contracts with Russia, China, and India. But now Mukhtar Dzhakishev finds himself under arrest and possibly in line to join other corporate heads who have landed in Kazakh jails. http://www.rferl.org/content/Kazakh_Atomic_Kingpin_Suddenly_Radioactive/1740290.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Kazakh_Atomic_Kingpin_Suddenly_Radioactive/1740290.html Wed, 27 May 2009 11:09:52 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Kazakh_Atomic_Kingpin_Suddenly_Radioactive/1740290.html#relatedInfoContainer Following the signing of an agreement between Iran and Pakistan that could one day lead to Iranian gas being transferred to India via Pakistan, RFE/RL examines the viability and implications of the so-called "Pipeline of Peace." http://www.rferl.org/content/What_Are_The_Prospects_For_IranPakistan_Pipeline_Of_Peace/1739236.html http://www.rferl.org/content/What_Are_The_Prospects_For_IranPakistan_Pipeline_Of_Peace/1739236.html Mon, 25 May 2009 13:55:51 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/What_Are_The_Prospects_For_IranPakistan_Pipeline_Of_Peace/1739236.html#relatedInfoContainer The European Union and Russia are holding a summit in the Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk that will have a special focus on energy resources. The discussions on oil and natural gas are likely to reflect a spirit of competition, rather than cooperation. http://www.rferl.org/content/Multiple_Pipelines_But_No_Happiness_At_EURussia_Summit/1736349.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Multiple_Pipelines_But_No_Happiness_At_EURussia_Summit/1736349.html Thu, 21 May 2009 08:28:28 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Multiple_Pipelines_But_No_Happiness_At_EURussia_Summit/1736349.html#relatedInfoContainer A recent meeting in Kazakhstan came out with the dire assessment that Central Asia's longest river, the Syr Darya, is so contaminated by the time it reaches the province of Kyzyl-Orda that it's unsuitable for irrigation. And the situation could have repercussions throughout the region, considering the Syr Darya flows through four of the five countries of Central Asia. http://www.rferl.org/content/Water_In_Kazakhstan_Too_Filthy_To_Even_Use_For_Agriculture/1616923.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Water_In_Kazakhstan_Too_Filthy_To_Even_Use_For_Agriculture/1616923.html Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:33:40 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Water_In_Kazakhstan_Too_Filthy_To_Even_Use_For_Agriculture/1616923.html#relatedInfoContainer If all the proposed energy-export projects envisioned for the South Caucasus were to be built, hundreds of billions of dollars of oil- and natural-gas revenues could be flowing through the region annually. http://www.rferl.org/content/South_Caucasus_Emerges_As_Crossroads_Of_EnergyExports/1615342.html http://www.rferl.org/content/South_Caucasus_Emerges_As_Crossroads_Of_EnergyExports/1615342.html Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:31:08 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/South_Caucasus_Emerges_As_Crossroads_Of_EnergyExports/1615342.html#relatedInfoContainer There has been broad agreement within the EU on the need for a diversification of energy suppliers and new import routes. But divisions quickly emerge when the topic turns to specific projects, and critics suggest national and private interests threaten to eclipse the exigencies of the EU as a whole. http://www.rferl.org/content/EU_Energy_Goals_Appear_Stuck_In_The_Pipeline/1614423.html http://www.rferl.org/content/EU_Energy_Goals_Appear_Stuck_In_The_Pipeline/1614423.html Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:54:59 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/EU_Energy_Goals_Appear_Stuck_In_The_Pipeline/1614423.html#relatedInfoContainer Two energy conferences are taking place this week -- one in Bulgaria, the other in Turkmenistan -- that could result in major decisions being made on pressing issues surrounding European imports. There are subtle differences in the agendas of the two conferences, but both will be focused on divining which pipelines will transport gas to Europe, and from which countries the gas will come. http://www.rferl.org/content/Dual_Energy_Conferences_Focusing_On_Pressing_European_Import_Issues/1614376.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Dual_Energy_Conferences_Focusing_On_Pressing_European_Import_Issues/1614376.html Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:05:50 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Dual_Energy_Conferences_Focusing_On_Pressing_European_Import_Issues/1614376.html#relatedInfoContainer Leaders of Kyrgyzstan's fractious opposition have announced a persistent critic and former prime minister under President Kurmanbek Bakiev as their joint candidate to compete in July's early presidential election. Almazbek Atambaev is a veteran opposition figure and leader of the Social Democratic Party, the only opposition party represented in an otherwise rubber-stamp parliament. http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_Opposition_Unveils_Presidential_Hopeful/1612338.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_Opposition_Unveils_Presidential_Hopeful/1612338.html Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:16:29 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_Opposition_Unveils_Presidential_Hopeful/1612338.html#relatedInfoContainer Water has always been the most precious resource in Central Asia. There is not much of it in this arid region, and most of what is there is located in the eastern mountains. Now, "downstream" countries are trying to regulate how the "upstream" countries use water. http://www.rferl.org/content/Battle_Lines_Being_Drawn_In_Central_Asian_Water_Dispute/1611679.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Battle_Lines_Being_Drawn_In_Central_Asian_Water_Dispute/1611679.html Sun, 19 Apr 2009 14:17:29 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Battle_Lines_Being_Drawn_In_Central_Asian_Water_Dispute/1611679.html#relatedInfoContainer The usually good relationship between Turkmenistan and Russia has taken a turn for the worse after a pipeline explosion last week that left each country blaming the other. But there were signs even before the explosion that Turkmen-Russian cooperation in the natural-gas industry was experiencing difficulties. http://www.rferl.org/content/Pipeline_Explosion_Stokes_Tensions_Between_Turkmenistan_Russia/1608633.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Pipeline_Explosion_Stokes_Tensions_Between_Turkmenistan_Russia/1608633.html Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:31:34 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Pipeline_Explosion_Stokes_Tensions_Between_Turkmenistan_Russia/1608633.html#relatedInfoContainer Kyrgyzstan's opposition has organized large rallies against President Kurmanbek Bakiev in all the country's provinces. The largest, in the capital, Bishkek, had attracted several thousand people. The opposition is protesting what it says are the government's unfulfilled promises to improve the lives of people in the country and the decision to hold early presidential elections. http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_Opposition_Holds_Demonstrations_Across_The_Country/1562998.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_Opposition_Holds_Demonstrations_Across_The_Country/1562998.html Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:19:14 +0000 News http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_Opposition_Holds_Demonstrations_Across_The_Country/1562998.html#relatedInfoContainer Vaclav Bartuska, the Czech Republic's ambassador-at-large for energy security, calls for new energy policies that could break the European Union's dependence on Russia, and advocates viable substitutes that could fill the void left by reduced imports of Russian natural gas. http://www.rferl.org/content/Czech_Energy_Expert_Says_Europe_Not_Russia_Should_Call_The_Shots/1562514.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Czech_Energy_Expert_Says_Europe_Not_Russia_Should_Call_The_Shots/1562514.html Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:35:39 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Czech_Energy_Expert_Says_Europe_Not_Russia_Should_Call_The_Shots/1562514.html#relatedInfoContainer Relations between Russia and the EU and Ukraine, at least concerning gas supplies, may once again be entering rough waters. Tensions calmed only recently after a dispute this winter over Ukrainian debts to Moscow and gas and transit prices led to temporary cuts in Russian gas supplies to the EU. http://www.rferl.org/content/EU_Ukraine_Pipeline_Agreement_Piques_Moscow/1516786.html http://www.rferl.org/content/EU_Ukraine_Pipeline_Agreement_Piques_Moscow/1516786.html Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:25:40 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/EU_Ukraine_Pipeline_Agreement_Piques_Moscow/1516786.html#relatedInfoContainer With fresh calls for antipresidential protests in the air, some point to the Tulip Revolution as the day Kyrgyzstan's democratic reforms began to backslide. Despite promises made by the country's leadership, the Kyrgyz citizenry is subjected to continued crackdowns on media, opposition arrests, and calls for a new groundswell of popular activism to combat President Kurmanbek Bakiev. http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_Still_Struggle_To_Find_Political_Footing/1515980.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_Still_Struggle_To_Find_Political_Footing/1515980.html Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:09:31 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_Still_Struggle_To_Find_Political_Footing/1515980.html#relatedInfoContainer Across much of the non-Arab Muslim world, people are celebrating Norouz, the pre-Islamic festival that marks arrival of spring and the beginning of the new year. http://www.rferl.org/content/From_Azerbaijan_To_India_Spring_Festival_Norouz_Begins/1513888.html http://www.rferl.org/content/From_Azerbaijan_To_India_Spring_Festival_Norouz_Begins/1513888.html Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:37:28 +0000 Features Kyrgyzstan's Constitutional Court has announced that the presidential election will be held by late October -- nearly a year ahead of schedule. The announcement comes amid fresh concerns over the Central Asian state's economic future and claims by the political opposition of harassment by the authorities. http://www.rferl.org/content/Incumbent_Favored_As_Kyrgyz_Court_Sets_Date_For_Presidential_Polls/1513365.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Incumbent_Favored_As_Kyrgyz_Court_Sets_Date_For_Presidential_Polls/1513365.html Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:51:53 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Incumbent_Favored_As_Kyrgyz_Court_Sets_Date_For_Presidential_Polls/1513365.html#relatedInfoContainer The timing of alleged official interference in Kazakh media and political circles gives rise to perceptions that the government is taking a hard line to avoid expressions of public frustration during tough economic times. Can authorities keep a tight lid on an anxious citizenry by keeping an even tighter lid on the media? http://www.rferl.org/content/The_Contradictory_State_Of_Kazakhstan/1505585.html http://www.rferl.org/content/The_Contradictory_State_Of_Kazakhstan/1505585.html Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:52:47 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/The_Contradictory_State_Of_Kazakhstan/1505585.html#relatedInfoContainer Concerns about the flow of Russian gas to Europe have been raised once again after agents from Ukraine's state security service raided the offices of state gas company Naftogaz as part of an alleged corruption investigation. http://www.rferl.org/content/Naftohaz_Raid_Raises_Concern_About_New_Round_Of_Gas_War_/1504662.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Naftohaz_Raid_Raises_Concern_About_New_Round_Of_Gas_War_/1504662.html Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:08:54 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Naftohaz_Raid_Raises_Concern_About_New_Round_Of_Gas_War_/1504662.html#relatedInfoContainer On February 16, 1999, a series of bombings shattered the morning calm in the Uzbek capital, killing 16 people. History has treated the bombings not as isolated incidents, but as a watershed event that heralded the arrival of terrorism to Central Asia. Since then, a number of indigenous groups have made their mark in the region and even further abroad, while others have entered the scene from outside the region. http://www.rferl.org/content/Ten_Years_After_Terrors_Arrival_In_Central_Asia/1494081.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Ten_Years_After_Terrors_Arrival_In_Central_Asia/1494081.html Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:21:14 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Ten_Years_After_Terrors_Arrival_In_Central_Asia/1494081.html#relatedInfoContainer Kyrgyzstan's President Kurmanbek Bakiev has announced that he plans to seek reelection when the country next holds presidential elections. The announcement, coming as his political opponents are calling for his resignation, raises questions about exactly when the election might take place and whether it could bring mass protests in the coming months. http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_President_Announces_Election_Bid_Far_Ahead_Of_Schedule/1491587.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_President_Announces_Election_Bid_Far_Ahead_Of_Schedule/1491587.html Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:18:58 +0000 News http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyz_President_Announces_Election_Bid_Far_Ahead_Of_Schedule/1491587.html#relatedInfoContainer