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Road accidents cost billions in Kazakhstan

JUNE 14 2017 (The Bulletin) — Road accidents in Kazakhstan are denting its economic potential and will hold back China’s much- vaunted “One Belt, One Road” trade initiative to links East Asia with Europe via Central Asia, the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies said in a new report. It estimated that traffic accidents cost Kazakhstan $9b a year, the equivalent of 4% of GDP.

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(News report from Issue No. 333, published on June 19 2017)

Kazakhstan does not receive special treatment over IBA debt

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JUNE 13 2017 (The Bulletin) — Kazakhstan’s Central Bank will not receive preferential treatment from Azerbaijan’s majority state-owned IBA bank when it restructures its debt, a source close to the negotiations told Reuters. Kazakhstan’s state pension fund bought $250m worth of IBA debt in 2014 just as the oil price started to fall. Earlier this year it said that it was having to restructure debt totaling $3.3b. Most creditors face losing 20% of their investments.

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(News report from Issue No. 333, published on June 19 2017)

Uzbekistan considers weapons purchase

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JUNE 15 2017 (The Bulletin) — Uzbek defence minister Atabek Ibadullayev travelled to Kazakhstan to tour weapons plants in Uralsk which produce armoured vehicles and optical rifles sites. Kazakhstan’s ministry of defence then released a statement which said that although Uzbekistan hadn’t yet purchased any weapons, Mr Ibadullayev had expressed an interest. Kazakh-Uzbek military ties are improving.

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(News report from Issue No. 333, published on June 19 2017)

Armenia accuses Azerbaijan

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JUNE 16 2017 (The Bulletin) — Armenia-backed forces accused Azerbaijan of killing three of its soldiers in another spike in violence around the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Tension has really been reduced since fighting in April 2016 killed several dozen people. Analysts have said that there is a greater chance of all-out war over the region now than at any time since a UN- imposed ceasefire in 1994.

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(News report from Issue No. 333, published on June 19 2017)

Russia conducts missile test in Kazakhstan

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JUNE 16 2017 (The Bulletin) — Russia’s military carried out a successful test on its new interceptor missile at the Sary-Shagan missile test site in Kazakhstan, the TASS news agency reported. Russia and Kazakhstan have boosted military cooperation over the past few years, including sharing a missile defence system. TASS quoted a Russian defence report as saying that the new missile will improve Russia’s defences.

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(News report from Issue No. 333, published on June 19 2017)

Kazakhstan signs deal with DP World

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JUNE 16 2017 (The Bulletin) — Dubai’s DP World signed a deal with the Kazakh government to help develop a communication system between, and within, its various ports, a plan aimed at improving efficiency, media reported. No value was put on the deal and its exact specifics are not known but reports said the system is tried and tested and should help free up time and procedures at customs points. Kazakhstan is upgrading its trade infrastructure ahead of an expected increase in trade linked to China’s “One Belt, One Road” strategy.

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(News report from Issue No. 333, published on June 19 2017)

Azerbaijan starts more military exercises with Turkey

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JUNE 12 2017 (The Bulletin) — Azerbaijani and Turkish soldiers started a five-day military exercise in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan region, underlining the two neighbours close ties. Both Azerbaijan and Turkey have just finished military exercises with Georgia. Azerbaijan and Turkey are strong allies in trade as well as in military matters. Gas produced in Azerbaijan’s Caspian Sea is pumped to Europe through a pipeline hosted by Turkey.

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(News report from Issue No. 333, published on June 19 2017)

Turkmen economic growth to be lumpy, says IMF

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JUNE 15 2017 (The Bulletin) — In a statement, the IMF said that Turkmenistan’s economy would grow at an uneven rate over the next few years with inflation remaining at “moderate” levels while the economy dealt with various external pressures linked to its over-reliance on gas exports as a revenue earner. It put both GDP growth and inflation at around 6% over the next couple of years.

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(News report from Issue No. 333, published on June 19 2017)

Georgian second unit joins NATO military response force

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JUNE 12 2017 (The Bulletin) — A second Georgian infantry unit of 100 men is set to join NATO’s Response Force, the Western military alliance’s primary early response mechanism, media reported. Georgia’s is eager to join NATO and has had an infantry unit on NATO’s Response Force since 2015.

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(News report from Issue No. 333, published on June 19 2017)

Wolf attack kills 100 sheep in Armenia

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YEREVAN, JUNE 16 2017 (The Bulletin) — Wolves have ripped apart around 100 sheep in a province in Armenia, media reported, one of the worst attacks for years.

The attack highlights a long standing dispute between conversations who want to try to preserve the wolf population and farmers who want it culled.

The recent attack was recorded in the mountainous region of Aragatsotn in central Armenia. Wolf attacks in Aragatsotn and other upland parts of central Armenia are not uncommon but they are normally limited to killing around a dozen sheep.

An attack in which 36 sheep were killed in 2014 was considered significant, so an attack in which 100 were killed is a major incident.

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(News report from Issue No. 333, published on June 19 2017)