Category Archives: Uncategorised

Azerbaijan wants to increase wine sales to China

AUG. 25 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Azerbaijan wants to further increase its exports of wine to China over the next few years, Chinese media reported by quoting Azerbaijani officials. China is seen by both Azerbaijan and Georgia as a key growth market. Both governments and their exports agencies have been ploughing money into marketing their wine in China. Earlier this year, Azerbaijani Pres. Ilham Aliyev extolled Azerbaijani wine producers to boost sales.

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(News report from Issue No. 341, published on Aug. 27 2017)

Turkmenistan opens its first dog shelter

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AUG. 20 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Officials in Turkmenistan opened the first cat and dog shelter in the country, government news agencies reported. The shelter, called the “Island of Hope” was opened less than a month before the start of the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games. The government’s critics said that it has previously treated stray dogs and cats poorly and that the opening of the shelter is an attempt to generate positive headlines.

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(News report from Issue No. 341, published on Aug. 27 2017)

Kyrgyzstan appoints new PM

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AUG. 25 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) – Kyrgyzstan’s parliament confirmed Sapar Isakov, previously President Almazbek Atambayev’s chief of staff, as the new PM (Aug. 25). His predecessor, Sooronbai Jeenbekov, resigned to run for president in an election set for Oct. 15. Mr Atambayev is barred by the Kyrgyz constitution from running for a second term in office. He has backed Mr Jeenbekov.

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(News report from Issue No. 341, published on Aug. 27 2017)

Azerbaijan detains head of last independent news agency

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AUG. 25 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — The Turan news agency, described as the last independent news outlet in Azerbaijan, said it would close on Sept 1 after its director and owner was detained on tax evasion charges.

Human rights groups said that the charges levelled at Turan’s director, Mehman Aliyev, were false and should be dropped. He was detained and officially charged with tax evasion on Aug. 24.

“Who at this point can seriously believe that this is not a politically motivated case to silence a strong, independent voice in Azerbaijan’s deserted independent media landscape,” Rachel Denber, deputy Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

Turan and Aliyev, no relation to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, are accused of owing around $21,500 in unpaid taxes from 2014/16.

Azerbaijan has one of the worst records for independent media in the world. It has clashed with the European Union and the US, who accuse the Azerbaijani government of a systematic campaign to subvert the media, over the past few years.

And the US released a strongly worded statement describing the arrest of Aliyev, considered to be one of the post-Soviet pioneers of journalism in Azerbaijan, as an “Assault on media freedom”.

“These actions by the government of Azerbaijan to curtail freedom of press and to further restrict freedom of expression are the latest in a negative trend that includes the government’s May decision to block access to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and other independent media websites,” the statement said.

“We urge the government of Azerbaijan to immediately release Mehman Aliyev, and all those incarcerated for exercising their fundamental freedoms, in accordance with its international obligations and OSCE commitments.”

The Azerbaijani government has not commented.

There are dozens of Azerbaijani journalists in jail for various reasons including various financial crimes, drug smuggling and gun possession.

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(News report from Issue No. 341, published on Aug. 27 2017)

Weapons depot at military base in Azerbaijan explodes

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AUG. 27 (The Conway Bulletin) — At least six people were injured when a weapons depot at a military base around 70km north of Baku exploded, hospital sources in Azerbaijan told media (Aug. 27).

In 2016, a blast at an arms factory near Baku killed at least two people and injured 22 more.

Eyewitness reports described a series of massive explosions at the base. Emergency services closed off nearby roads and evacuated two villages.

Azerbaijan’s defence ministry declined to comment on reports that a number of people had been injured.

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(News report from Issue No. 341, published on Aug. 27 2017)

Kazakh Central Bank cuts interest rates

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ALMATY AUG. 21 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Kazakhstan’s Central Bank cut its key interest rate by a quarter of a percent to 10.25% because it said that inflationary pressures had slowed. It also said, though, that further rate cuts this year were unlikely. The Kazakh Central Bank had yanked up interest rates to 17% in 2016 because of a collapse in the value of the tenge and also inflationary pressure.

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(News report from Issue No. 341, published on Aug. 27 2017)

Papa John’s says to open in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

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ALMATY, AUG. 24 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — US pizza chain Papa John’s said it would expand its franchise stores into Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, building on what it said was a successful venture into Russia and Belarus (Aug. 24). Papa John said that it planned to open its first restaurant in Almaty by the end of the year and that it would open 15 more by 2022. In Bishkek, it said it planned to open six restaurants.

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(News report from Issue No. 341, published on Aug. 27 2017)

Kyrgyzstan rows with Turkey over Gulen school network

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AUG. 16 2017, BISHKEK (The Bulletin) — Kyrgyzstan accused Turkey of trying to pressure it into declaring a network of schools linked to the exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen as a terrorist organisation, knocking back attempts by Turkish officials to persuade governments in Central Asia and the South Caucasus to extradite so-called Gulenists.

Risking important Kyrgyz-Turkish relations, Kyrgyzstan’s education ministry released a statement that praised the Sebat school network, which it said has educated 10,000 Kyrgyz since 1992.

“Equating Sebat schools to terrorist organisations and imposing certain sanctions on students and members of their families only on the grounds that they are studying in Sebat schools is unacceptable and the statements of Turkish officials are irresponsible,” it said in a statement.

Five days before the Kyrgyz statement, Turkey’ deputy education minister, Ophan Erdem, told a group of Kyrgyz academics visiting Turkey that graduates from Sebat schools would be denied Turkish visas.

“Please ask your acquaintances, friends and brothers not to go to these terrorists’ schools because it is highly likely that we will deny visas to those who study at such schools. We do not even want to see their families in Turkey,” he was quoted as saying.

Turkish President Recep Erdogan has blamed Mr Gulen and his followers for a failed coup in July 2016. Since then, his forces have arrested thousands of Gulenists.

Turkey has persuaded Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to detain and start extradition proceedings against several people linked to Gulenist businesses and education institutions but has been less successful in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Turks linked to the Gulenists’ movement set up schools in Central Asia and the South Caucasus in the 1990s, shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, which are now highly regarded.

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(News report from Issue No. 340, published on Aug. 20 2017)

Kyrgyzstan jails opposition leader

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AUG. 16 2017 (The Bulletin) — A court in Kyrgyzstan convicted Omurbek Tekebayev, an opposition leader, of various financial crimes. Tekebayev was sentenced to eight years in prison and will miss a presidential election set for mid- October. His supporters have said that the charges are fake and were dreamt up to scotch Tekebayev’s own investigation into the business dealings of President Almazbek Atambayev. Earlier this month, a court jailed Sadyr Japarov, another opposition leader.

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(News report from Issue No. 340, published on Aug. 20 2017)

Chocolate maker Ferrero Rocher eyes up Azerbaijani hazelnuts

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AUG. 14 2017 (The Bulletin) — Italian confection-maker Ferrero Rocher started talks with the Azerbaijani government on sourcing hazelnuts for is chocolates.

News reports said senior Ferrero Rocher executives had traveled to Baku for meetings.

Azerbaijan has previously said it wants to increase its hazelnut production. It produces around 4% of the world’s total hazelnut production. Turkey is the biggest producer of hazelnuts.

Ferrero Rocher is well-known for its gold packaging and 1980s TV adverts which linked the chocolate to lavish, and glamorous, diplomatic parties, featuring the catchphrase: “Ferrero Rocher. A sign of good taste”.

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(News report from Issue No. 340, published on Aug. 20 2017)