APRIL 21 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Dragon Oil, a small London-listed oil producer, increased output at its operation in Turkmenistan by 23% in Q1 2015 compared to Q1 2014, it said. Average production at its Cheleken field was just over 88,000 barrels a day between Jan. 1 and March 31.
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(News report from Issue No. 228, published on April 22 2015)
APRIL 21 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Tengizchevroil, Kazakhstan’s largest oil producer and one of its most successful post-Soviet energy projects, said that it was slowing expansion plans in response to the drop in global oil prices.
The announcement is yet more disappointing news for Kazakhstan. It is trying to cope with a sharp economic downturn triggered by the combined impact of the fall in oil prices and also the Western-imposed sanctions on Russia which have had a knock-on effect in the rest of the former Soviet Union.
“Global oil prices have dropped significantly, so we responded by slowing the project down and cutting spending for 2015,” reports quoted Aidar Dosbayev, head of production at Tengizchevroil, as saying at a conference.
Tengizchevroil is vitally important to Kazakhstan. It wants to become one of the world’s top energy producers although the much-delayed Kashagan project has dented its ambitions. And the delay in starting up Kashagan has meant Kazakhstan’s oil output hinges on Tengizchevroil.
Tengizchvroil had said it planned an expansion that would boost output to 38m tonnes of oil a year by 2019, up from around 27m tonnes.
The oil price drop, though, has slowed planes, Mr Dosbayev said.
“Although we slow down the pace of the project and reduce costs, our commitments to Kazakhstan remain unchanged,” he said.
In the short-term, though, Kazakhstan’s income from the project will be reduced and job creation will be limited.
Chevron owns 50% of Tengizchevroil, ExxonMobil owns 25%, Kazmunaigas owns 20% and Lukoil owns 5%.
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(News report from Issue No. 228, published on April 22 2015)
APRIL 16 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – In a snub to the Georgian Prosecutor-General, Interpol removed a wanted notice on former justice minister Zurab Adeishvili. The EU and the US have said the Georgia legislation targets governing Georgian Dream coalition is using legal mechanisms to go after officials linked to former President Mikheil Saakashvili.
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(News report from Issue No. 228, published on April 22 2015)
APRIL 20 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Nationals from another 16 countries will be able to travel to Kazakhstan without a visa from July, media reported quoting Gulnar Kurbanbayeva, deputy head of the Chamber of Entrepreneurs. Ms Kurbanbayeva also said visa-free travel for 10 top investment countries would be extended.
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(News report from Issue No. 228, published on April 22 2015)
APRIL 21 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – The authorities in Turkmenistan plan on banning households from owning satellite dishes in an effort to block access to stations critical of its government, the US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). RFE/RL said that it was the government’s main target.
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(News report from Issue No. 228, published on April 22 2015)
APRIL 19 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – The Central Asia and South Caucasus region will host its first Formula 1 Grand Prix next year in Baku.
Formula One boss Bernie Eccelstone gave the greenlight for Baku to host a Grand Prix despite lobbying from human rights and media groups who accuse the authorities in Azerbaijan of cracking down on civil liberties.
“Baku? No problem. That’s going to be another good race,” Mr Ecclestone told reporters ahead of the Grand Prix in Bahrain.
Formula One signed a deal with Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev last year to host a Grand Prix, but without Mr Ecclestone’s support the race wouldn’t have gone ahead.
On the human rights issue, he said that Formula One had done their checks. “I think everybody seems to be happy,” he said. “Doesn’t seem to be any big problem there.”
Human rights groups, the United States and the European Union may disagree — they have all heavily criticised Azerbaijan for locking up activists — but Mr Ecclestone’s comments will be a vindication for Mr Aliyev.
Mr Aliyev has sort to promote Azerbaijan through sport. Later this year, Baku will host the first European Games, it sponsors the shirts of major football teams and will host matches at UEFA’s Euro 2020 tournament.
But Formula One is another level up. It is one of the most watched sports in the world and is certainly one of the most glamorous and now it will act as a prism for viewers to discover Baku when they watch Formula 1 race through its streets in 2016.
It will be the second Grand Prix held in the former Soviet Union. Last year, Russia hosted a Grand Prix at Sochi.
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(News report from Issue No. 228, published on April 22 2015)
APRIL 21 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – A delegation from the Azerbaijani national railway company travelled to Ashgabat for talks with its Turkmen counterparts on developing a transport corridor, media reported. Turkmenistan wants to boost trade with Europe.
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(News report from Issue No. 228, published on April 22 2015)
APRIL 21 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Russian president Vladimir Putin and French President Francois Hollande are among the foreign dignitaries due to fly to Yerevan on April 23, the day before the 100th anniversary of the killings of thousands of Armenians by Ottoman Turks.
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(News report from Issue No. 228, published on April 22 2015)
APRIL 18 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Tajikistan’s Central Bank ordered currency exchange points throughout the country to be closed to try and protect its somoni currency losing more value. The somoni is under pressure as remittances from Russia dry up. It has lost 15% of its value this year.
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(News report from Issue No. 228, published on April 22 2015)
APRIL 21 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Russia has delivered four Su-30SM fighter jets to Kazakhstan, media reported, part of a major overhaul of the Kazakh air force. By 2020, reports said, Kazakhstan is planning on buying another 32 fighter jets from Russia. Kazakhstan has spent billions upgrading its military.
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(News report from Issue No. 228, published on April 22 2015)