Category Archives: Uncategorised

Tension rises along Turkmen border

JUNE 18 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – There seems little doubt now that security along the Afghan-Turkmen border has deteriorated markedly this year.

According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) militants from Afghanistan attacked another Turkmen border post on June 4, injuring six soldiers.

Six soldiers have already been killed this year in at least two other attacks. These are the only attacks that we’ve been told about. There could be more.

Now Daulat Mawin, an Afghan regional security chief, has confirmed the worst. RFE/RL quoted him saying that security has worsened and that the Turkmen military are now patrolling the border with helicopters.

What Central Asian states fear is the march northwards of the Taliban once NATO leaves Afghanistan. Turkmenistan is an increasingly important source of gas for the Western world and targeting it would, therefore, hit the West.

The Turkmen authorities have been tight-lipped on what is going on along their borders but they are worried and senior officials have travelled to Kabul to discuss the situation with their Afghan counterparts.

Mr Mawin, the Afghan regional security chief, appeared to have confirmed the Turkmens’ worst fears. He described the attackers of the Turkmen border post as militants rather than smugglers.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 189, published on June 18 2014)

Inflation rising in Kyrgyzstan

JUNE 16 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Inflation in Kyrgyzstan will almost certainly double this year to around 8%, Tolkun Abdygulov, head of the Central Bank, said. Increasing inflation could agitate people in Kyrgyzstan. Mr Abdygulov also said that the Central Bank had spent $198m trying to prop up the Kyrgyz national currency.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 189, published on June 18 2014)

Potato prices rise in Kazakhstan

JUNE 14 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – The price of potatoes in Kazakhstan has roughly doubled because of a shortage, media reported.This is important because food price spikes can generate discontent. Earlier this month, bread price increased in south Kazakhstan.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 189, published on June 18 2014)

Azerbaijan to buy reminbi

JUNE 10 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Azerbaijan’s sovereign wealth fund (Sofaz) will buy $1.8b of renminbi, China’s currency, this year, Shahmar Movsumov, Sofaz CEO, told the FT. Mr Movsumov’s statement underlines both the rise of the renminbi and the growing status of Sofaz as an investor.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 189, published on June 18 2014)

Transport price rises in Uzbek city

JUNE 16 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – The price of tickets on Tashkent’s bus, tram, trolleybus and metro systems increased by 20% on June 15 because of a rise in petrol prices, media reported. Petrol prices have been rising across Uzbekistan, frustrating locals. The Uzbek government sets petrol prices.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 189, published on June 18 2014)

Kazakhstan approved Russian oil transit to China

JUNE 11 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Kazakhstan’s lower house of parliament ratified a deal that will increase the amount of Russian oil pumped through Kazakh pipelines to China to 10m tonnes per year from 7m tonnes per year. The deal highlights Kazakhstan’s role as a oil transporter, and not just a producer, to China.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 189, published on June 18 2014)

Police shot at in Armenia

JUNE 12 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – A supporter of Armenia’s nationalist party Tsegakron opened fire at police with an air pistol outside a courthouse in Yerevan where the party’s leader was standing trial, media reported. The leader of Tsegakron, Shant Harutiunian, was arrested in November after clashes with police.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 189, published on June 18 2014)

Armenia looks to China

JUNE 17 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Armenia is looking to build and launch its first satellite, all with Chinese support, media reported. The deal highlights the increased reach of China across the South Caucasus and Central Asia. It is increasingly turning to soft power — building roads and helping with technology — to win favour.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 189, published on June 18 2014)

Tajik and Kyrgyz migrant worker flow to Russia falls

JUNE 17 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – The number of migrants entering Russia for work has fallen by 20% this year because of strict new rules, Konstantin Romodanovsky, head of the Russian Federal Migration Service, said. This is important to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan whose economies rely most heavily on remittances from Russia.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 189, published on June 18 2014)

Tajik police target prostitutes

JUNE 13 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – The authorities in Dushanbe arrested 505 women for prostitution, AFP reported, a move that highlighted Tajikistan’s illegal sex industry. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported a 25% increase in women working as prostitutes this year. Most of these women, RFE/RL said, were driven to prostitution by poverty.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 189, published on June 18 2014)