Tag Archives: international relations

US engagement in Central Asia marks the return of the Silk Road

SEPT. 27 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – The Silk Road is back in vogue, at least at the UN’s General Assembly last week.

On the sidelines of the meeting, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and foreign ministers from Europe, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia were busy plotting a revival of the ancient trading route.

Media reports said the US sees the Silk Road as a way of boosting economic activity in Afghanistan from 2014 when NATO forces pull out of the country.

But if the Silk Road, which has always been a concept rather than a single physical route, is going to return to its glory days it requires a stable, prosperous and open Central Asia through which trade can flow.

Kazakhstan, with its anticipated economic growth of around 7% a year and increasingly open markets, is perhaps the only Central Asian state which fits that description. Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are relatively closed and instability plagues Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

Of course, a modern day trading system already straddles Central Asia. Lorries carry goods from China to Russia and on to Europe and pipelines pump oil from the Caspian to Western markets. It may not be the Silk Road with Afghanistan at its core that the US envisages, but it is a start.

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(News report from Issue No. 058, published on Sept. 27 2011)

Tuvalu recognises Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia

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SEPT. 20 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – The Polynesian island state of Tuvalu became the fifth nation to recognise Abkhazia’s independence on Sept. 18, Abkhazia said. Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and the Pacific nation of Nauru have already recognised both Abkhazia and South Ossetia’s independence. Russia-backed Abkhazia and South Ossetia declared independence from Georgia in 2008.

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(News report from Issue No. 58, published on Sept. 27 2011)

Iran, Russia oppose Nabucco pipeline from Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan

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SEPT. 13/16 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – Both Russia and Iran released statements opposing the EU’s move to negotiate a final deal with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan for gas to fill its Nabucco pipeline running from the Caspian Sea to central Europe. The EU considers Nabucco as vital to its future energy strategy.

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(News report from Issue No. 57, published on Sept. 19 2011)

Armenia-Iran trade increases fast

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SEPT. 19 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – Trade between Armenia and Iran has increased by 40% recently, Iran’s ambassador in Yerevan said according to local media. Iran has been looking to increase military and economic relations. Iran mainly exports gas to Armenia and imports power from Armenia.

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(News report from Issue No. 57, published on Sept. 19 2011)

Georgia unable to reach WTO deal with Russia

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SEPT. 13 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – More deadlock between Georgia and Russia over Russian negotiations to join the WTO. In Switzerland, after the latest round of talks, officials from both countries emerged to say that no deal had been reached, media reported. Georgia has a veto over Russian WTO plans. More talks are scheduled.

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(News report from Issue No. 57, published on Sept. 19 2011)

Kazakh president visits France

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SEPT. 19 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – Underlining Kazakhstan’s increasing prominence in global economic affairs, President Nursultan Nazarbayev flew to France for a meeting with French President Nikolas Sarkozy. No major deals were signed at the meeting but the leaders promised closer cooperation and flights between Paris and Astana.

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(News report from Issue No. 57, published on Sept. 19 2011)

India offers military aid to Kyrgyzstan

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SEPT. 9 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – On a trip to Delhi by Kyrgyz defence minister Major-General Abidilla Kudaberdiev, Indian defence minister A.K. Antony offered training and technical aid to Kyrgyzstan’s military, local media reported. India wants to boost its presence in Central Asia and earlier this year also offered military assistance.

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(News report from Issue No. 56, published on Sept. 12 2011)

Ukrainian leader looks for Turkmen gas

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SEPT. 12 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – Looking for an alternative gas supplier to Russia, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych flew to Ashgabat to meet Turkmen President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. Both countries have argued with Russia over gas prices. China, Russia, the EU, India and Pakistan are all competing for access to Turkmenistan’s gas supplies.

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(News report from Issue No. 56, published on Sept. 12 2011)

Georgia accuses Russia of intruding air space

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SEPT. 8 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – Georgia accused Russia of violating its air space, an accusation Russia denied. In potentially one of the most serious standoffs between the countries since a war in 2008, Georgia said that on Sept. 7, three Russian helicopters had flown into its territory for 15 minutes circling a border guard post.

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(News report from Issue No. 56, published on Sept. 12 2011)

Row starts between Georgia and Russia before WTO talks

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AUG. 31 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – Russia is unwilling to lift a ban on a number of Georgian products, Georgian Minister for Economic Development, Vera Kobalia, told local media. Her comments come shortly before vital WTO talks between Russia and Georgia, due to restart in Switzerland on Sept. 12. Georgia is the last country blocking Russia’s WTO membership.

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(News report from Issue No. 55, published on Sept. 6 2011)