Tag Archives: international relations

Uzbek and Tajik ministers meet for first time since 1998

JUNE 29 2017 (The Bulletin) — The interior ministers of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan met for the first time in 19 years during a CIS meeting of interior ministers in Dushanbe. The meeting highlights just how far Uzbekistan has moved towards improving its relations with its neighbours since Shavkat Mirziyoyev become president in September 2016. His predecessor Islam Karimov had pushed to isolate Uzbekistan, eschewing regional meetings. Relations with Tajikistan had been particularly strained over plans to build a new dam.

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(News report from Issue No. 335, published on July 3 2017)

Armenia accepts around 30,000 Syrian refugees

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JUNE 26 2017 (The Bulletin) — Armenia has accepted around 30,000 refugees from Syria, the Economist newspaper reported in a story about how they have adapted to life in what many had regarded as the Motherland. Syria had been home to around 90,000 ethnic Armenians before a civil war broke out in 2011.

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(News report from Issue No. 335, published on July 3 2017)

Hungary opens embassy in Uzbekistan

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JUNE 27 2017 (The Bulletin) — Hungary opened a new embassy in Tashkent, highlighting, perhaps, Uzbekistan’s new openness under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto, who is on a short tour of Central Asia, officially opened the new embassy, highlighting its importance for boosting trade links.

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(News report from Issue No. 335, published on July 3 2017)

Armenia to sign EU deal

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JUNE 30 2017 (The Bulletin) — Armenia and the EU have completed negotiations over a new Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement and will sign the deal in November, media reported by quoting Armenian foreign minister Eduard Nalbandian. This is the second attempt by Armenia and the EU to sign a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement. The first, in 2013, failed after Russian pressure on Armenia.

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(News report from Issue No. 335, published on July 3 2017)

Late Uzbek President’s nephew receives refugee status

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JUNE 29 2017 (The Bulletin) — A court in Ukraine refused to approve the extradition of Akbar Abdullaev, the nephew of former Uzbek President Islam Karimov, to face various corruption and money laundering charges because it did not think he would receive a fair trial. Instead, Mr Abdullaev was given refugee status. He was arrested in Kiev in mid-January.

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(News report from Issue No. 335, published on July 3 2017)

Kazakh capital to host next round of Syria talks

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JUNE 19 2017 (The Bulletin) — The next round of talks in Astana focused on ending the violence in Syria have been set for July 10, media reported quoting officials. The talks are hosted by Kazakhstan but are run by Iran, Russia and Turkey. They also, importantly, include representatives from the Syrian government and also from the Syrian rebels. This will be the fourth round of talks this year in Astana focused on Syria. The Astana talks are not designed as a replacement for the Geneva peace talks which are run by the UN and are attempting to find a political solution to the civil war in Syria.

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(News report from Issue No. 334, published on June 26 2017)

Russia cancels Kyrgyzstan’s debt

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JUNE 19 2017 (The Bulletin) — Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to wipe out Kyrgyzstan’s debt of $240m, a deal that analysts said was hinged around Bishkek continued loyalty to Moscow. The deal was secured during a trip to Moscow by Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev. Kyrgyzstan is an important Russian ally. It is a member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union and also the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. It also hosts a Russian Air Base.

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(News report from Issue No. 334, published on June 26 2017)

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan deny peacekeeping press reports

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JUNE 23 2017 (The Bulletin) — Kazakh and Kyrgyz officials denied earlier press reports which said that they had been asked to provide peacekeeper soldiers for a force in Syria. Earlier reports had quoted Turkish and Russian sources as saying that both Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan had been asked to provide military support to a peacekeeping force in Syria. The Kazakh and Kyrgyz militaries have limited, if any, experience of peacekeeping operations.

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(News report from Issue No. 334, published on June 26 2017)

Armenia receives aid for Syrian refugees

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JUNE 20 2017 (The Bulletin) — The EU included Armenia in a $300m assistance programme for countries which have taken in refugees from Syria, media reported. In total, Armenia will receive around $3.3m of aid from the EU. It has taken in hundreds of refugees, mainly of Armenian heritage, who had been living in Aleppo. The Balkans, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey and Jordan all received aid from the EU too.

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(News report from Issue No. 334, published on June 26 2017)

Thin-skinned Kazakh officials dislike EXPO criticism

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JUNE 20 2017 (The Bulletin) — Often accused of being thin-skinned, Kazakhstan reacted with fury at an article published by the Washington-based Foreign Policy magazine which said the EXPO
2017 site was boring and had no visitors. Kazakh officials claimed that Foreign Policy journalist James Palmer had never even visited the site before he wrote the story. They then also blocked the Foreign Policy website.

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(News report from Issue No. 334, published on June 26 2017)