Tag Archives: international relations

China buys 200 ambulances for Armenia

MAY 11 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — China will buy 200 ambulances for Armenia, Armenian foreign minister Eduard Nalbandyan was quoted by media as saying. China has steadily increased its influence over the South Caucasus, currying favour through economic and business deals. As well as buying ambulances and other equipment for social projects and the emergency services, China has set up a series of language and cultural centres across the region.

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(News report from Issue No. 328, published on May 12 2017)

Saudi to give $200m for new parliament building in Tajikistan

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MAY 2 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Saudi Arabia will spend $200m building a new parliament building in Dushanbe, the Asia-Plus news agency reported quoting a government official. News leaked last year that Saudi Arabia was prepared to fund the construction of a new parliament, although it had been unclear how much it would cost.

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(News report from Issue No. 327, published on May 5 2017)

Kazakhstan hosts fourth round of Syria talks

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MAY 3/4 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Kazakhstan hosted for a fourth time this year peace talks between Russia, Iran, Turkey, the Syrian government and Syrian rebels. In the last round of talks the Syrian rebel contingent failed to show up, undermining the process. A deal was signed by Russia and the other major powers to cease fighting in some areas of Syria. The Syrian rebels walked out of the talks.

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(News report from Issue No. 327, published on May 5 2017)

Russia cancels Kyrgyzstan’s debt

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MAY 4 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Russia cancelled a $240m debt owed by Kyrgyzstan which had been due to be paid off by 2025. The statement from the office of Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev said that the loan had been given to Kyrgyzstan on Sept. 20 2012. The statement did not say why Russia had decided to wipe off the debt but it has previously handed out soft loans and cancelled debt in return for political favours.

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(News report from Issue No. 327, published on May 5 2017)

Czechs recognise Armenian genocide

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APRIL 25 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — The parliament of the Czech Republic voted to recognise and condemn the killings of Armenians in eastern Turkey at the end of WWI as a genocide, drawing praise from Armenia and scorn from Turkey. Pushing for more countries to recognise the killings as a genocide is a key plank of Armenian foreign policy. Turkey has always denied the killings were genocide and has instead said that they were the result of chaos at the end end of WWI as the Ottoman Empire collapsed.

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