NOV. 30 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – Kazakhstan will follow Russia in to the WTO and join at the end of 2012, Madina Abylkassymova, deputy minister for trade and economic development, said at a conference in Almaty. In November, Russia agreed a deal to enter the WTO next year.

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NOV. 23 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – Citing “operational considerations”, the US Peace Corps hastily began to withdraw its 117 volunteers and staff from Kazakhstan on Nov. 18, dealing a significant blow to the country’s reputation as one of the most stable states in the former Soviet Union.

Although Peace Corps, which sends thousands of young Americans abroad every year mainly to teach English and spread US ideals, was vague on why it was pulling out of Kazakhstan after 18 years, its volunteers were not. They said worsening security had triggered the evacuation.

Earlier in November a Peace Corps volunteer in central Kazakhstan, was allegedly raped and less than a week before the pull out was announced a gunman linked to militant Islam killed seven people in the south of the country. This was just the latest attack linked to Islamic militants in Kazakhstan this year.

Since the news more evidence of threats and violence directed specifically at Peace Corps volunteers in Kazakhstan has seeped out.

This is all bad enough for Kazakhstan’s image but perhaps more remarkable was its reaction.

Peace Corps was suddenly withdrawing from Kazakhstan, the Kazakh education ministry wrote, because the country had developed so rapidly over the last 20 years it was no longer needed.

In other words, this was a triumph for Kazakhstan and recognition of its great progress. The “operational considerations”, the alleged rape, the threats and the rising Islamic militant linked violence were all ignored.

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