Tag Archives: security

Afghanistan’s new president looks to Central Asia

BISHKEK/Kyrgyzstan, OCT. 8 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) — Ashraf Ghani, Afghanistan’s new president is on a mission to transform his war-torn country with a shredded economy into a regional force. If he is successful, Central Asia may find in its southern neighbour a strong trading partner and occasional rival rather than the Taliban-tainted bogeyman regional governments have traditionally portrayed it as.

Central Asia’s security-first approach to Afghanistan is understandable. Both Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have had to deal with Islamic extremists linked to the Taliban and other Afghan militants. Neutral Turkmenistan is also taking a newly assertive stance towards events in Afghanistan. Turkmen forces were reported as entering Afghan territory to beat back Taliban that had settled on the two countries’ border (Sept 17).

But Central Asia’s economic ties to Afghanistan are expanding. The long-stalled Turkmenistan- Afghanistan-Tajikistan rail link, which will eventually connect the country to China, looks increasingly likely to happen, while Turkmen gas may one day transit Afghanistan on its way to China.

Mr Ghani is keen to see Afghanistan as a player. His stated ambition to turn the country into an exporter of electricity may make Kabul a rival to both Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The revival of Afghan agriculture may put pressure on scarce regional energy resources.

It is perhaps noteworthy that upon receiving notes of congratulations from all five Central Asian presidents following his inauguration, Mr Ghani’s warmest words were for Kazakhstan and Nursultan Nazarbayev (Sept.29). “Kazakhstan is an important friend and positive example,” he told Kazakh foreign minister Erlan Idrissov at his inauguration.

If Mr Ghani can take Afghanistan on a similar journey, then the country will be ready to both compete and cooperate with Central Asia.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 203, published on Oct. 8 2014)

French mayor visits Armenia-Azerbaijan disputed region

OCT. 4-6 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – A visit by the mayor of a French town to the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, controlled by Armenia-backed rebels but claimed by Azerbaijan, triggered an official complaint by the Azerbaijani government. Tensions are increasingly fraught around the Nagorno-Karabakh border zones.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 203, published on Oct. 8 2014)

UZ to ramp up border patrols

OCT. 6 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Uzbekistan has drawn up plans to raise groups of volunteer border guards to help the official border guards division stop people crossing borders illegally, media reported. Uzbekistan is notoriously zealous about guarding its border areas. It has had border disputes with most of its neighbours.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 203, published on Oct. 8 2014)

Tajik court sentences Taliban

SEPT. 30 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – A court in Dushanbe sentenced on Sept. 26 two ethnic Uzbeks to nine years in jail for fighting for the Taliban in Afghanistan.Tajikistan’s government has said it is increasingly worried about the spread north of Taliban fighters.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 202, published on Oct. 1 2014)

Georgia becomes wary of Russia

SEPT. 25 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Ukraine’s conflict and the alleged Russian involvement in arming separatists have made Georgia more wary of Russia, Georgian deputy PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili told Reuters. Georgia and Russia have been trying to mend relations since they fought a war in 2008.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 202, published on Oct. 1 2014)

Manas closure hits Kyrgyz economy

SEPT. 24 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – The closure of the US airbase at Manas outside Bishkek earlier this year is already having a knock-on effect on the local economy, the eurasianet.org website reported. It its story, eurasianet.org reported that around 2,000 Kyrgyz truck drivers were now out of a job because of the closure.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 202, published on Oct. 1 2014)

Azerbaijan’s President highlights Caspian military

SEPT. 29 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Attending a meeting of the heads of the five Caspian Sea littoral stares, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called on the military balance around the sea to be balanced, media reported. The Caspian Sea has been the focus of heated arguments over ownership.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 202, published on Oct. 1 2014)

Kyrgyz plan to arm border area

SEPT. 29 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Kyrgyzstan lawmakers want to arm villagers living in disputed areas along its borders with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

A majority of Parliamentarians debating the plan say they want to help people defend themselves but the military has said the strategy will only worsen already tense cross- border relations.

The initiator of the legislation, Bakyt Torobayev of the Progress parliamentary splinter faction claims the initiative will save budget money. Paying a civilian that already lives on the border will cost less than housing, feeding and paying a soldier, he has argued.

Kyrgyzstan’s Defence Council issued a statement as parliament discussed the legislation. “(Arming) ordinary citizens without higher or military education and preparation for border service, can have consequences, including their potential participation in illegal migration, narcotics trafficking and contraband,” it said.

Medet Tiulegenov, a political science professor at the American University of Central Asia was also against the plan.

“This issue has been raised in the context of insufficient formal security on the border,” Mr Tiulegenov told The Conway Bulletin. He also said that security issues are beyond the parliament’s formal mandate.

“But when government itself lacks a clear vision on border issues and security in the country, MPs exploit that lack of clarity and try to make a name for themselves,” he said.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 202, published on Oct. 1 2014)

Turkmenistan underlines neutrality

SEPT. 24 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – n a speech to the UN, Turkmen foreign minister Rashid Meredov underlined Turkmenistan’s neutrality. This is important in regards to Afghanistan where reports have surfaced saying that Turkmen forces have crossed over the border to build defence positions against Taliban incursions.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 202, published on Oct. 1 2014)

Georgian rebel region votes in new president

SEPT. 25 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – The breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia swore in Raul Khajimba as its new president after he won an election in August. Georgia has described the election as illegal. Abkhazia declared independence from Georgia after a Georgia-Russia war in 2008. It is considered a Russian vassal state.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 202, published on Oct. 1 2014)