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Uzbekistan Snubs SCO Peace Mission 2012

By Roger McDermott

Uzbekistan is often cast as a reluctant or difficult member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) or the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), because of its consistent opposition to new initiatives in either body and relentless prudence concerning its participation in multilateral military exercises. Yet, the complex policymaking in Tashkent that produces such thorny approaches to security issues is also frequently refracted through the Russian media in such a way as to distort its purposes or deeper considerations. Once again, behind the colorful official claims of success surrounding the latest SCO Peace Mission exercise, Tashkent exposed the disunity in the organization by refusing to participate (Interfax, June 9). READ MORE

Kazakh millionaire in murder inquiry ‘hosted’ in Malta despite police objections

Maltese government gives former diplomat, deputy head of Kazakh secret service, residence status despite police objections over Interpol alert. READ MORE

China’s Game in Central Asia

China is currently making a series of attempts to strengthen its position in Central Asia. Its primary aim is to radically change the balance of power in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization through the use of economic levers. China made the following key proposals during preparations for the organization’s last summit: creation of the SCO Development Bank based on Chinese capital; formation of an “SCO account,” also based on Chinese money, or rather a fund for supporting projects to develop the organization; and, establishment of a single free trade zone for participating countries. READ MORE

President Dalia Grybauskaite: Kazakhstan and Lithuania to play important role in developing transport links between East and West

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Kazakhstan and Lithuania mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

All these years, Astana and Vilnius have maintained a regular dialogue at various levels, which promotes the development of constructive relations and mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields. READ MORE

Kyrgyzstan Signs NATO Reverse Transit Agreement

By Roger McDermott

On May 22, during the NATO Summit in Chicago, Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister Ruslan Kazakbaev and NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow signed an agreement on ground transport routes for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), allowing the country to actively support the complex drawdown of Alliance forces from Afghanistan. Kyrgyzstan’s foreign ministry believes that the new accord with NATO is not only in the interest of stabilizing Afghanistan, but will also contribute to the future security of Central Asia. READ MORE

Peace and Harmony as the Choice of Humankind

The speech of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev at the opening of the IV Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions READ MORE

The whole truth about Zhanaozen

By Alina Kantor

Kazakhstan nowadays has become the target of an enlightened democratic society, trainer for verbal exercises of liberals, socialists, trade unionists. The events that took place last year in the west of the republic - in a provincial town Zhanaozen attracted global attention to this country, because for such a peaceful, calm and tolerant state, which avoided shocks and revolutions during the first years of independence, these riots that led to bloodshed are truly bolt from the blue. READ MORE

Russian Foreign Ministry misinterpreted Ambassador McFaul's statements about Manas - U.S. State Department Spokesperson

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs misunderstood or misinterpreted the statements made by U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul at the meeting with a group of the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, said Victoria Nuland, Spokesperson of U.S. Department of State, at the daily press briefing in Washington on May 29. READ MORE

Putin to tackle "unpredictable" Uzbekistan - NBCA

Russian president Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to Uzbekistan reflects the Central Asian republic’s importance to the Kremlin. READ MORE

Terrorist Attack with Hands of Oligarch

In the end of April 2012 in the biggest and greenest city of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Almaty a terrorist attack was prevented. According to official statement of the General Prosecutor’s Office the terrorist attack was prevented by the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan at its preparatory stage. READ MORE