Azeri oil heads through Ukrainian pipeline
16 February
The Odessa-Brody pipeline through Ukraine started carrying crude oil from Azerbaijan to Belarus, the state oil shipping company announced. Azeri and Ukrainian officials met on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in early February to discuss energy issues in Europe. Kiev is trying to shore up its reputation as a transit hub for oil and natural gas while Azerbaijan moves to become a regional leader in energy as new reserves come on stream. The 419-mile pipeline had been operated toward Russia following supply concerns. Russian oil is delivered to the Odessa-Brody pipeline from a junction of the Druzhba pipeline, the longest in the world. Ukraine's oil-shipping monopoly UkrTransNafta said shipments of Azeri crude oil through the pipeline enhances the energy security for Ukraine and "the region and Europe as a whole," the company was quoted by the Platts news service as saying. Sofia in January signed a deal with Azerbaijan to import 80,000 barrels of oil per day. The Ukrainian pipeline company noted that it would continue "reliable and uninterrupted transit of Russian oil" toward Eastern Europe. Odessa-Brody can carry can carry as much as 87 million barrels of oil per year. (UPI)

Uzbeks sentenced for membership in alleged jihadist group
17 February
Thirteen people have been sentenced by an Uzbek regional court to between 6 and 10 years in prison for their alleged membership in an Islamic group called Jihadists, RFE/RL's Uzbek Service reports. The only registered human rights organization in Uzbekistan, Ezgulik (Goodness), said the men were found guilty by the court in the southern province of Qashqadaryo of "encroachment on the constitutional order" and "dissemination of materials harmful to public safety and order." Uzbek prosecutors frequently bring those specific charges against Islamic dissidents. The trial was held behind closed doors. The verdict was pronounced on February 3, but made public only on February 14 after relatives of the defendants appealed to Ezgulik to seek information about the accused. Ezgulik said the verdict reads: "the accused men were poisoned by the idea of an Islamic state and launched a series of crimes against the constitutional order and public security and morality." All reportedly plead guilty to the charges.
Ezgulik said several of the sentenced men are farmers. One was an imam. There have been several trials in various regions of Uzbekistan involving purported members of the Jihadists group. In most of the cases, the defendants were sentenced to lengthy prison terms. Those jailed on such charges include popular soccer commentator Khayrulla Hamidov, who is also the author of a series of popular radio programs on being Muslim. He was sentenced last year to six years in prison. Uzbek human rights groups say several dozen more people are awaiting trial on similar charges. At least 21 of them are from Qashqadaryo. Local and international rights groups estimate that more than 10,000 practicing Muslims in Uzbekistan are currently serving long prison sentences, mostly on charges of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order and install a theocracy.  (RFE/RL)

Kazakhstan ends nomination of candidates for early president polls
21 February
The nomination of candidates to run in the early presidential elections in Kazakhstan is over. Incumbent Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev set the elections on April 3. Some 22 presidential candidates were nominated by the evening on February 20, the Kazakh Central Election Commission reported. Three political parties nominated their candidates, namely Nur Otan – incumbent President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the Communist People’s Party of Kazakhstan – Zhambyl Akhmetbekov, the Kazakh Party of Patriots – Gani Kasymov and the republican people’s patriotic movement Zheltoksan (December) – Kurmangazy Rakhmetov. Other candidates are self-nominees. Five hopefuls did not pass the Kazakh language exam, the Kazakh CEC reported. Four of them were already denied registration. Another two self-nominees dropped from the presidential race. The only officially registered presidential candidate is incumbent Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The registration of presidential candidates continues and will end on March 2. Apart from passing the Kazakh language exam for official registration a presidential candidate is to deposit about 800,000 tenges (about 5,000 dollars) to the CEC account and to file an income and property declaration in the tax service. Under the resolution, which the CEC has earlier issued, at least 91,000 voters equally representing all 16 regions of the country are to sign up for a presidential candidate. The canvassing campaign will be launched on March 3 and will end on April 1 that is two days before the election day. (Itar-Tass)

Uzbekistan warns over “evil, satanic” rock music
22 February
Uzbekistan's state television Monday issued an unequivocal denunciation of rock and rap as a Western liberal excess, saying the music is epitomised by sadism, drug addiction and immorality. In a TV documentary called "Melody and Calamity" Uzbekistan's second main channel Youht TV raised alarm over "pernicious influence of Western rock and rap music approaching as dark clouds over the heads of Uzbek youth". Uzbekistan is Central Asia's most populous country, where 90 percent of the 28 million inhabitants are Muslim. The secular government, wary of both religious extremist ideology and "excesses of Western democracy", has in recent months shown increasing impatience with cultural imports from abroad. The documentary, made in the style of a Soviet propaganda film, said "rock music originated from African hunting rituals" and "rap was originated by inmates in prisons, that's why rap singers wear wide and long trousers"."This satanic music was created by evil forces to bring youth in Western countries to total moral degradation," according to the documentary. Some of the Uzbek singers interviewed lambasted Western style pop and heavy music and said that the salvation from their hazardous effects was to be found in Uzbek classical music. "If you check disks or flashcards in your home you may find some of the rock or rap songs performed by Uzbek singers as well... and be aware of the satanic effects of this evil music," the narrator warned. The documentary also mentioned scientific research studying the effects of the music on human health, saying that if classical music was a cure from illnesses, rock and rap are the tickets to death. The film repeatedly showed footage of Western singers in concerts, an encroaching scorpion and ended with nuclear bomb blast in the background and asked if "we can take measures against the dark clouds". The broadcast of the documentary comes after Uzbekistan withdrew approval for the broadcast of two Russian television channels, reportedly due to the high sexual content in some of their shows. (AFP)

Georgian corporal killed in Afghanistan
22 February
The Georgian Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday that one Georgian serviceman had been killed and two others injured in Afghanistan. Corporal Giorgi Avaliani, who served in the 32nd Battalion stationed in the Afghan province of Helmand, was killed when he stepped on a landmine, it said. Two other corporals, Nikoloz Deisadze and Ednard Abuladze, had been injured and hospitalized. This is not the first instance of a Georgian serviceman's death in Afghanistan. The Georgian parliament planned on Tuesday to endorse the sending of eleven Georgian instructors to Afghanistan to train Afghan artillery soldiers. About 1,000 Georgian servicemen are currently deployed in Afghanistan. (Interfax)

Nabucco says BP cost estimates a guess
22 February
An assessment by BP that commodity prices are pushing the cost of the Nabucco natural gas pipeline higher is only a guess, the consortium declared. Europe aims to diversify its energy sector through the Nabucco gas pipeline. The project could draw much of its gas from Azerbaijan and potential suppliers in the Middle East in an effort to break the Russian grip on the regional energy sector. The Nabucco consortium managing the pipeline from Vienna estimates the 2,000-mile pipeline will cost around $10.7 billion to build. The Guardian newspaper in London, however, said it discovered that estimates from British energy company BP put the bill at around $19 billion. A Nabucco spokesman told United Press International that its cost estimates were based on its own feasibility studies. "These BP figures are pure speculations," said Christian Dolezal. "We are currently evaluating the costs and after we have all necessary results of the detailed engineering we are going public." The European government reached a recent agreement with Baku for Azeri gas to meet some of Nabucco's capacity, which project leaders said was a positive sign. The project is struggling against supply and pricing concerns, though Dolezal suggested all was well. "Nabucco's focus is clearly to bring new gas to Europe from the Caspian region and the Middle East," he said. "But our pipeline will be open for third party access as also European energy law wants it." (UPI)

Kazakh presidential candidate denied registration for not turning up for language test
23 February
The Central Election Committee (CEC) of Kazakhstan has refused to register Meiramkul Kozhagulova from Aktyubinsk as presidential candidate, an Interfax correspondent reports. CEC made the decision at its Wednesday meeting in Astana. "Considering her failure to attend a session of the language commission her compliance with the requirement of the free command of the Kazakh language was not established," CEC secretary Bakyt Meldeshov said. Ms. Kozhugalova, 49, filed her application for registration to CEC last Friday. Full command of the national language is a mandatory condition for a presidential candidate in Kazakhstan. All candidates must pass a language test to comply with the requirement. Presidential elections in Kazakhstan are slated for April 3. (Interfax)

CNPC Inks New O&G Deal with Kazakhstan
23 February
China National Petroleum Corp. and Kazakhstan national oil and gas company KazMunaiGas signed a new oil and gas cooperation agreement Tuesday during the Kazakhstan president's state visit to China, said CNPC. The move marks the latest effort by China to tap natural gas resources from Kazakhstan, CNPC's main oil and gas production base in Central Asia, to meet robust domestic demand for the cleaner-burning fuel. China has been by far the biggest foreign investor in Kazakhstan's oil and gas industry over the last few years. The two companies will establish an equally-held joint venture to explore and develop the Urikhtau gas field in Kazakhstan, with gas produced at the field to be transported via the China-Kazakhstan natural gas pipeline, CNPC said in its inhouse newsletter. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev arrived in Beijing Monday for a three-day state visit. CNPC and KazMunaiGas in December began construction on the second phase of the China-Kazakhstan pipeline project, which will link western Kazakhstan with the Central Asia Gas Pipeline.The 1,475-kilometer pipeline in Kazakhstan will have annual transmission capacity of 10 billion cubic meters, which could be expanded to 15 billion cubic meters. By Feb. 15, China had received 5.8 billion cubic meters of gas via the Central Asia Gas Pipeline, which ultimately connects to Turkmenistan, CNPC has said. CNPC has also said that its oil and gas production in Kazakhstan reached a record 30 million metric tons of oil equivalent last year and that it plans to double the transmission capacity of the crude-oil pipeline linking the two countries to 20 million metric tons a year, or 401,600 barrels a day, by 2013. (Dow Jones Newswires)

Jail terms cut for slain tajik minister’s relatives
25 February
Prison terms have been reduced for 29 relatives and supporters of a slain government minister who were sentenced over an alleged antigovernment plot, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports. She added that Ziyoev's brother, Abdusamad Ziyoev, and Muhsiddin Muhiddinov, were released from jail. Some 50 relatives and associates of Mirzo Ziyoev were detained during a crackdown in the eastern Tavil-Dara district between May and December 2009. Eleven of them are Russian citizens. The Tajik Supreme Court sentenced two of them to life imprisonment, two to 23-30 year terms, and the rest to sentences ranging from 10 to 27 years. Ziyoev's eldest son, Sayed Akhmad Ziyoev, was sentenced to 30 years in prison, and his younger son, Muhammad Reza, to 28 years. Mirzo Ziyoev was the United Tajik Opposition's top military commander during the 1992-97 civil war. Upon the end of the war he was named emergency situations minister. Officials said Ziyoev was killed in an ambush by his own supporters during an antidrug operation in Tavil-Dara in July 2009. His supporters deny any responsibility in his death. The government later accused him and his supporters of drug trafficking and supporting the banned Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. The authorities have also released two former opposition commanders who were sentenced earlier for other crimes. An RFE/RL correspondent reports that Fathullo Khayriddinov (aka Eshoni Daroz), the former opposition commander in the Vahdat district, about 20 kilometers east of Dushanbe, was released from jail. Khayriddinov was ordered to perform unpaid corrective labor and report to police every week. He also may not leave the district, Khayriddinov's father said. A second Ziyoev associate, Nazar Yormuhammadov, has also been released from jail on the condition he does not leave his home. (RFE/RL)

Turkmenistan restricts school, university teachers and students
26 February
Turkmen authorities have tightened their control over Turkmenistan's secondary schools and universities in the past week, RFE/RL's Turkmen Service reports. Secondary school teachers are now required to be at work from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. each school day regardless of their class hours. University students are not to leave the university premises before 6 p.m. Those who live in dormitories must be in bed before 11 p.m. and are not permitted to do their homework after that time. No reason for the new measures was given. It is unclear whether they are political, possibly in response to the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, or intended to prevent the repetition of a violent incident earlier this month at the Ashgabat Polytechnical Institute. A female student from the institute was killed and a second injured after a party involving three male and three female students. Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov sacked the deputy prime minister responsible for science and education along with several senior members of the institute's staff after the incident. Meanwhile, two pop singers, one of whom is a university student, were arrested after their Western-style video was played on the Turkish music TV channel TBM. Maksat Kakabaev and Murat Owezov were first summoned by the Culture and Broadcasting Ministry and warned not to appear again in foreign media. But they were later detained by national security officials. It is not clear what charges, if any, have been brought against them.  Kakabaev is in the Yashlyk detention center, 40 kilometers east of Ashgabat. He has reportedly been beaten. Owezov has been exiled to the Hanghouz district of Mary Province. Students at Turkmen colleges and universities are not allowed to appear in foreign media, leave the country on vacation, drive a car, or use mobile phones on university premises. (RFE/RL)

Tajik president’s son to head customs service department
28 February
The eldest son of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon was named to a senior position within the State Customs Service, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports. A Tajik Customs Committee official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told RFE/RL that Rustam Emomali was appointed to head the committee's department to combat illegal activities after incumbent Amirkhon Ibodov retired. A Tajik State University graduate, Emomali, who is 23, previously served as an adviser on the State Committee on Investments and State Property. In 2010, he was elected a member of the Dushanbe city council.In 2009, Emomali was elected a deputy in the Union of Tajik Youth, and in December of that year he was elected a member of the Central Committee of the ruling National Democratic Party of Tajikistan.Emomali also plays soccer for Tajikistan's Istiklol club, of which he is a sponsor. He is simultaneously a member of the International Committee of the Olympic Council of Asia and a deputy head of Tajikistan's Football Federation. Rahmon also appointed his daughter, Ozoda Rahmonova, a deputy foreign minister last year. (RFE/RL)

Medvedev proposes nominations for heads of Chechnya, three other Russian regions
28 February
President Dmitry Medvedev has finally decided on the nominations for heads of four Russian regions. Ramzan Kadyrov has been picked as nominee to head the Republic of Chechnya, says a posting on the Kremlin website. And Vladimir Ilyukhin, Sergei Morozov and Rashid Temrezov have been nominated for heads of the Kamchatka Territory, Ulyanovsk Region and the Republic of Karachayevo-Cherkessia. (Interfax)

Ethnic tensions rising in Southern Kyrgyzstan
1 March
Ethnic tensions in southern Kyrgyzstan flared today after police said around 500 people gathered to set fire to the house of a man they blame for the murder last week of a local tax inspector. Police said they used force to disperse the crowd following the incident in the town of Nookat, in Osh Oblast, and detained 20 people. Demonstrators originally gathered to demand detailed information about the investigation into the murder of an ethnic Kyrgyz man, Sagynbek Alimbaev. Alimbaev was found dead from gunshot wounds in his car on February 23. On February 25, police arrested three suspects from the mainly village of Shark -- which is populated mainly by ethnic Uzbeks -- who reportedly confessed to the killing. Investigators say the last person Alimbaev talked to while alive was a local businessman whose name they gave as Ilhom. Kyrgyz National State Security Committee (UKMK) Deputy Chairman Marat Imankulov said some of the 20 people detained were inebriated and that local police have set up five checkpoints to control the situation in Nookat. Shops and restaurants on the main street have been closed, and some residents have left their homes. In mid-June last year, more than 400 people died and thousands were displaced during violent clashes between local Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in the southern Osh and Jalal-Abad regions.
Nookat is 30 kilometers south of Osh. (RFE/RL)

Kazakhstan to offer KMG EP stake in 'people's IPO'
1 March
Kazakhstan's citizens will be offered the chance to own a 5 percent stake in the listed arm of KazMunaiGas when the state kicks off a "people's IPO" to boost exposure to the stock market, the country's president said. Nursultan Nazarbayev, who is expected to win an election on April 3 and extend his presidency into a third decade, said KazMunaiGas Exploration and Production would sell shares worth a cumulative $500 million this year. "One person will be able to acquire a maximum of 50 shares," Nazarbayev said during a two-hour briefing with local reporters, which was broadcast on state television early on Tuesday and published on the presidential website, www.akorda.kz.  He did not specify the face value of the individual shares. KazMunaiGas E&P, the London-traded unit of state oil and gas giant KazMunaiGas , has a market capitalisation of $10.4 billion. At current prices, a 5 percent stake in the company would be worth approximately $522 million. Kazakhstan, the largest economy in Central Asia, plans to launch a series of initial public offerings this year and next in order to improve liquidity in its stock market and allow some of its 16.4 million people to own shares in its major companies. "This is an event of paramount importance for the state," said Nazarbayev, 70, who was a member of the Soviet Communist Party's last Politburo and has led Kazakhstan since before its independence in 1991. "Only citizens of Kazakhstan will be able to participate," he said. "The whole world is earning money on the stock market and citizens of Kazakhstan should also learn how to do this." State grid company KEGOC, postal firm Kazpost and national rail monopoly Kazakhstan Temir Zholy would be among the next wave of companies to offer shares, said Nazarbayev, who ordered his government last month to prepare the floats. Resource companies would also be candidates for future listings, he said, in a country that mines more uranium than any other and holds slightly more than 3 percent of the world's recoverable oil reserves. He named Glencore-controlled zinc miner Kazzinc and the Temirtau steel plant owned by ArcelorMittal -- where Nazarbayev once worked -- as candidates for domestic IPOs, as well as London-listed ENRC and Kazakhmys. (Reuters)

Russian reports: “premature to point finger at Georgia over Domodedovo attack”
1 March
Russian news agency, Interfax, reported on March 1 quoting an unnamed representative of Russia's National Counter-Terrorism Committee (NAK), that it was premature to blame anyone, including Georgian leadership, for masterminding January terrorist attack at Domodedovo airport in Moscow. "Before the investigation into this case is ongoing, any version about who ordered it or about accomplices can be considered as a personal opinion and nothing more," a representative of National Counter-Terrorism Committee (NAK) was quoted. Alexander Torshin, deputy speaker of Russia's Federal Council and a member of NAK - Russia's government body coordinating anti-terrorism policies, said in February 25 newspaper interview, that he was sure the terrorist act at Domodedovo was ordered by the Georgian leadership. Georgian President's spokesperson, Manan Manjgaladze, said on March 1 that this allegation such "absurd" that it was not even worth of commenting. Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister, Nino Kalandadze, said on February 28, that the it was a “purposeful provocation” and “absolutely groundless allegation."

NATO apologizes for deaths of 9 boys in Afghanistan
2 March
NATO's top commander in Afghanistan apologized Wednesday for the accidental killing of nine Afghan boys and ordered attack helicopter crews to be briefed again on his directive for preventing civilian deaths. Civilian casualties have long been a source of friction between the U.S.-led international force and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The president condemned the deaths, saying the victims were "innocent children who were collecting firewood for their families during this cold winter." "Is this the way to fight terrorism and maintain stability in Afghanistan?" Karzai asked in a statement Wednesday. He said NATO should focus more on "terrorist sanctuaries" — a phrase he typically uses when referring to Taliban havens in neighboring Pakistan. The incident on Tuesday in the Pech valley area of Kunar province came less than two weeks after tribal elders there claimed NATO forces killed more than 50 civilians in recent air and ground strikes. The coalition denied that claim, saying video showed troops targeting and killing dozens of insurgents. It said a subsequent investigation yielded no evidence that civilians had been killed. An Afghan government investigation, however, maintained that 65 civilians died in coalition operations in a remote part of the province. Several hundred villagers in the area protested for four hours Wednesday against coalition strikes. Demonstrators chanted "Death to America" and "Death to the spies," a reference to what they said was bad intelligence given to helicopter weapons teams, said Noorullah Noori, a member of the local development council in Manogai district. He said four of the nine boys killed were 7 years old, three were 8, one was 9 years old and one was 12. One child was also wounded, he said. He said the children were gathering wood under a tree in the mountains about near a village in the district. "I myself was involved in the burial," Noori said. "Yesterday we buried them." NATO said there apparently was miscommunication in passing information to coalition helicopters about the location of militants firing on Forward Operating Base Blessing. "We are deeply sorry for this tragedy and apologize to the members of the Afghan government, the people of Afghanistan and most importantly, the surviving family members of those killed by our actions," said Gen. David. Petraeus, the top commander of U.S. and international troops in Afghanistan. "These deaths should have never happened and I will personally apologize to President Karzai." (AP)

Four candidates to run in Kazakh presidential election
2 March
Kazakhstan's Central Election Commission has announced that it has officially registered four candidates to run in the April 3 presidential election. Incumbent Nursultan Nazarbaev, Zhambyl Akhmetbekov of the Communist People's Party, Gani Kasymov of the Patriots' Party, and independent candidate and environmentalist Mels Eleusizov have until April 1 to campaign. Twenty-two people originally announced their intention to run: 11 failed the mandatory language proficiency test and the other seven were unable to meet other registration requirements. (RFE/RL)

Saakashvili reiterates Georgia’s Afghan commitment
2 March
Despite loss of life among Georgian troops in Afghanistan, Georgia should not give up its contribution to the coalition forces, President Saakashvili said while visiting a base of MoD’s special purpose unit on March 2. “It is an honor to be in service of the homeland together with you,” said Saakashvili, sitting alongside with soldiers in an army base canteen. Saakashvili’s five-year old younger son, who like his father was dressed in a military uniform, was sitting next to him. “I never stop thinking and caring about our armed force and helping it as much as possible. You should know that our country knows that it can pin hope on you,” Saakashvili told soldiers. “We suffered losses in Afghanistan… But we should understand that for the armed forces all these losses should serve as a source for further strengthening… We should not flinch and we should in no way give it up; our cause is just and we all know that,” he said. Georgia has 950 troops in Afghanistan with most of them deployed in the Helmand province. Six Georgian soldiers were killed, all of them in Helmand, since joining the NATO-led operation in November, 2009. The most recent fatality was reported on February 22. On the same day the Georgian Parliament approved a proposal to send to Afghanistan a team of 11 Georgian artillery instructors to train the Afghan military. In a February, 2010 classified diplomatic dispatch from series of leaked U.S. embassy cables, published by WikiLeaks, U.S. ambassador to Georgia, John Bass, writes, that “Georgians see their contributions to Afghanistan as a down payment on their admission into NATO.” “Georgia continues to be a strong supporter of NATO operations and is a contributor to international security missions, including in particular ISAF in Afghanistan. The challenge is to express our appreciation for those efforts, but deliver the candid message that such contributions are a helpful, but insufficient step toward membership without the concomitant progress on the civilian side,” the cable reads. (Civil Georgia)

Russia, Turkey continue cooperation on Samsun-Ceyhan pipeline
2 March
Russia and Turkey plan during a meeting of their inter-governmental commission on March 4 to sign an agreement to continue cooperation on the Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline project. "We're going to sign a document on the Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline from the point of view of the further plan of action, which involves determining the economic model," Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko told reporters in Tambov. Then, during the next stage, "the partners should make the relevant commitments to fill the pipeline," he said. The Samsun-Ceyhan pipeline project responds to Turkish demands for a route bypassing the crowded Dardanelles and Bosphorus. The 555-km pipeline will be used to deliver oil from the Black Sea basin to Europe. Eni, Calik, Rosneft and Transneft signed a memorandum of understanding concerning possible creation of a joint venture to build Samsun-Ceyhan in October 2009. Turkey estimates that the pipeline will cost about $4 billion to build, but the other participants think the actual total will be higher. Russia hopes to agree the parameters with Turkey for involvement in the Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline project by the middle of March, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin said in December following talks with Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yyldyz in December. Sechin said Rosneft (RTS: ROSN) and Transneft (RTS: TRN) may each receive a 25% interest in the planned Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline. They might join current project participants Turkish Calik and Italian Eni. "The companies are currently negotiating their participation in capital at roughly 25% each," Sechin said. (Interfax)