News Digest

AFGHAN AUTHORITIES WILL BACK WITHDRAWAL OF ISAF FROM KABUL

9 July

The Afghan government is ready to support the parliamentary decision of the possible withdrawal units of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan from Kabul this October, Afghan Interior Minister Ahmad Moqbel Zarar said on Wednesday in Dushanbe, where he is staying on a four day working visit. "The government will back this decision and coalition troops have already agreed to the redeployment because they understand that civilians are the ones that usually fall victim to terrorist attacks directed against troops," the minister said. "I think that the redeployment of ISAF troops will not have a negative influence in the security of Kabul residents in general," the minister said. (Interfax-AVN)

Kazakhstan Development Bank raised $950 ml in loans this year
13 June
The Development Bank of Kazakhstan (DBK) has raised $950 ml in loans over five months of the year, the bank said in a press release. Over the period the bank has also signed $700 ml worth agreements for credit facilities. The bank is currently wrapping up work on raising $400 ml more in Q3. “A significant increase in borrowed funds comes in line with DBK strategic development plan for 2008-2011. This year the bank plans to increase lending at beneficial terms to infrastructure and industrial sectors," according to the press release. "The borrowed funds will create a foundation for investment activities in 2008 and 2009," bank CEO Mukan Sagindykov was quoted as saying in the press release. DBK also plans to resume the flotation of the 5th tranche of Eurobonds if a so-called "investment window" opens. DBK was founded in 2001 with 100% of state-s participation within implementation of the strategy of industrial-innovative development of the republic scheduled until 2015. The bank extends loans for mid- and long-term investment projects in production and non-resource industries. (Interfax-Kazakhstan)

Tbilisi demands Moscow withdraw troops from Abkhazia – FM Eka Tkeshelashvili
2 June
Tbilisi will demand Moscow withdraw units of Russian railway troops from Abkhazia, Georgian Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili said. Upon completion of the session of the Georgian Security Council on Monday that was convened by Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili due to the situation in the Abkhazian region, Tkeshelashvili said Georgia “intends to demand Moscow withdraw units of Russian railway troops from Abkhazia”.

Russia says catches Georgian spy: Interfax
16 May
Russia's FSB security service says it has intercepted a spy working for Georgia and prevented him from helping rebels in southern Russia, Interfax news agency reported on Friday. A row over the status of Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia has pushed relations between Russia and Georgia to a low. Each side has accused the other of spying. Interfax quoted the FSB as saying the spy was a Chechen with Russian citizenship. "In particular, he had to organize contact between Georgian special forces and illegal armed groups in Russia," the FSB said, according to Interfax. Russian forces have fought two wars against Chechen rebels since 1994. The Kremlin is eager to present the area as peaceful but violence still flares in Chechnya and its neighboring republics of Ingushetia and Dagestan. The report did not give details of when and where he was caught. (Reuters)

KYRGYZSTAN HOSTS REGIONAL SUMMIT ON ENERGY, WATER COOPERATION

5 May

Kyrgyz Deputy Minister of Industry, Energy and Fuel Resources Akylbek Tumenbaev opened a meeting in Bishkek on May 2 of officials from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to discuss plans to improve regional cooperation in the management and use of water and energy resources. The officials, primarily deputy ministers from each country's energy ministry, focused on the water and energy resources of Kyrgyzstan's Naryn-Syr Daria river basin. At the end of the meeting, which is set to reconvene on May 14-15, participants adopted specific measures governing the use of the water and energy resources at the Kyrgyz Toktogul reservoir, which provides 40 percent of Kyrgyzstan's hydroelectric energy. The Kyrgyz government recently decided to introduce a new electricity-rationing regime, lasting for at least six months, that entails cutting electricity supplies for seven hours every night. The rationing program is intended to offset a dramatic decrease in the water level at the Toktogul reservoir. (AKIpress.org)

Kazakhstan planning to introduce export duty on metals

18 April
The Kazakh government will determine the size of an export duty that is to be introduced on mining and metals products before the end of April, Kazakh Deputy Finance Minister Daulet Yergozhin said in Astana on Friday. "An   export   duty   on metal commodities is  currently  being calculated," he said, noting that the Kazakh Industry and Trade Ministry is handling the calculations. Yergozhin did not specify what types of metals products would be subject to the new export duty. The introduction of an export duty on metals will be considered in conjunction with other taxes, in particular, the corporate income tax, whose rate could be lowered once a new Tax Code is approved. Yergozhin  said the export duty on metals commodities would be less than the oil export duty that is to come in effect on May 17. Nikolai  Radostovets,  executive  director  of  Kazakhstan's Mining Metal Companies Association, said the companies view the introduction of the export  duty  as  "a  hindrance  to  the  competitiveness  of  their products." "This is a barrier that will hinder the development of the Customs Union and could  even  contradict  it,"  he  said.  A resolution on the customs duty on metals could be adopted at the President's Council of Economic Policy in a few days, he said. "We are ready to give more to the country, but within the framework of a civilized taxation system," Radostovets said. Industry   and  Trade  Minister  Vladimir  Shkolnik  called  for  a diversified  approach  to  calculating  the  customs duty for each metal product. "There should be  a balanced approach to each product. Obviously, there won't be a fixed 10% or 5% duty for all. We will discuss this issue further," he told journalists later today in Astana. (Interfax)

KYRGYZ PRESIDENT REJECTS PLANS TO SWITCH TO LATIN-BASED SCRIPT

3 April

At a meeting with Kyrgyz Education and Science Minister Ishengul Boljurova in Bishkek, President Kurmanbek Bakiev said on April 3 that he has decided to reject plans to switch from the Cyrillic script to a new Latin-based one.

Third anniversary of Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan

24 March

The third anniversary of the “Tulip Revolution” will be marked in Kyrgyzstan on Monday. The republic’s parliament recently decided to turn March 24 into a People’s Revolution Day Holiday. A festive meeting will be held on the occasion at the Bishkek Philharmonic Society and a salute will be fired in the central square of the capital on Monday evening. Prior to this, March 24 was marked in Kyrgyzstan only in compliance with a presidential decree, which lacks the power of a law. However, not all the population of Kyrgyzstan are pleased with the decision to turn March 24 into a nation-wide holiday. The public opinion polls, carried out by the local mass media among the citizens of Bishkek, show that only fifty per cent of the capital’s population acclaim this novelty. Three years ago, a crowd of several thousand people stormed and seized the Government House here. Soldiers and policemen had not put up any notable resistance to the opposition. They simply gave up their weapons and went home. President Askar Akayev was forced to leave the country. Seizure of Government house was preceded by several arsons and by a successful attack of opposition supporters on some administrative buildings and also on offices of prosecutors and of home affairs in the regional centre of Jalal-Abad. (Itar-Tass)

TURKMENISTAN AND AZERBAIJAN INK DEAL ON GAS DEBT REPAYMENT

6 March

Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Yagub Eyyubov and Deputy Chairman of Turkmenistan`s Cabinet of Ministers Khydir Saparliyev have struck a deal on Azerbaijan`s repayment of the debt for gas supplies delivered from Turkmenistan in the early 1990s. Eyyubov noted Leaders of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan tasked the governments of both countries to prepare for signing the agreement. The deal was signed thanks to the compromises from both sides. First Deputy Prime Minister thanked the Turkmen Cabinet of Ministers and expert group for the work done. Saparliyev expressed hope that both countries will step up cooperation in the economic and humanitarian fields. (Azertag)

Foreign ministers of breakaway territories to meet in Moscow
22 February
The Foreign ministers of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transdniestria are set to meet in Moscow on Friday. "The Abkhaz, South Ossetian and Trandniestrian foreign ministers plan to discuss issues related to preparations for a meeting of the presidents of our breakaway republics," Abkhaz Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba told Interfax on Friday. "We will also discuss the situation after the recognition of Kosovo's independence by a number of countries," he said. The three leaders will meet in Moscow, South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity told Interfax. "We are planning to meet in Moscow, and I think that the meeting will take place within two weeks," he said. (Interfax)