Russia-Ukraine - Ukraine rejected Russia's calls to cede half of its state energy company Naftogaz to Russian energy giant Gazprom in return for cheaper gas as the country's presidents attended a regional summit in Tajikistan this Saturday. Russia has offered to lower Ukraine's gas price if it dropped plans to establish free trade relations with the European Union and allowed Russian energy giant Gazprom to win control of half of Ukraine's Naftogaz company. Ukraine argues that it now pays more than some richer European Union countries and that Russia's price terms are political, in the neighbours' second major clash over gas prices in three years. Russia refused to consider any dialogue on the matter even as leaders of the two nations were in Dushanbe. Kiev reiterated that it would not submit to Moscow's humiliating terms, stating that it will not be pressurized and dictated to.
Russia-Turkmenistan - Medvedev held bilateral talks with Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov on Saturday after Russia expressed interest in a pipeline project aiming to pump Turkmen gas through Pakistan and Afghanistan to India. Berdymukhamedov is expected to visit Moscow in the near future. Earlier this week, Berdymukhamedov said Turkmenistan had "reached a level of strategic partnership with Russia," in spite of previous rows over the price of gas.
Russia-Kyrgyzstan - A top Russian official August 30 said Russia wants stability in Kyrgyzstan and is ready to help the country with oil supplies and construction of a hydro-power station. Sergei Naryshkin, director of the Russian presidential administration, gave the assurances during a trip to Bishkek meant to help celebrate Kyrgyzstan’s 20th anniversary of independence.
Kyrgyz air defence forces will take part in September 2-12 CIS military training at Russia’s Ashuluk training ground, Kyrgyz Defence Ministry spokeswoman Aizada Igibayeva told Central Asia Online September 2. Twenty-one Kyrgyz troops led by elite Anti-Aircraft Unit commander Col. Batyr Kadyrov will participate in Boevoe Sodruzhestvo -2011, she said. The exercise is meant to improve co-ordination among CIS member-states’ anti-aircraft forces in repelling an aerial foe and their co-operation in anti-terrorism operations.
China-Kazakhstan - Kazakh miner Tengis Munay is selling a gas field in southern Kazakhstan to a joint Chinese venture.Chinese conglomerate Xinjiang Guanghui Industry and China’s Weyn Investment have agreed to buy all shares in the Mangishlak Munay field from the Kazakh firm for $20 million. The Chinese companies will first set up a joint venture, in which Guanghui Industry will have a 56 percent stake and Weyn Investment will hold the remainder.
China-Eurasia - Leaders from several Central Asian states on Thursday attended the inaugural China-Eurasia Expo in the western Chinese city of Urumqi. China hopes this expo, the largest of its kind in the western province of Xinjiang, will spur economic development in the impoverished region by forging critical trade links with neighboring states Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Mongolia and India. “New opportunities have emerged for China and countries in the heartland of Eurasia. The pace of regional economic integration is growing significantly,” the Xinhua news agency quoted Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang as saying at the expo. 185 billion yuan deals have been signed on the expo, among which the energy and chemical industry play a major role.
"Counter-terrorism" in Central Asia - The threat of terrorism is making Kyrgyz authorities and religious leaders look to educational work as a solution. The Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of Kyrgyzstan (the Muftiate or SAMK) is organising training seminars and weekly radio and television programmes to educate the country about Islam.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev urged tighter regulation of religious organisations in response to violence in western Kazakhstan. The bill is meant to “protect the state from religious extremism” rather than “prohibit freedom of conscience,” he said, according to Novosti-Kazakhstan. “We need to put our house in order.” All religious organisations in Kazakhstan will have to re-register with authorities if the bill becomes law, Kairat Lama Sharif, head of the State Agency for Religious Affairs, said September 1, media reported. Meanwhile, authorities shut down 51 foreign extremist websites in Kazakhstan.
Articles referred to in this post:
"Нынешнее украинское руководство снова требует от России снизить цену на газ" (The current Ukrainian leadership once again ask Russia to reduce gas prices)
"Киев — Москва: будет еще один газовый конфликт?" (Kiev - Moscow: will there be another gas crisis?)
"Россия протянет трубу от Туркмении до Индии" (Russia supports pipeline from Turkmenistan to India)
"Россия поставит Кыргызстану нефтепродукты, поможет с ГЭС" (Russia to give Kyrgyz oil, help build hydro-power station)
"Кыргызские ПВО будут тренироваться в России" (Kyrgyz air defence forces to train in Russia)
"Китайские компании планируют приобрести газовое месторождение в Казахстане" (Chinese firms to jointly acquire Kazakh gas field)
"首届中国-亚欧博览会内联签约1850多亿元" "On the first China-Eurasia Expo signed 185 billion yuan deals"
"能源化工成亚欧博览会招商主角" (Energy and chemical Investment play a major role on the China-Eurasia Expo)
"Кыргызстан борется с террористами пропагандой правильного ислама " (Kyrgyzstan uses Islamic religious education to counter terrorism)
"Назарбаев призывает бороться с экстремизмом" (Nazarbayev urges crackdown on religious groups)
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