December 2009

14 Dec

Events and opinions

2872

China Redraws Map Of Central Asia

China's president, Hu Jintao, was in Astana this weekend, again. He may well be the head of state who most frequently visits the Kazakhstan capital other than the energy rich Central Asian country's o... read more..

13 Dec

Events and opinions

2837

Down but not out: embattled Kazakh paper fights back

In less than six months Kazakhstan's best known opposition newspaper has been sued for almost half a million dollars, had its presses raided and an entire print run seized by the tax police. ... read more..

China, Kazakhstan unveil landmark gas pipeline

13 Dec

Economy

3157

China, Kazakhstan unveil landmark gas pipeline

China, Kazakhstan unveil natural gas route tapping into Central Asia's energy riches The leaders of Kazakhstan and China jointly unveiled Saturday the Kazakh section of a natural gas pipe... read more..

13 Dec

Extra

3446

BP sells stakes in CPC, Tengiz to Russian Lukoil

BP sold its interest in Kazakhstan's Tengiz oil field and the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) to Russian Lukoil, as it completed the long-awaited exit from Kazakhstan. Lukoil will pay... read more..

13 Dec

Extra

3220

Shipment bound for Middle East

Crew deny knowing plane carried weapons The crew of the aircraft held in Bangkok after it was found to be carrying a large stock of war weapons say they planned to offload part of th... read more..

RUSSIAN CARGO PLANE INTERCEPTED ON ASIAN WEAPONS RUN

13 Dec

Extra

3403

RUSSIAN CARGO PLANE INTERCEPTED ON ASIAN WEAPONS RUN

Thai authorities have seized tonnes of weapons from an eastern European plane travelling from North Korea. The plane, headed for South Asia, was searched when it landed at Don Mueang ... read more..

11 Dec

Events and opinions

2678

Activists hope OSCE chairmanship will help improve freedom of speech in Kazakhstan

The Adil Soz freedom of speech foundation has said it hopes the situation with freedom of speech in Kazakhstan will improve after the country takes over the OSCE chairmanship next year. ... read more..

11 Dec

Extra

3184

Kazakh uranium boss trial to proceed

A criminal case against Mukhtar Dzhakishev, the former head of Kazakhstan's state uranium firm Kazatomprom, will proceed to court. Interfax-Kazakhstan informatsionnoe agentsvo reported... read more..

Kazakh Court Dismisses Rights Activist's Appeal

11 Dec

Extra

3136

Kazakh Court Dismisses Rights Activist's Appeal

Human rights activist Yevgeny Zhovtis was sentenced in September An Almaty regional court today rejected an appeal from jailed human rights activist Yevgeny Zhovtis for his case to be ... read more..

Kazakhstan: Report Focuses Attention on Astana's OSCE Priorities

11 Dec

Events and opinions

3267

Kazakhstan: Report Focuses Attention on Astana's OSCE Priorities

An American task force funded by the government of Kazakhstan to prepare a series of reports about the Central Asian country's upcoming OSCE chairmanship has completed its final report, which puts for... read more..

09 Dec

Extra

4643

Kazakh groups to snub London

Companies from Kazakhstan plan to move some of their fundraising away from London, according to the country's central bank governor, because UK investors failed to stand by the central Asian state dur... read more..

09 Dec

Economy

3159

Stephen King: How China is putting the skids under Western economic revival

In recessions past, the Western economies exported their problems to countries elsewhere in the world. As the US and European economies tripped up, so their demand for raw materials would drop. Commod... read more..

09 Dec

Events and opinions

2553

Kazakh uranium output growth set to decline

Kazakhstan's uranium output growth is set to moderate in 2010 after a leap in recent years that has made it the world's largest producer, analysts said, citing technological and economic consideration... read more..

09 Dec

Economy

3274

FACTBOX-Uranium ventures in Kazakhstan

Kazakh uranium output growth is likely to moderate due to technological and economic considerations as it is set to become the world's largest producer this year. Below are facts about ... read more..

09 Dec

Events and opinions

2537

Kazakh steel town fights to shake off Soviet legacy

Its chimneys towering high above the steppe of central Kazakhstan, the Temirtau steel plant spews enough smoke to cloak the entire city with a cloud of toxic emissions. A giant maze of rus... read more..

09 Dec

Extra

3180

Kazakh leader removes head of security service

Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev has removed the head of the Central Asian country's security service after it clashed publicly with other law enforcement bodies. Amangeldy S... read more..

09 Dec

Extra

3593

New security agency head named

Adil Shayakhmetov has been appointed the new head of Kazakhstan's intelligence agency, the National Security Committee (KNB), replacing Amangeldy Shabdarbayev. Shayakhmetov, a KNB veteran,... read more..

BTA strikes restructuring deal with creditors

09 Dec

Economy

3057

BTA strikes restructuring deal with creditors

BTA Bank, Kazakhstan's embattled lender, has reached a deal to restructure its $11.6-billion debt on December 7, the bank said in a statement. The package is reportedly worth $5.57 bill... read more..

08 Dec

Events and opinions

2559

Kazakh steel town fights to shake off Soviet legacy

Its chimneys towering high above the steppe of central Kazakhstan, the Temirtau steel plant spews enough smoke to cloak the entire city with a cloud of toxic emissions. A giant maze of ... read more..

Customs Union with Russia and Belarus Raises Doubts in Kazakhstan

08 Dec

Events and opinions

2529

Customs Union with Russia and Belarus Raises Doubts in Kazakhstan

Fielding questions from viewers on state-controlled television channels on November 13 Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced that on November 27 the leaders of Russia, Belarus and Kaza... read more..

Russia: Moscow Embraces New Initiative to Forge Post-Soviet Trade Bloc

07 Dec

Events and opinions

2613

Russia: Moscow Embraces New Initiative to Forge Post-Soviet Trade Bloc

Russia wants to turn a newly minted Customs Union with Belarus and Kazakhstan into its major vehicle for post-Soviet economic integration in Central Eurasia. Russia, Kazakhstan and Belaru... read more..

07 Dec

Events and opinions

2380

Kazakh leader says to enforce diverse economy

President Nursultan Nazarbayev told global oil and metals majors working in Kazakhstan on Friday he would force them to help diversify the economy as the government pledged $67 billion to modernise in... read more..

07 Dec

Economy

3195

Kazakh groups to shift away from London

Companies from Kazakhstan plan to move part of their fundraising away from London, according to the country's central bank governor, because UK investors failed to stand by the central Asian state dur... read more..

06 Dec

Economy

3280

NIOC world's 2nd largest oil company: report

Kazakhstan's Kazmunaigas and Uzbekistan's Uzbekneftegas appear in the Top 50 for the first time. National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) ranked the second in the list of the world's 50 largest o... read more..

Handymerchant, or for whom the Customs Union is in favor

05 Dec

Events and opinions

2711

Handymerchant, or for whom the Customs Union is in favor

Less than a month left until Kazakhstan's entrance into Customs Union with Russia and Belarus, but there are more questions than answers on present moment. Objectively, a big economical alliance would... read more..

Kazakhstan: Has Astana Met its OSCE Pledges?

05 Dec

Events and opinions

2346

Kazakhstan: Has Astana Met its OSCE Pledges?

Kazakhstan will celebrate the New Year by fulfilling a cherished ambition: on January 1 it assumes the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. But an OSCE Ministerial ... read more..

03 Dec

Economy

3128

Uzbek power grid withdrawal set to cause shortages

Central Asia braces for shortages as Uzbekistan plans to pull out of electricity grid Uzbekistan is about to pull the plug on its neighbors. The authoritarian nation says it will wit... read more..

OSCE says Kazakhstan faces rights challenge

03 Dec

Events and opinions

2647

OSCE says Kazakhstan faces rights challenge

A top OSCE official says Kazakhstan's human rights record is a challenge to its forthcoming presidency of the group. But Janez Lenarcic, chief of democratic institutions and human rights f... read more..

Kazakhstan's OSCE watchdog role raises concerns

03 Dec

Events and opinions

3717

Kazakhstan's OSCE watchdog role raises concerns

Human rights groups have expressed concern that Kazakhstan will take the chair of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) next month. The OSCE's mandate is ... read more..

03 Dec

Economy

3059

EBRD urges Kazakhstan to ease reliance on commodities

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) encouraged Kazakhstan to continue its efforts to diversify its economy and stop relying on commodity prices as an engine for economic growth... read more..

Monthly Archive