Eurasia News Digest, September 16-30, 2023

Russia & Central Asia

Uzbekistan Proposes To Create Free Trade Zone between Central Asian Countries

Uzbekistan called on the Central Asian countries to create a full-fledged free trade zone in order to increase trade turnover volumes, Trend reports. The proposal was made by President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev during the 5th Consultative Meeting of the Heads of Central Asian states help on September 14 in Tajikistan's Dushanbe with the participation of the Guest of Honor - President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. Click here to read... [2]

Biden's Presidential Outreach to Central Asia—A Strategic Shift in U.S. Foreign Policy

For the first time, leaders of all five Central Asian republics will meet with U.S. President Joseph Biden in a formal C5+1 meeting. A letter, signed by U.S. President Biden and addressed to his Uzbek counterpart, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, reads: “Over the last year, we have taken our collaboration to new heights – including strengthening our trade and investment ties, advancing our security cooperation, and working together to tackle regional challenges.” Click here to read... [3]

Kazakhstan Participates in China-Europe Railway Express Cooperation Forum

Kazakh First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar took part in the opening ceremony of the China-Europe Railway Express Cooperation Forum on Sept. 15 during his working visit to Lianyungang city at the invitation of the Chinese side, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. Sklyar delivered President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s address, which underlined the initiative’s importance amid serious geopolitical tension, considering transport’s crucial role in driving sustainable economic growth. “This event endeavors for fresher ideas to develop and optimize global transport logistics, open new directions, and use modern technologies,” read the minister. Click here to read... [4]

Washington hosts Uzbekistan-U.S. Business Forum

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in New York to attend the 78th session of the UN General Assembly on September 17, UzA reports. On the eve of the President's visit to the United States, Washington hosted the Uzbekistan - American Business Forum. It was attended by heads of relevant ministries and agencies, industry associations, commercial banks, and investment structures of the two countries, as well as leaders of large US corporations engaged in ICT, mechanical engineering, agriculture, light industry, transport, banking, and other areas. Click here to read... [5]

The President of Turkmenistan proposed creating an Energy Dialogue of Central Asian countries

Speaking today at the fifth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia in Dushanbe, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov spoke in favour of creating an Energy Dialogue of Central Asian countries. As Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted, energy is a key component of the economy of the Central Asian states. Currently, the region is witnessing the process of forming political, legal and economic conditions for a sustainable energy partnership, focused both on meeting intraregional demand and on accessing world markets through international transit corridors. Click here to read... [6]

Tajikistan Summons Kyrgyz Ambassador Over Official's Statement about Disputed Border

Tajikistan's Foreign Ministry has summoned the Kyrgyz ambassador to Dushanbe over a statement by the chairman of Kyrgyzstan's State Committee of National Security regarding the disputed border between the Central Asian neighbors. Erlan Abdyldaev was summoned over the weekend and informed that Dushanbe was "concerned" over Kamchybek Tashiev's statement to reporters on September 15. Click here to read... [7]

Taliban Hyping Huge Mining Deals, But Afghanistan Still Far From Cashing In

The Taliban has been celebrating since the Islamist group that rules Afghanistan signed seven mining contracts promising to attract more than $6.5 billion in investments late last month. But experts are skeptical about whether the contracts, signed on August 31 with Afghan-based companies aligned with foreign partners from China, Iran, Turkey, and Britain, can be implemented. They question whether large-scale mining investments are even possible as the Taliban's cash-strapped government remains unrecognized because of its extensive human rights abuses and its banning of women from schools, work and public life. Click here to read... [8]

This week the Presidents of the Central Asian countries will meet with the Chancellor of Germany

On Friday, 29 September 2023, Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz will meet in Berlin with the presidents of five Central Asian states – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, according to the Press and Information Department of the Federal Government. The five heads of Central Asian states, at the invitation of the Federal Chancellor, will meet for the first time in this format with one of the EU member states to exchange views. Click here to read... [9]

Model of financing of construction of China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway under discussion

The project of construction of China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is under activation stage, the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan reported. The technical and economic assessments were completed by July 2023. The assessments confirmed technical feasibility and economic effectiveness of construction of the railway, the Ministry of Transport said. Click here to read... [10]

Tajikistan hands control over border airports to armed forces

Tajikistan’s president has, in a move that some are reading as a response to recent bellicose remarks by the head of Kyrgyzstan’s security service, transferred control of almost all airports in near-border areas to the armed forces. According to the terms of the decree obtained by local media on September 25, all airports bordering Afghanistan, with the exception of one in the city of Khorog, as well as those near Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will now be managed by the Defense Ministry. The decree covers 18 facilities in total. Click here to read... [11]

Powerful explosion and fire occur in Tashkent

A strong explosion occurred at one of the warehouses in Tashkent, causing a fire, on September 28. 16 fire brigades are involved in extinguishing the fire, according to the Telegram channel of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Uzbekistan. "Today, the Ministry of Emergency Situations received a message about an explosion and subsequent fire that occurred in one of the warehouses located on the territory of the Stroitel building of Sergeli district of Tashkent at 2:43 am on September 28," the publication of the Ministry of Emergency Situations says. Click here to read... [12]

Beijing reportedly shelves construction of China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway

Beijing has reportedly postponed indefinitely the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway line. The decision, reported by Silk Road Briefing on September 28, will come as a heavy blow to proponents of the CKU, a concept that officials first advanced more than 25 years ago. Construction was scheduled to start this autumn, according to officials in Kyrgyzstan, as reported by local media and this publication earlier this week. Click here to read... [13]

Iran and South Caucasus

Iran, Tajikistan presidents meet to discuss terrorist presence in Afghanistan

According to a statement from the Iranian presidency, these meetings took place Tuesday at the United Nations headquarters in New York. In the statement, the presidents of Iran and Tajikistan emphasized the “necessity of holding joint foreign ministerial meetings of neighbouring countries to enhance coordination in combating terrorism and establishing stability in Afghanistan.” Click here to read... [14]

Azerbaijan Upgrades Transport Links for Faster Access to European Markets

Azerbaijan intends to expand contributions towards faster cargo movement on the East-West routes, President Ilham Aliyev said as he provided details on the projects implemented by Baku. Speaking at the 5th Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia held in Tajikistan, Aliyev outlined the transport cooperation between Azerbaijan and Central Asia as one of the driving forces in the bilateral relationship. Although Azerbaijan owns the largest trade fleet of over 50 vessels in the Caspian Sea, the President said investment projects are being implemented to increase the number of manufactured tankers and dry cargo vessels from the current 6 to 10-15 vessels annually. Click here to read... [15]

Georgian PM, Turkish President Review security matters, strategic partnership

Regional security matters, strategic partnership and new prospects of cooperation were discussed on September 17, in a meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Garibashvili noted the two countries had achieved “significant” progress in cooperation, reflected in both economic and political dimensions, the Government Administration said. Click here to read... [16]

Pashinyan says Armenians should stay in Karabakh

With the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh falling apart, and no deal between local leaders and the central government in Azerbaijan, the future of Armenians in the region remains precarious. The Armenian prime minister said that, while Armenia was prepared to accommodate those leaving Karabakh, they would not be under direct threat if they stayed put, under Azerbaijani rule. Click here to read... [17]

EAEU continues dialogue on forming free trade area with India

On September 21, representatives of the EEC Trade Policy Department and the EEC Industrial Policy Department held a meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Government of the Republic of India at the Eurasian Economic Commission's headquarters. The meeting addressed the issues of interaction between the parties, the work on entering into active negotiations on concluding a free trade agreement, as well as the prospects for deepening industrial cooperation. Click here to read... [18]

Karabakh’sKhankendi connected to Azerbaijan’s power grid

The city of Khankendi (Stepanakert) has been connected to Azerbaijan’s power grid, the administration of the Azerbaijani president said on Sunday. "The city of Khankendi has been disconnected from Armenia’s power network to be connected to Azerbaijan’s power grid," it said, adding that electricity is supplied from the Shusha substation, which was opened in 2021. According to the administration, proving electricity to the city is a step toward implementing accords discussed during a meeting between Azerbaijani officials and representatives of Karabakh’s Armenian population in Yevlakh on September 21. Click here to read... [19]

Iran, Uzbekistan sign petchem co-op MOU

The MOU was signed between Iran’s National Petrochemical Company (NPC) and Uzbekistan’s Uzkimyosanoat, on Wednesday, on the sidelines of Iran’s 17th International Exhibition of Plastic, Rubber, Machinery, and Equipment (Iran Plast 2023) at the Tehran Permanent International Fairground. Morteza Shah-Mirzaei, the NPC managing director, and Korzhikov Evgeniy Aleksandrovich, the deputy chairman of the board for Investments and innovations of Uzkimyosanoat, inked the mentioned MOU. The document was signed following the agreement of the presidents of the two countries, and finalizing the fields of joint cooperation, and reviewing the cooperation method are among its provisions. Click here to read... [20]

Karabakh's Armenian resident requests Azerbaijani citizenship in Azerbaijani (VIDEO)

A resident of Karabakh of Armenian origin who left for Armenia declared his desire to accept Azerbaijani citizenship, Trend reports. The relevant footage was shown on the AzTV channel. A citizen of Armenian origin, speaking in Azeri, mentioned that he moved to Azerbaijan's Aghdara from Yerevan. "The police and soldiers treat us well and provide all kinds of assistance. We have no dissatisfaction with them. They give us bread and other basic necessities," he added. Click here to read... [21]

Turkish, Azerbaijani presidents meet in Nakhchivan for talks

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has arrived in Azerbaijan's autonomous Nakhchivan exclave upon the invitation of his counterpart Ilham Aliyev. Aliyev welcomed Erdogan on Monday with an official ceremony before holding one-on-one talks to discuss bilateral relations, as well as regional and global issues, particularly the recent developments in Karabakh. The leaders will also attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Igdir-Nakhchivan natural gas pipeline and inaugurate the modernised Nakhchivan military complex. Ankara and Baku agreed in 2020, in a memorandum of understanding, to supply natural gas from Türkiye to Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Click here to read... [22]

Separatist Regime in Azerbaijan's Karabakh Region Announces Self-Dissolution

The illegal separatist regime in the Karabakh (Garabagh) region of Azerbaijan announced its self-dissolution on Thursday. A relevant decree was signed by the regime's self-proclaimed "president," Samvel Shahramanyan. The document states, "All institutions and organizations are to be dissolved by January 1, 2024, and the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) ceases to exist." It also calls on the Armenian residents of the Karabakh region to become acquainted with the conditions of reintegration presented by Azerbaijan in order to subsequently make an independent and individual decision on the possibility of staying in (returning to) the Karabakh region. Click here to read... [23]