BISHKEK (TCA) — The Publisher’s note: Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Central Asia was the scene of intense geopolitical struggle and the Great Game between the British and Russian Empires, and later between the Soviet Union and the West, over Afghanistan and neighboring territories. Into the 21st century, Central Asia has become the area of a renewed geopolitical interest, dubbed the New Great Game, largely based on the region’s hydrocarbon and mineral wealth. On top of that, the region now is perhaps the most important node in the implementation of China’s One Belt, One Road initiative through which Beijing aims to get direct access to Western markets. Every week thousands of news appears in the world’s printed and online media and many of them may escape the attention of busy readers. At The Times of Central Asia, we strongly believe that more information can better contribute to peaceful development and better knowledge of this unique region. So we are presenting this Weekly Digest which compiles what other media have reported on Central Asia over the past week.

KAZAKHSTAN

Kazakhstan Confronts China Over Disappearances

In the issue of the rights of ethnic Kazakhs in China, Astana is walking a tightrope trying to maintain good relations with Beijing

June 1 — “Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry has finally raised the issue of its missing new citizens with Chinese authorities. For many months, some ethnic Kazakhs who took advantage of offers of “repatriation” from Kazakhstan’s government and are now Kazakh citizens have crossed back into China, usually to the neighboring Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, as part of their business, or to visit relatives, or to take care of unfinished business, and then disappeared.” READ MORE: https://www.rferl.org/a/qishloq-ovozi-kazakhstan-confronts-china-over-disappearances/29266456.html

Kazakhstan’s returnees frustrated by cold shoulders

Despite the official welcome policy of Kazakhstan’s authorities, ethnic Kazakhs that have returned to their historical homeland from neighboring countries experience hardships and often face unwelcome attitudes from the local population

June 5 — “The joy that Tursynzhan Yesenalyuly felt in moving to his ethnic homeland of Kazakhstan from China four years ago wore off pretty quickly. Yesenalyuly, 44, lives with his three-year-old daughter in a cramped rented house in the village of Teskensu, around 80 kilometers east of Almaty, the business capital.” READ MORE: https://timesca.com/index.php/news/19835-kazakhstan-s-returnees-frustrated-by-cold-shoulders

Kazakhstan’s importance as global political player is growing, says German envoy

Germany’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan on the relations between the two nations

June 6 — “Kazakhstan’s non-permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council, its hosting of the Astana Process Syrian peace talks and contributions to negotiations on the Iranian nuclear deal have increased Kazakhstan’s international influence” READ MORE: https://astanatimes.com/2018/06/kazakhstans-importance-as-global-political-player-is-growing-says-german-envoy/

Major plans for Hong Kong-style hub in Central Asia revealed

The International Financial Centre of Astana will be officially inaugurated on July 5

June 7 — “Wheels are in motion to set up a Hong Kong-type financial hub in Kazakhstan, following the unveiling of plans by the governor of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) at an international conference marking the 20th anniversary of Astana, on 5 June.” READ MORE: https://www.euractiv.com/section/central-asia/news/major-plans-for-hong-kong-style-hub-in-central-asia-revealed/

KYRGYZSTAN

Top manager of major mining company under house arrest in Kyrgyzstan

The situation around one of the largest investors in Kyrgyzstan’s mining industry may force potential investors to invest in other countries with fewer risks

June 3 — “‘We appreciate all investors who conduct their business in Kyrgyzstan, but often problems arise from the work of companies’ top managers who sometimes carry out illegal activities,’ Secretary of the Security Council of Kyrgyzstan Damir Sagynbaev said at a press conference in Bishkek on May 31. He was commenting on the situation around the detention of Ilyas Tulekeyev, General Director of KAZ Minerals Bozymchak, which caused great resonance in the country and abroad.” READ MORE: https://timesca.com/index.php/news/19825-top-manager-of-kazakh-mining-company-under-house-arrest-in-kyrgyzstan

India and Kyrgyzstan deepen their military cooperation

India is making inroads to Central Asia to counterbalance the growing influence of China in the region. India’s military cooperation with Kyrgyzstan can therefore be considered as part of such efforts

June 4 — “On May 14, Indian and Kyrgyzstani alpine special forces troops began a two-week joint training exercise at Kyrgyzstan’s Military Base 20636. The exercise included both lectures and practical classes on tactical, mountain and fire training, as well as survival techniques in mountainous conditions (AKIPress, May 21). The exercise is the second joint Indian-Kyrgyzstani military drill of 2018 and the latest in a series of discrete increasing bilateral military contacts over the past seven years.” READ MORE: https://timesca.com/index.php/news/19830-india-and-kyrgyzstan-deepen-their-military-cooperation

GM Uzbekistan plans to launch car assembly in Kyrgyzstan

GM Uzbekistan plans to assemble its Nexia (R3) cars in Kyrgyzstan, with the priority area for the location of production being the city of Osh

June 5 — “GM Uzbekistan is working on the issues of launching the assembly of its cars in two cities of Kyrgyzstan – Osh and Bishkek. “We signed a memorandum with the Kyrgyz side on increasing sales of our cars, including through a potential assembly organization. This is one of the priority markets for us, as a new transport corridor Uzbekistan – Kyrgyzstan – China was recently opened. This route is interesting from the side that shortens the travel time for our components, and, naturally, the assembly of the car will be cheaper,” head of Uzavtosanoat Umidzhan Salimov said.” READ MORE: https://www.azernews.az/region/133018.html

Kyrgyzstan Navigates Domestic Political Firestorm, Hopes to Avoid Burning China

The corruption scandal concerning the breakdown of the Chinese-modernized Bishkek Heating and Power Plant should not affect Kyrgyz-Chinese relations, Bishkek says

June 7 — “With arrests, the investigation stemming from the breakdown of the Chinese-modernized Bishkek Heating and Power Plant earlier this year has entered a new phase. Meanwhile, Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov is in China for a state visit, hoping to keep the bilateral relationship insulated from the firestorm building back home and former President Almazbek Atambayev has denounced a “witch hunt” against his allies.” READ MORE: https://thediplomat.com/2018/06/kyrgyzstan-navigates-domestic-political-firestorm-hopes-to-avoid-burning-china/

TAJIKISTAN

Tajikistan students in China warm to people-to-people engagement

China’s influence in Tajikistan is growing in many areas — from the economy and investment to education and people-to-people contacts

June 6 — “A key area of cooperation among members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization involves people-to-people exchanges. At Shandong University’s Qingdao Campus, two students from Tajikistan have gained not only a better understanding about China but also deepened their friendship with the Chinese community.” READ MORE: https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d774d7851544f77457a6333566d54/share_p.html

ADB recommends Tajikistan for better financial inclusion

Tajikistan is advised that its financial institutions use new financial technology products, including mobile banking and the Internet

June 6 — “ADB’s paper Financial Inclusion, Regulation, Financial Literacy, and Financial Education in Tajikistan recommends for a better financial inclusion in Tajikistan. ADB suggests to guarantee macroeconomic stability in the country; refrain from trying to regulate TJS exchange rate/US dollar” READ MORE: https://www.devdiscourse.com/Article/21916-adb-recommends-tajikistan-for-better-financial-inclusion

Tajikistan: no laughing matter as comedian journalist goes on trial

In Tajikistan, authorities routinely use law enforcement agencies and courts to “punish” those who dare to oppose those in power

June 8 — “The criminal trial of well-known journalist and comedian in Tajikistan is set to open this week, to the almost complete indifference of colleagues and the international community. Activists following the case against Khairullo Mirsaidov have called it a sobering reminder of the Tajik authorities’ success in terrifying the population into submission and compliance.” READ MORE: https://timesca.com/index.php/news/19850-tajikistan-no-laughing-matter-as-comedian-journalist-goes-on-trial

TURKMENISTAN

Turkish Company Complains About Turkmenistan’s Empty Pockets

A Turkish company claims Turkmenistan has not paid up for completed contracts in the country

June 4 — “Turkmenistan’s golden age is turning out to be quite a lackluster era, rife with disasters on the economic and environmental fronts. As Turkmen dust salt off their crops (literally), the country’s Turkish business partners have begun airing complaints that Ashgabat isn’t paying its bills.” READ MORE: https://thediplomat.com/2018/06/turkish-company-complains-about-turkmenistans-empty-pockets/

Turkmenistan’s vicious cycle

In its ‘Akhal-Teke: A Turkmenistan Bulletin’, Eurasianet reviews the main news and events in the Central Asian country for the previous week

June 5 — “The president of Turkmenistan’s love affair with the bicycle has been elevated to a matter of state. On June 1, two days ahead of World Bicycle Day, 3,246 riders embarked on a mass jaunt that state media reported had earned the nation another entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.” READ MORE: https://eurasianet.org/s/turkmenistans-vicious-cycle

Turkey’s support is a key to prosperity of Turkmenistan

Due to its strategic location, Turkey could help Turkmenistan to start export of Turkmen natural gas to Europe

June 6 — “Turkmenistan remains one of the most promising suppliers of natural gas to Europe. The obvious advantage of the Turkmen hydrocarbon deposits is that most of them are concentrated in the central part of the country – about 80% of the whole production line.” READ MORE: http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/Turkey-s-support-is-a-key-to-prosperity-of-Turkmenistan.html

How Much Does $1 Cost In Turkmenistan?

Turkmenistan has seen decreasing foreign-currency revenues due to decreasing natural-gas exports

June 7 — “The exchange rate of Turkmenistan’s manat to the U.S. dollar has witnessed several significant drops since 2015.” READ MORE: https://www.rferl.org/a/how-much-does-dollar/29278213.html

UZBEKISTAN

Will an Ascendant Uzbekistan Challenge Kazakhstan’s Leadership in Central Asia?

The rise of President Mirziyoyev to power in Uzbekistan, a country rich with untapped potential, could signal a shift in Central Asian geopolitics, including changes to Kazakhstan’s current status as the region’s powerhouse, an author says in an opinion piece

June 4 — “U.S. President Donald Trump met with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan on 16 May, an important breakthrough after the isolationism of the Karimov regime. What is noteworthy about the meeting is that President Mirziyoyev is the second Central Asian leader that President Trump has met so far this year, after a meeting with President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan which took place in January.” READ MORE: https://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/will-an-ascendant-uzbekistan-challenge-kazakhstans-leadership-in-central-asia/

Aliens Or Uzbekistan? World Chess Chief Offers New Theory About Game’s Origins

Ilyumzhinov said FIDE was preparing an official appeal to the International Olympic Committee to recognize Uzbekistan as the birthplace of the game of chess

June 5 — “The head of the world governing body for chess has this to say about the origins of the centuries-old game played by shahs, sultans, kings, and emperors: It originally came from Uzbekistan.” READ MORE: https://www.rferl.org/a/aliens-or-uzbekistan-world-chess-chief-offers-new-theory-about-game-s-origins/29273897.html

A new era in US-Uzbekistan relations poses old challenges for the international community

If Uzbekistan does not reform its governance system to better protect against corruption, it will become mired in crony capitalism, analyst says

June 5 — “President Trump’s meeting with Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoev brought a sudden end to the country’s international isolation this month, opening the door to new investment opportunities and the possibility of a renewed strategic military partnership, vital to the American war effort in Afghanistan.” READ MORE: https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/alisher-ilkhamov/a-new-era-in-us-uzbekistan-relations

Uzbekistan Does Not Drift Among Great Powers

Tashkent’s engagement with Washington does not undercut its relations with Moscow and Beijing

June 5 — “The recent official visit of the president of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to the United States on May 15-17 has been hailed as a historic trip paving the ground for “a new era of strategic cooperation” between the two countries.” READ MORE: https://thediplomat.com/2018/06/uzbekistan-does-not-drift-among-great-powers/

AFGHANISTAN

What comes next in Afghanistan?

17 years after America’s intervention in Afghanistan, and nearly one year on from the rollout of President Trump’s new strategy, the situation looks depressingly familiar, if not worse, a national intelligence fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations believes

June 4 — “Lost amid the intense media focus on the upcoming talks with North Korea and other pressing international issues is the conflict in Afghanistan, which at times appears to be an afterthought. That is unfortunate because it seems to have taken a turn for the worse.” READ MORE: http://thehill.com/opinion/international/390618-what-comes-next-in-afghanistan

The Future of Special Economic Zones in Afghanistan

How the Trump administration’s new South Asia Strategy changes the plan for establishing SEZs in Afghanistan

June 6 — “The concept of special economic zones in Afghanistan is not intentional, rather accidental. The scheduled withdrawal plan of U.S. and NATO forces in 2014 left a huge amount of infrastructure to Afghan forces. This included $2 billion worth of infrastructure and equipment at eight strategic airfields in the country, equipped with sophisticated machinery and a well-developed infrastructure.” READ MORE: https://thediplomat.com/2018/06/the-future-of-special-economic-zones-in-afghanistan/

India and China Are Converging on Afghanistan

Afghanistan has emerged as a platform for new possibilities in India-China cooperation

June 7 — “The “informal summit” between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at Wuhan in China in late April generated worldwide interest. Aimed at sidestepping contentious issues and enhancing greater strategic communication at the leadership level, the summit witnessed the two leaders recognizing the “common threat” of terrorism and expressing commitment to cooperate on counter-terrorist measures.” READ MORE: https://besacenter.org/perspectives-papers/india-china-afghanistan/

NOT SO QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT: THE SNOWBALL EFFECT IN AFGHANISTAN

Iran’s ongoing frustrations over water rights with neighboring Afghanistan could factor into Tehran’s policy decisions towards Kabul

June 8 — “The deteriorating security in western Afghanistan may soon be worsened by a water crisis. A snowballing militancy, desiccating wetlands, and environmental migration create a trifecta of challenges to test the mettle of the Afghan government and complicate its already-tense relations with Iran.” READ MORE: http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/not-so-quiet-western-front-snowball-effect-afghanistan

WORLD

The Bolshevik Revolution centennial and the disintegration of the Soviet space

As former Soviet republics of Central Asia tend to downplay the significance of their Soviet past and Russia’s presence in the region, it is China that is ready to step in to increase its role in the area

June 6 — “The centennial of the Bolshevik Revolution in November 2017 was a strange jubilee. Despite the revolution’s central importance in world history and its global importance, the centennial received scant attention in Russia. Most other post-Soviet countries plainly ignored it. The marginalization of the Revolution went along with a sharp decline in the popularity of Eurasianism, whose proponents emphasized the “symbiotic” or organic relationship between Russians and other ethnicities of the former USSR.” READ MORE: https://timesca.com/index.php/news/26-opinion-head/19840-the-bolshevik-revolution-centennial-and-the-disintegration-of-the-soviet-space

China’s Belt and Road: Bigger than the Marshall Plan

The scale of the Belt and Road Initiative could have profound economic implications, as developing countries will welcome investment in infrastructure while China will extend its soft power

June 6 — “China’s Belt and Road Initiative should promote economic integration with countries related to the project. China even welcomes the fact that the US has shown interest in joining the BRI party. Money certainly helps – with deeper economic integration there should be more money-making opportunities. The Chinese government has gained higher status regionally and internationally, as it continues to lead the BRI.” READ MORE: https://think.ing.com/articles/china-belt-and-road-bigger-than-the-marshall-plan/

ASTANA (TCA) — The official opening ceremony and presentation of the pilot project “Demonstration of oasis irrigation in Kyzylorda oblast” was held in Zhalagash district of Kyzylorda region in Kazakhstan on June 7. The initiative is being implemented within the framework of a joint EU/UNDP/UNECE project called “Supporting Kazakhstan’s transition to a green economy model”. The project, fully funded by the European Union, provides for the implementation of sustainable green models in four regions of Kazakhstan.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — 25 years ago, on 8th June 1993 the first group of 20 US Peace Corps volunteers arrived in Kyrgyzstan with a mission of peace, friendship and development. Since that time, more than 1,100 Peace Corps Volunteers have helped over 100,000 people learn English, develop management and leadership skills, engage in community projects and build healthy lifestyles. These Volunteers helped strengthen community participation by teaching teachers advanced teaching methods and promoting critical thinking, leadership, project planning and implementation, gender education, computers and Internet technology, Peace Corps–Kyrgyz Republic said.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on June 5-6 hosted an Agriculture Trade and Investment Forum, bringing together around 200 international and domestic investors, buyers and agribusinesses. The forum featured business-to-business meetings, discussions, presentations and product exhibitions designed to link Kyrgyzstani producers with produce buyers, and to generate investor interest in agriculture, the US Embassy in Kyrgyzstan said.

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DUSHANBE (TCA) — In Tajikistan, authorities routinely use law enforcement agencies and courts to “punish” those who dare to oppose those in power. We are republishing this article on the issue, originally published by Eurasianet:

The criminal trial of well-known journalist and comedian in Tajikistan is set to open this week, to the almost complete indifference of colleagues and the international community.

Activists following the case against Khairullo Mirsaidov have called it a sobering reminder of the Tajik authorities’ success in terrifying the population into submission and compliance.

By all accounts, Mirsaidov, who is being charged with embezzlement, forging documents and providing false testimony, is paying the price for being one of the few willing to poke his head above the parapet.

The trouble began in November, when Mirsaidov published an open letter to President Emomali Rahmon detailing an ongoing confrontation with officials in the Sughd region, in the north of the country.

In 2015, Mirsaidov was a leading force behind the foundation of Tajikistan’s national team in KVN, the name of a recurring competition popular among many former Soviet republics in which squads of contestants are pitted against one another in tests of wit and improvisation. The team had few resources to begin with and had to appeal for donations to help fund travel, hotel expenses and competition fees. Some of the early supporters were expatriate Tajiks, mobile phone companies and other local businesses.

Once the team scored some triumphs, the government, in the form of the regional government of Sughd, where Mirsaidov is from, also stepped in with money. When Mirsaidov got a whiff of malfeasance, however, his instinct as a reporter, gained from stints working for Deutsche Welle and Dushanbe-based Asia-Plus, prompted him to go public.

His claim, which has never been investigated, was that the head of the Sughd regional government youth and sports committee, Olim Zohidzoda, was fiddling the expenses to try and cream $1,000 off the top.

“[Zohidzoda] said that I should buy microphones out of the budget for our trip to Moscow and to present him with the receipts,” Mirsaidov wrote in his public letter.
“And that is despite the fact that these funds were not even envisioned in the budget. This isn’t a new scheme. I buy the microphones, I give him the receipts, and he in turn takes the money and puts it in his pocket.”

The letter produced an effect, but not the one he was hoping for.

On December 5, Mirsaidov was arrested at the behest of the Sughd regional prosecutors’ office and slapped with a number of offenses. Despite him presenting no obvious threat to the public or a flight risk, a court ordered Mirsaidov be kept in custody for two months pending investigations. That preventative pre-trial detention was later extended.

With Mirsaidov absent, Tajikistan’s KVN team was unable to attend a competition in Moscow and a festival in Sochi. The no-show cost the team membership in the KVN system for one year.

Over the several months since he was first arrested, Mirsaidov has caught only one break. He was initially also charged with inciting ethnic and religious hatred, although prosecutors refused point-blank to specify what statement was being used as basis for that accusation. That charge was eventually quietly dropped off the rap list.

The concession was slim but nonetheless important.

Media rights expert Abdumalik Kodirov said that when Tajik authorities really want to frighten people or dangle the prospect of heavy sentences before them, they often resort to politically charged offenses.

“In this case, a person went against the system and the system had to punish him so that others would understand that there is no joking with the system,” Kodirov said.

In what might be the most chilling aspect of the case, all of Mirsaidov’s KVN colleagues have publicly turned their back on him. As one team member told Eurasianet on condition of anonymity, coming to his defense would do no good and might just incur reprisals against them too.

“We knew what to joke about. We spoke about football, about Tajiks in Moscow, about getting phone calls at five in the morning,” the team member said.

Another media rights observer, who asked to be identified with the pseudonym Bahriddin Sanginov as he is not authorized by his organization to provide public comment, was deeply bitter about the lack of local support Mirsaidov has received.

“When we were in the Sughd region and spoke with human rights NGOs about Khairullo Mirsaidov, they all talked about Mirsaidov’s difficult character,” Sanginov said.

Sanginov named several other cases of political figures and prominent defense lawyers now languishing in jail who found themselves similarly bereft after their arrest.

“This demonstrative punishment has made it so nobody dares to oppose anybody who is in power,” Sanginov said.

The international community has likewise remained almost entirely mute about the whole affair, although Mirsaidov is a well-known figure in diplomatic circles. Beyond his reporting work, he has also been involved in projects financed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, the United Nations Development Program and the UK’s foreign aid arm, the Department for International Development.

The U.S. mission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe expressed concern over Mirsaidov’s plight and suggested that Tajik authorities might be “retaliating against [him] for his whistleblower activities.” The EU has offered similarly milquetoast demonstrations of anxiety, calling on Tajikistan to “fully adhere to all relevant international obligations.”

International advocacy groups like Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists have been more forthright.

Kodirov, the media rights expert, said that Mirsaidov is simply the victim of his unwillingness — or inability — to abide by the “unwritten rules” about financial misdemeanors. He may have also committed a grave error in implicating prosecutors specifically in his letter to the president.

“I don’t think if Mirsaidov had not dragged the prosecutors into all this we would have this situation we have now. It is possible that it would have all been sorted out with the regional government or with the head of the youth department. But the prosecutor’s office decided to defend the honor of its uniform,” Kodirov said.

Few are willing to speculate about how the trial, which is scheduled to start on June 8, is likely to turn out, although experience shows that those who defy the government can typically expect severe punishment.

The best case scenario is that he will be let off with a fine and released. A more grim outcome would see him spending several years behind bars.

“It all depends on what signal comes from above. This is a reasonably high-profile case and people in the highest levels of the republic are aware of this matter,” said Kodirov.