BISHKEK (TCA) — The Publisher’s note: Central Asia is an important geopolitical area between Europe, Russia and China. It is in Central Asia that world powers have confronted each other for centuries; it is here that China needs to succeed with its new Silk Road Belt for direct access to the Western markets; and it is here that a large wealth of raw materials has its origin. Every week thousands of news appears all over the world in printed and online media and it is quite understandable that 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 the region, and for this reason we are presenting this Weekly Digest of Central Asia which compiles what other media have reported during the past week.

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ASHGABAT (TCA) — Policymakers, diplomats and experts from the research institutes and economic sectors representing the countries of Central, South and Southwest Asia on October 13 participated in an OSCE-supported academic forum held as part of the Seventh Regional Economic Co-operation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA VII), the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat reported.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — During a visit to the southern Batken region on October 13, Kyrgyzstan President Almazbek Atambayev called a leading contender in the presidential race a “flunky” of a foreign country, as Kyrgyzstan prepares for the presidential vote to take place on October 15.

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ASTANA (TCA) — Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission says it will not send an observer to the October 15 presidential poll in neighboring Kyrgyzstan, citing what it called Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev’s “contrived” accusations of meddling in the campaign, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reports.

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DUSHANBE (TCA) — Greece should not extradite, deport or otherwise facilitate the return of a Tajik opposition activist to Tajikistan, where he faces possible torture or ill-treatment, Human Rights Watch said on October 12. Mirzorakhim Kuzov, a senior leader of outlawed Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), was detained on October 9 by Greek police at passport control in Athens International Airport as he was in transit after attending a human rights conference in Warsaw, Poland.

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