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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BISHKEK (TCA) — The Russian Foreign Ministry on March 10 said that accusations of Russia’s support of the Taliban in Afghanistan through arms supplies are “absurd”, Russia’s Sputnik news agency reported.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — Kyrgyzstan’s 24.kg news agency on March 10 said that pro-presidential Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) has filed a lawsuit against the news agency for the publication, on February 8, of an article that according to SPDK insults the party by stating that SDPK was “selling posts” during the election of mayors of towns in the regions of Kyrgyzstan. Earlier this week, two other media outlets were sued in Kyrgyzstan for insulting President Atambayev. Here below we are republishing an article originally published by EurasiaNet.org:

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ASTANA (TCA) — Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev on March 10 signed into law constitutional amendments transferring some powers from the country’s president to parliament and government ministers, the Kazakh presidential press service said.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — In March 2017, the project “Voice and Accountability: Citizens’ Participation in Budgetary Processes,” funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by the Development Policy Institute will be launched in Naryn and Osh oblasts of Kyrgyzstan, the Embassy of Switzerland in the Kyrgyz Republic said on March 10.

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ASTANA (TCA) — The inaugural shipment of Kazakh wheat for the Vietnamese market arrived at the sea port of Ho Chi Minh City on March 4. This pilot delivery was carried out by KTZ Express, a subsidiary of national railways company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), and China-Kazakhstan International Logistics Company Lianyungang LLC, the official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported.

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