Page 378 – The Times Of Central Asia

28 Feb 2025

Central Asia, Tajikistan International Affairs, International Affairs, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs, Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan Discuss Border Agreement in Parliament

February 28, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

The head of the State National Security Committee of Kyrgyzstan, Kamchybek Tashiev, has detailed a draft agreement on border delimitation and demarcation with Tajikistan during a speech in the Jogorku Kenesh (parliament) on February 27.

He specifically addressed the issue of territorial exchanges, though the Tajik government has yet to issue an official statement on the intergovernmental commission’s progress.

Parliamentary Review of Border Agreements

During a joint session of multiple parliamentary committees, lawmakers reviewed and approved several documents related to the Kyrgyz-Tajik border. The committees involved included:

Committee on International Affairs, Defense, Security, and Migration.
Committee on Fuel and Energy Complex, Subsoil Use, and Industrial Policy.
Committee on Constitutional Legislation, State Structure, Judicial and Legal Issues, and the Rules of Procedure of the Jogorku Kenesh.
Committee on Agrarian Policy, Water Resources, Ecology, and Regional Development.
Committee on Law and Order, Fight Against Crime, and Anti-Corruption.
Committee on Transport, Communications, Architecture, and Construction.

Following committee approval, the documents were submitted for full parliamentary review.

Key Agreements Under Discussion

The reviewed documents included:

A draft agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on state border delimitation.
A draft agreement on the construction and use of highways and border crossings.
A draft agreement between the Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers and the Tajik government on access to water and energy facilities.

Tashiev, who also serves as Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, led the presentation of these agreements.

The decision to hold the joint committee meeting was made earlier on February 27, during a session of the Jogorku Kenesh.

28 Feb 2025

Tajikistan Justice, Justice, Tajikistan

Tajik National Arrested in U.S. for Supporting ISIS-K, Faces 45 Years in Prison

February 28, 2025
By Vagit Ismailov

A Tajik national has been arrested in the United States on charges of supporting the terrorist group ISIS-Khorasan.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 33-year-old Manuchehr Mansuri was detained in Brooklyn, New York, on suspicion of terrorist ties, illegal weapons possession, and immigration fraud.

Investigation Findings

Authorities discovered that Mansuri entered the U.S. in 2016 on a tourist visa but overstayed after it expired. To legalize his status, he allegedly entered into a sham marriage with a U.S. citizen. During his time in the U.S., he worked as a truck driver and traveled frequently across the country.

Between December 2021 and April 2023, Mansuri transferred approximately $70,000 to individuals affiliated with ISIS-Khorasan in Turkey and Syria. Among the recipients was a Tajik national arrested in January 2024 by Turkish authorities for participating in an attack on a Catholic church in Istanbul. The terrorist group Wilayat Khorasan later claimed responsibility for the attack.

Investigators also found extremist materials in Mansuri’s possession, including content praising convicted terrorist Sayfullo Saipov, who carried out the 2017 New York truck attack. He also had sermons by former ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and material from Gulmurod Halimov, the former head of the Tajik OMON (Special Purpose Police Unit), who joined ISIS in 2015. Most of these materials were in Russian and Tajik.

Authorities further determined that Mansuri trained with firearms, despite being legally barred from possessing them. He allegedly sent videos of his training to supporters, declaring his willingness to aid ISIS.

Legal Proceedings and Potential Sentence

If convicted, Mansuri faces up to 45 years in prison. A team of prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York, supported by counterterrorism experts, is handling the case. A judge will determine his sentence based on federal guidelines and other legal factors.

Related Arrests of Tajik Nationals in U.S.

Earlier, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested eight Tajik nationals in New York, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles as part of an FBI counterterrorism investigation.

The individuals were under surveillance due to suspected links to ISIS. According to sources, two of them crossed the U.S. southern border in 2023, with one using the CBP One mobile app to apply for asylum. While they have not been formally charged with terrorism, they were arrested for immigration violations and remain in ICE custody, awaiting possible deportation. The investigation into their potential ties to terrorist activity is ongoing, and additional charges may follow.

28 Feb 2025

Central Asia, Home, Kyrgyzstan, Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Features

Kyrgyzstan Pushes to Lift U.S. Sanctions on Keremet Bank

February 28, 2025
By Anton Chipegin

The National Bank of Kyrgyzstan is negotiating with the U.S. Treasury Department to lift sanctions imposed on Keremet Bank, according to National Bank Chairman Melis Turgunbaev.

The U.S. authorities sanctioned Keremet Bank over alleged ties to Promsvyazbank, a Russian financial institution under sanctions. In response, the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan has formally petitioned for the sanctions to be lifted.

Efforts to Lift Sanctions

“We have submitted a formal request, provided the necessary information, and are actively engaging with U.S. officials. Typically, cases like this are reviewed within 30 to 45 days. Sanctions on Keremet Bank are set to take effect on March 1, and we are doing everything possible to reverse this decision before then,” Turgunbaev stated.

According to him, this window allows the bank to manage its international assets and keep clients informed.

Keremet Bank’s Response

Keremet Bank has welcomed the government’s efforts to challenge the sanctions.

“The bank operates in full compliance with national and international laws, adhering to principles of transparency and responsibility. We have submitted an appeal to OFAC (the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control) disputing the allegations against us,” the bank told The Times of Central Asia.

Growing Time Pressure and UK Sanctions

Despite optimism from Kyrgyz authorities, time is running short for a resolution. Keremet Bank has warned its clients that Visa payment cards issued by the bank will stop working on February 28.

In a further setback, the United Kingdom has also imposed sanctions on Keremet Bank, designating it as a foreign financial institution supporting Russia.

Previously, the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan instructed commercial banks to tighten control over financial transactions in response to increased enforcement by OFAC.

28 Feb 2025

Central Asia, Home, Kyrgyzstan Life & Culture, Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Features, Kyrgyzstan Home

Kyrgyzstan Develops New Ala-Too Sheep Breed

February 28, 2025
By Anton Chipegin

Kyrgyzstan has officially approved a patent for the new Ala-Too sheep breed, a meat-producing variety developed through selective breeding.

The Ala-Too breed is now formally recognized as an independent breeding achievement, paving the way for patenting and potential commercialization.

A New High-Value Sheep Breed

The Ala-Too sheep was developed by crossing local Kyrgyz sheep with Tajikistan’s Hissar sheep, a well-known meat breed.

“The Ala-Too sheep is a new meat-producing breed. A single breeding sheep costs between $5,000 and $10,000, with some specimens fetching up to $30,000,” said Professor Abdugani Abdurasulov of Osh University.

Developing artificial breeds is a key priority in scientific research, university officials noted. Earlier, the blood and wool samples of the new breed were sent to Tarim University in China for DNA testing.

A History of Sheep Breeding Innovation

This is not the first time Kyrgyzstan has successfully developed a new sheep breed. Five years ago, the Arashan breed was registered by the Ministry of Agriculture. It was created by crossing Hissar sheep from Tajikistan with local coarse-wool sheep. Today, Arashan sheep are exported to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, with individual large specimens selling for as much as $60,000 at exhibitions.

28 Feb 2025

Central Asia, Home, Kazakhstan, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Featurees, Kazakhstan Home

Kazakhstan Finalizes Sites for Second and Third Nuclear Power Plants

February 28, 2025
By Dmitry Pokidaev

Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry has identified the regions of Balkhash, Kurchatov, and Mangistau as potential sites for the country’s second and third nuclear power plants, Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev has announced. The first plant is set to be built in Almaty region.

New Construction Sites

Initially, Kazakhstan planned to build a single nuclear power plant by 2035 to address potential energy shortages. However, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev later instructed the government to explore the construction of at least two additional plants.

Following an Energy Ministry board meeting on Wednesday, Satkaliyev told reporters that three locations are under consideration for the second and third nuclear plants:

Balkhash – a city in southeastern Kazakhstan.
Kurchatov – a city in the Abai region that previously served the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site during the Soviet era.
Aktau – the regional center of Mangistau, where an experimental nuclear reactor operated during the Soviet era.

“We plan to build at least three nuclear power plants in Kazakhstan in the medium term. The government has identified promising sites for the second and third plants based on regional development needs, electricity demand, and diversification of the national power grid. The Balkhash site is highly promising, with the capacity for up to four 1,200 MW units. Kurchatov is suitable for two 1,200 MW units. The Mangistau site also offers significant advantages, including the potential for a medium-capacity plant,” Satkaliyev stated.

Timeline and Contractors for the First Plant

The government has approved the Zhambyl district of Almaty region, near the village of Ulken, as the site for the first nuclear power plant. However, the final decision will depend on engineering surveys in the region.

Four companies are in contention to construct Kazakhstan’s first nuclear plant:

Rosatom (Russia)
KHNP (South Korea)
CNNC (China)
EDF (France)

“In the first half of 2025, we plan to announce the configuration for the first nuclear power plant,” Satkaliyev said.

The Energy Ministry has sent a list of 207 questions covering 19 key aspects of construction and operation to all four bidders. Responses were received last week and are now under review by an interdepartmental commission.

“It is too early to determine a frontrunner. The final decision on the contractor will be made after a thorough review, possibly even earlier than expected,” Satkaliyev noted.

A referendum held on October 6, 2024, showed that 71.12% of voters approved the construction of a nuclear power plant in Almaty region.

28 Feb 2025

Turkmenistan Home, Central Asia, Home, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan International Affairs, International Affairs

Turkey Proposes Turkmenistan Join the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking Countries

February 28, 2025
By Vagit Ismailov

Turkey has proposed that Turkmenistan join the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking Countries (TURKPA). The initiative was put forward by Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş during a meeting with a Turkmen parliamentary delegation in Ankara.

During the talks, both sides discussed inter-parliamentary cooperation and ways to strengthen bilateral ties. One of the key topics was Turkmenistan’s initiative to declare 2025 the International Year of Peace and Trust, which was previously approved by the United Nations General Assembly. The Turkmen delegation expressed gratitude to Turkey for its support of this initiative.

Following the discussions, the delegations held a press conference, where they emphasized the importance of their accumulated experience in cooperation and the potential for deepening diplomatic relations.

As part of their visit, the Turkmen delegation toured several historical sites in Ankara. The cultural program included visits to Turkey’s first parliament building and museum, the Ankara Fortress, and the Hamamönü district. They also participated in a flower-laying ceremony at Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the first President of Turkey.

TURKPA is a parliamentary organization that aims to strengthen inter-parliamentary ties among Turkic-speaking states. Its objectives include harmonizing political positions, facilitating the exchange of information and experience, and implementing joint projects in politics, economics, and culture.

Turkmenistan has so far remained outside of TURKPA, but its potential membership could further strengthen cooperation among Turkic-speaking nations.