Iran’s opening-up: southern comfort for Central Asia

LONDON (TCA) — Amidst the wildest speculations that predominantly Shiite Iran might emerge as a powerful buffer to keep Sunnite extremism at bay for Central Asia and take the shape of a regional power broker, realities speak a different language. For the moment, Iran needs everybody else’s help a lot more than anybody else needs Iran’s. But where politics face a long haul, trade might have a unique and immediate opportunity – especially where the landlocked Central Asian former Soviet republics are concerned. Continue reading

Azerbaijan to help improve energy saving in Uzbek oil and gas sector

TASHKENT (TCA) — Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR and Uzbekistan’s national oil and gas company Uzbekneftegaz plan to establish a joint venture to introduce energy-saving technologies to the Uzbek oil and gas industry during the first six months of 2016, AzerNews reported. Continue reading