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Kazakh companies seek to avoid secondary sanctions, but the country will continue to cooperate closely with Russia. This was stated by Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Russia, Dauren Abayev, at a press conference in TASS news agency. According to him, about ten companies in the country have fallen under such sanctions, but these are isolated cases. “Kazakh companies, naturally, do not want to be under sanctions, as any restrictions have a negative impact on their activities,” Abayev emphasized. Nevertheless, he noted that strategic partnership and allied relations remain between Kazakhstan and Russia, and the growth of trade turnover confirms the continuation of cooperation. Earlier in August, Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin said in an interview with Bloomberg that the republic would not blindly follow sanctions against Russia but would take into account international restrictions. He emphasized that Kazakhstan will not allow a ban on trade for its companies, but the country cannot completely ignore the sanctions because of the risk of economic isolation. Kazakhstan's Minister of National Economy Nurlan Baibazarov commented in early November on Kazakhstan companies being placed on the UK sanctions lists, saying that these violations are not systemic. He said the sanctions were mainly one-day firms, and the republic continues to comply with international restrictions.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said on Monday that the parliament should be more dynamic about solving society’s problems, and that the “opposition” should have more rights in the assembly. His comments were in line with the government’s reform push, but also reflected Mirziyoyev's tight political control over Uzbekistan, because none of the five registered political parties pose a meaningful challenge to him. Mirziyoyev made the announcements in a speech to the Oliy Majlis, Uzbekistan’s parliament, in its first session since October 27 legislative elections. The elections were meant to underline the country’s evolution toward political liberalization, even though OSCE election observers said there was a lack of political competition and the vote “did not offer voters a real choice.” Those elections introduced a mixed system in which half of 150 lawmakers were elected individually and half from party lists, the result of a constitutional change that is part of a broader government campaign to develop the Central Asian country in socio-economic, judicial and other areas. While Mirziyoyev promised more openness and accountability after taking power following the death of longtime leader Islam Karimov in 2016, opponents say the government is often heavyhanded in its response to dissent and efforts to form a genuine political opposition are kept in check. Mirziyoyev’s comment about giving more clout to the opposition came midway through a speech in which he reviewed the elections and urged parliamentarians to be more pro-active in “solving urgent problems” in Uzbekistan. He talked about legislative proposals to replace old residential buildings with modern ones, support private education and investors in energy, introduce mandatory health insurance and tackle themes related to artificial intelligence. “In order to boost the opposition, it was proposed to increase the number of guaranteed rights of the parliamentary opposition from 3 to 6, including giving it the positions of one committee chairman and two deputy committee chairmen, as well as additional rights to submit questions within the framework of the “government hour” and parliamentary inquiries,” Mirziyoyev’s office said in a statement. There are nuances between the government and some lawmakers on specific issues such as environmental policy or public pronouncements on Uzbekistan’s relationship with Russia, though the registered parties are essentially loyal to the president. In a constitutional referendum in 2023, voters approved measures that could let Mirziyoyev stay in power until 2040.
On October 26 Uzbek media reported an attack on the former head of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's information department, Komil Allamjonov. At around 1:40a.m., near his home in Tashkent’s Kibray district, two unidentified individuals fired several shots at the car he was in before fleeing. Fortunately, no one was injured. The weapon type remains unknown. Authorities have opened an attempted murder case and are searching for the suspects. However, the General Prosecutor’s Office has not confirmed whether Allamjonov was specifically targeted in the incident. Some opposition media have suggested a “Chechen connection” implicating Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov in the attack on Allamjonov. In response, Kadyrov denied involvement, stating that the media attributed the incident to him. “I don’t want to respond to this provocative leak. Moreover, work in all spheres, including information and law enforcement, is excellently organized in Uzbekistan thanks to the wise policy of the respected President Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev. I will only add that if I had really planned something, I would have completed it and with a 100% result,” he stated. Kadyrov emphasized the close ties between Chechens and Uzbeks, describing them as “brotherly peoples with a common historical past.” He added: “I regard this information leak as a tool of political play by some third parties and a clear attempt to sow discord between our countries. I am sure that other publications in the style of Western fakes will follow. Be that as it may, my dear brothers in Uzbekistan and I will definitely find out who is behind this provocative information leak.” The General Prosecutor’s Office stated that the investigation is ongoing, and promised further updates.
On November 11, Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev delivered a speech at the extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, expressing concern over the spread of the Middle East conflict into Lebanon. He reiterated Uzbekistan’s support for initiatives to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli issue peacefully and diplomatically. In his speech, Mirziyoyev said, “Uzbekistan fully supports all practical initiatives to address the Palestinian-Israeli problem through peace and diplomacy. We believe today’s Summit will demonstrate common political will and unity, develop effective global and regional mechanisms and specific solutions, and swiftly put them into practice.” Mirziyoyev called for the United Nations and the Security Council to play an increased role in ending hostilities. He emphasized the need for safe humanitarian corridors and the immediate initiation of peace talks. With the Palestinian national holiday on November 15 approaching, Mirziyoyev underscored the nation’s right to an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the 1967 borders. He also supported the Global Alliance for Implementing the Two-State Solution initiated by Saudi Arabia. Mirziyoyev called for expanding humanitarian aid to Palestine and Lebanon to prevent the escalation of the crisis and confirmed Uzbekistan’s readiness to treat wounded Palestinian children and women in its hospitals. He announced plans to discuss further assistance at the Gulf Arab States – Central Asia summit in Samarkand next year. Finally, he stressed the importance of preserving the Al-Aqsa Mosque and other cultural monuments in Jerusalem, urging members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to prioritize protecting these historic sites. Mirziyoyev concluded by urging an urgent and unified response to the crisis and highlighting Uzbekistan’s commitment to peace and humanitarian support in the region.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in Astana to talk with Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu. The visit, which began on the evening of November 6, will last two days. A key meeting topic will be preparations for Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to Kazakhstan. According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, the parties plan to discuss strategic partnership and alliance, including bilateral and international issues, and cooperation on integration platforms such as the EAEU, CSTO, CIS, and SCO. During the visit, the foreign ministers will sign an action plan on cooperation for 2025-2026. In addition, Lavrov will deliver a lecture at the Diplomatic Institute of the Academy of Public Administration and visit the Holy Dormition Cathedral to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Astana and Alma-Ata Diocese of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District. Lavrov and Nurtleu last met on September 26 at the UN General Assembly, where they discussed current issues of Russia-Kazakhstan relations, upcoming contacts, and interaction on international platforms. Russia and Kazakhstan have an extensive treaty and legal framework, and the upcoming talks may focus on new interagency documents. In late October, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin's visit to Kazakhstan is being actively prepared and is tentatively scheduled for November 27, according to the protocol of the intergovernmental commission.
The 11th summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), which includes Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Hungary (as an observer), was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan's capital. Speaking with The Times of Central Asia, Kyrgyz political analyst Bakyt Baketayev noted that the OTS was initially created on a cultural and linguistic basis. However, the turbulent geopolitical situation in the world gave the organization impetus for its current development. “The catalyst for the development of the OTS was the geopolitical situation and military-political events in the world. At the beginning of the organization's work - in 2009 - the countries worked on cultural programs and common spiritual issues uniting Turkic peoples. Today, the members of the OTS already cooperate at the level of governments, ministries, and agencies and discuss economic issues,” Baketayev said. Baketayev drew attention to the composition of the Organization of Turkic States. It includes countries representing different economic and political associations: NATO (Turkey), the European Union (Hungary), and the EAEU (Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan). “We should not expect any big results from the OTS summit. There will be no common political statements - the countries are scattered geographically and have different interests. But from the economic point of view of trade development and investment development, concrete steps are quite possible,” Baketayev said. The analyst is confident that the Organisation of Turkic States will help overcome problems related to hydropower and the lack of water resources in Central Asia. If the heads of state have common economic interests, they will be more likely to reach an agreement.
