CA news roundup

Deadlines approaching this week, so a Sunday run down in an effort to keep on top of things. So, from the top:

Regional

• The Tehran Times has a piece on the new dynamics in Central Asia, looking at how geopolitics are changing in light of recent developments.
• AlertNet's latest Central Asia Weekly News Wrap is available and includes news on floods in Tajikistan and concerns that journalists are being discouraged from mentioning Andijan.
• Zaman looks at Turkey's efforts to create closer ties with Central Asia.
• RIA Novosti has an opinion piece on US-Russian jealousy regarding India, citing the recent visit of the Indian Prime Minister to America.
• Greater Kashmir Online has a brief piece on Islam in Central Asia and its history.

Kazakhstan

• China View reports that Kazakhstan is planning to bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics, a fact that Registan also had something to say about.
• Registan had a posting on reports that President Nazarbaev might be attempting to build a personality cult (my post).

Kyrgyzstan

• Uzbekistan has apparently given the Kyrgyz authorities new information about 29 of the refugees who are in southern Kyrgyzstan having fled the neibouring republic in the wake of disorder in Andijan and nearby Karasu, reports RFE/RL. The Uzbeks, who are claiming that the 29 in question are involved in criminal activities, wants them repatriated.
• Debate over US bases in Central Asia continued to be the focus of attention with US Defence Minister Donald Rumsfeld set to visit Bishkek later this week (25 - 26th) to discuss the future of the Ganci Air Base, according to Zaman. KazInform notes that further bilateral cooperation and US support for the Kyrgyz armed forces will also be discussed, which is interpreted as a bargaining tool of sorts by the Eurasia Daily Monitor:

The Ministry's press release -- and local reports based on it -- seems to contain the outline of a solution. The United States would be expected to continue financial and security assistance to Kyrgyzstan for an extended period, in return for open-ended American use of the Manas air base (Kabar news agency, Interfax, July 20).

• On the other side of things, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law on the Russian airbase at Kant that agreed the status and deployment conditions at the base, reports RIA Novosti.
• RFE/RL has a piece on the Uzbek refugees in Kyrgyzstan, who apparently will only agree to going home if the regime in Uzbekistan changes.
• On a slightly more upbeat note, RFE/RL also has a report on environmental projects in southern Kyrgyzstan that are helping to reestablish orchards and vineyards.
• And just to blow my own trumpet, my article on the e-revolution in Kyrgyzstan has appeared on the Transitions Online and Eurasianet sites in a slightly updated format following the editorial board of the DSCA kindly giving their permission for republication.

Tajikistan

• Following on from his Bishkek visit, Registan also notes that Rumsfeld is visiting Tajikistan as well...
• However, RFE/RL reports that Tajikistan does not see any need for a Western military presence in the region, noting that the perceived threat to the Central Asian republics from Afghanistan has diminished.
• Interfax notes that in the last five years, Tajikistan has sentenced 299 Hizb-ut-Tahrir members, with a further 15 cases pending.

Uzbekistan

• The Washington Times has a comment piece entitled "New Reality in Uzbekistan" suggesting that the US needs to face up to the reality that they are dealing with a repressive regime and take action accordingly (well, better late than never...).
• Eurasianet reports on efforts to curb the independent media in the republic, noting the trial of two Internews Network employees, Khalida Anarbaeva and Olga Narmuradova.
• Uzbekistan is apparently going to supply neighbouring Kyrgyzstan with 350 million cubic metres of gas this year according to UzReport, so hopefully the powercuts won't be too bad and the heating might still work... Here's hoping.

Reports

• IWPR's Reporting Central Asia Nos 397 and 398 are available.
• RFE/RL's Central Asia Report Vol. 5 No 27 is available.

For the next few weeks I'll be posting news roundups every few days here, and also posts on more specific topics/issues to Registan. Links will, of course, be provided, rather than repeating myself at length here.