Kyrgyzstan: Microcredit Lending Encounters Success in Central Asia
BY ERICA MARAT
Though much maligned of late for backsliding on democratization, Kyrgyzstan has developed into an economic innovator in Central Asia. The country is presently a leader in extending microcredits to would-be entrepreneurs.

Tajikistan: President Renews Push to Create Central Asian Water Consortium
BY KONSTANTIN PARSHIN
The drought that some portions of Central Asia are experiencing these days infused a sense of added urgency into a recent international conference on water management issues held in Dushanbe.

Kazakhstan: Astana’s Anniversary Celebration Serves as Showcase for New National Identity
A EURASIANET PHOTO ESSAY BY JOANNA LILLIS
Ten years ago, Astana was a dusty and dilapidated provincial city. Since then, the city has been transformed into the glitzy capital of Kazakhstan. During the recent 10th anniversary celebration of Astana’s designation as the seat of political power, President Nursultan Nazarbayev emphasized that the city’s metamorphosis was a reflection of a new national identity.

Turkmenistan: Berdymukhamedov Plays Waiting Game, Continues to Vex the Kremlin
BY SERGEI BLAGOV
The recent visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to Turkmenistan showed that Ashgabat continues to confound the Kremlin on energy matters. Prior to the Medvedev’s trip, Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov seemingly sent several signals of his readiness to tighten already strong bilateral energy relations. But Medvedev, along with the large trade delegation accompanying him, departed from Turkmenistan without signing any substantive energy deals.

EURASIANET AUDIO FEATURE

Istanbul's Urban Transformation

Sulukule, a neighborhood of Istanbul, is undergoing "urban transformation." However, critics believe that destroying Sulukule means destroying an important part of the city's historical and cultural legacy. Yigal Schleifer has more on the case in this EurasiaNet audio report.

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Georgia: Rose Revolution Leader Ditches Politics for an NGO
BY MOLLY CORSO
Georgia’s former Parliamentary Speaker Nino Burjanadze, a leader of the 2003 Rose Revolution, announced July 7 she was putting her political past behind her with the official opening of her new think-tank, the Foundation for Democracy and Development.

Azerbaijan: Medvedev Makes Splash in Baku, But is it More Style than Substance?
BY SHAHIN ABBASOV
Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev concluded July 3 talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev by pronouncing Baku to be Moscow’s "strategic partner." Meanwhile, the head of the Kremlin-controlled conglomerate Gazprom, Alexei Miller, announced that talks would soon begin on the Russian firm’s purchase of Azerbaijani gas. But experts remain unconvinced that the upbeat rhetoric surrounding Medvedev’s visit will lead to any change in the existing bilateral relationship.

Two US Congressmen Think Kazakhstan’s President Deserves a Nobel Peace Prize
BY JOSHUA KUCERA
Two members of the US Congress are spearheading an effort to nominate the president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, for a Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of Kazakhstan’s decision in the early 1990s to give up nuclear weapons it inherited upon gaining independence from the Soviet Union.

Turkey: Arrests, Court Case Reveal that Turkey is Dangerously Polarized
BY NICHOLAS BIRCH
Simmering tension between Turkey’s secular establishment and popular religious-minded government is reaching the boiling point. Some experts are expressing concern that Turkish society has become so polarized that events could take a dangerous turn.

Russian President Strives for a Breakthrough Moment in Caspian Basin Energy Game
BY STEPHEN BLANK
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is set to embark on a potentially pivotal diplomatic tour during which he will strive to settle the contest to develop and export Caspian Basin energy in Moscow’s favor.

Armenia: Pro-Opposition TV Station Tries for Comeback
BY GAYANE ABRAHAMYAN
A favorable European court ruling has prompted popular pro-opposition broadcaster A1+ to announce it is ready to return to the airwaves in Armenia. The question is how President Serzh Sargsyan’s administration -- already on the international defensive after the March 1 crackdown against opposition protestors -- will respond to the planned comeback.