From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Tue Jun 01 2004 - 08:33:19 EDT
KYRGYZSTAN: 23 - 29 MAY 2004
_______________________________
Review of the week main events
1. Freedom House releases results of a new study on democracy.
2. Parliamentarians ask the president to punish those who bugged them.
3. Ashyrkulov: Akayev admits he is a captain of a drowning ship.
4. Akayev believes US coverage of events in Kyrgyzstan is biased.
5. Thirty-five tons of drugs go through Kyrgyzstan yearly.
6. President Akayev opens Days of Kyrgyz culture in Tajikistan.
7. Elections will show how Kyrgyzstan fulfills commitments before
OSCE.
8. Russia becomes a member of a Central Asian organization.
9. Also in the week of 22-29 May 2004...
24 May 2004, Monday:
1. FREEDOM HOUSE RELEASES RESULTS OF A NEW STUDY ON DEMOCRACY.
Freedom House released on 24 May a study Nations in Transit 2004,
which says, "The enlargement of the European Union on May 1
formalized a new divide between the stable, democratic nations of
Central Europe and the Baltics and the weaker post-Communist
states that continue to lag behind in key areas of democratic
development.... Continued poor performance was documented
throughout the Central Asian countries, which include some key
U.S. allies. It is said in the part of the study about
Kyrgyzstan, "After Parliament adopted a law granting Akayev
lifetime immunity, the president confirmed he would step down in
2005".
Turkmenistan received 6.88 points from the 7.0 possible for the
lowest level of democratic development and is followed by Belarus
(6.54), Uzbekistan (6.46), Kazakhstan (6.25), Tajikistan (5.71),
Kyrgyzstan (5.67), Azerbaijan (5.63), Russia (5.25), Armenia
(5.00), Moldova (4.88), Ukraine (4.88), Georgia (4.83), Latvia
(2.17), Lithuania (2.13), Estonia (1.92). The most democratic
states among the group are Poland (1.75) and Slovenia (1.75). The
full Nations in Transit report is available online at:
www.freedomhouse.org/research/nattransit.htm, and the country-by-
country summaries are available at:
www.freedomhouse.org/research/nitransit/2004/summary2004.pdf, or
send request to IdinovN@tiscali.cz to receive the rating.
2. PARLIAMENTARIANS ASK THE PRESIDENT TO PUNISH THOSE WHO BUGGED
THEM. The parliamentary Legislative Assembly adopted on 24 May a
resolution, which says the commission did not have full access to
necessary documents, however, according to indirect evidences,
the National Security Service (NSS) bugged the offices in the
parliamentary building. Chairman of NSS Kalyk Imankulov denied
conclusions by the commission, "This document, in my opinion, is
biased. Many facts contained in it are at the level of kitchen
rumors," he told reporters after the meeting. Speaker of the
Assembly Abdygany Erkebaev said the disclosed facts were flagrant
for the state and the law enforcement and judiciary bodies are
the least reformed systems in the country.
The assembly appealed to President Askar Akayev asking him
evaluating responsibility of those officials who breached the
laws and handed the collected documents to the office of
Prosecutor General. The assembly also decided to form a permanent
parliamentary commission to monitor the investigation activity in
the country. According to the commission, NSS opened operational
cases against parliamentarians and leaders of non-governmental
organizations as well as the OSCE Center and the office of the US
National Democratic Institute in Bishkek shadowing after them.
The bugs were found in the offices of Azimbek Beknazarov, Ismail
Isakov, Ishenbai Kadyrbekov, Adahan Madumarov, Dooronbek
Sadyrbaev and Omurbek Tekebaev on 14 and 15 January. PSLA,
Interfax
3. ASHYRKULOV: AKAYEV ADMITS HE IS A CAPTAIN OF A DROWNING SHIP.
President Askar Akayev dismissed on 24 May Misir Ashyrkulov from
the post of secretary of the Security Council, which he occupied
since 7 March 2001. Ashyrkulov said on 28 May that Akayev told
him while signing a decree on the dismissal, "I am a captain of a
drowning ship. You made a right step becoming a leader of this
movement". Several opposition and centrist politicians formed on
19 May a civic union "For Fair Elections", and chose Ashyrkulov
to lead its coordination council. Deputy of Parliament Adahan
Madumarov, who was elected deputy chairman of the new union, said
on 25 May the authorities annoyed with the union because their
goals are different from the union's ones. Ashyrkulov himself
said on 26 May, if somebody digs up under him, he has 'a nuclear
bomb' against them and he is ready to become a bridge between the
opposition and authorities. Ashyrkulov said on 28 May, he got to
know about the Aksy, events happened in March 2002, in May only.
Media reports say imprisoned chairman of the Ar-Namys Party
Feliks Kulov, director of the non-governmental organization Civil
Society against Corruption Tolekan Ismailova, editor-in-chief of
the "MSN" paper Aleksander Kim, editor-in-chief of the paper
"Faces" Bermet Bukasheva joined the union. MSN, Interfax,
Azattyk, AKIpress
4. AKAYEV BELIEVES US COVERAGE OF EVENTS IN KYRGYZSTAN IS BIASED.
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary Lynn Pascoe visited Kyrgyzstan on
24 and met with President Askar Akayev and Foreign Minister Askar
Aitmatov discussing aspects of the US-Kyrgyz relations. Pascoe
told Akayev that the U.S. government regards Kyrgyzstan as a
model for further political and economic reforms in Central Asia
adding that this factor would give Kyrgyzstan a chance to join
the Millennium Challenge Account program in the near future.
Akayev said Kyrgyzstan holds fundamental democratic
transformations and they require more balanced coverage and due
evaluation by U.S. official institutions. Interfax
26 May 2004, Wednesday:
5. THIRTY-FIVE TONS OF DRUGS GO THROUGH KYRGYZSTAN YEARLY.
Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Deputy
Secretary General of UN Antonio Maria Costa and Prime Minister
Nikolai Tanaev of Kyrgyzstan opened in Bishkek the Drug Control
Agency on 26 May. The UN and the US government spent for the
project $6 million. Kurmanbek Kubatbekov became the director of
the agency. Tanaev said at an opening ceremony that drug
trafficking via Kyrgyzstan is 30 to 35 tons yearly and only ten
percent of it, worth about $3 million, is intercepted. Costa said
about 25 percent of the drugs produced in Afghanistan go through
the Central Asian states.
President Askar Akayev met with Costa on 26 May and thanked UN
for creating the Kyrgyz agency. Costa said effective usage of the
help could lead to forming a united information center to
coordinate activity of the national agencies. Costa was in
Kyrgyzstan on 25-27 May, in frame of his six-day tour around the
four Central Asian states. Interfax, Kabar, AKIpress
6. PRESIDENT AKAYEV OPENS DAYS OF KYRGYZ CULTURE IN TAJIKISTAN.
President Askar Akayev visited Dushanbe on 26-17 May, discussing
with President Emomali Rahmonov of Tajikistan aspects of
deepening Kyrgyz-Tajik cooperation as well as international and
regional issues. Akayev and Rahmonov signed the treaty on good
neighborly relations. Several other agreements, including the
agreement on cooperation in military sphere, and memorandum on
development of cooperation between the governments were signed
during the visit. Trade turnout between the two states increased
three times in the last two years and reached $18 million in
2003.
Akayev visited the Center of Strategic Researches where met with
Tajik scholars and intellectuals and then Akayev and Rahmonov
opened the Days of Kyrgyz Culture in Tajikistan, which lasted
till 29 May. A gala was staged in Dushanbe on 26 May, then Kyrgyz
artists held concerts in Dushanbe, Khudjand, Jergetal and other
regions. The book and photo exhibitions were organized in frame
of the days.
27 May 2004, Thursday:
7. ELECTIONS WILL SHOW HOW KYRGYZSTAN IMPLEMENTS ITS COMMITMENTS
BEFORE OSCE. US Ambassador to OSCE Stephen Minikes said in
Bishkek on 27 may that the parliamentary and presidential
elections in 2005 would show how Kyrgyzstan implements its
commitments before the OSCE. Minikes was in Bishkek on 26 and 27
May discussing problems of the OSCE Center in Bishkek. He met
with First Deputy Foreign Minister Talantbek Kushchubekov and
Chairman of the Central Election Commission Sulaiman Imanbaev, as
well as deputies of parliament and representatives of non- governmental
organizations, discussing current political
situation in the country. According to Minikes, the US government
and OSCE are interested in making the elections in Kyrgyzstan
corresponded to international standards. US Embassy, Interfax
28 May 2004, Friday:
8. RUSSIA BECOMES A MEMBER OF A CENTRAL ASIAN ORGANIZATION. The
council of heads of state of the Central Asian Cooperation
Organization, which comprises Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan
and Tajikistan, considered on 28 May Russia's application and
decided to give the green light for Russia to join the treaty
founding the organization Russian Security Council Secretary Igor
Ivanov said Russia intends participating in the organization in
full scale. The presidents discussed also issues of regional
security, implementation of the previous agreements and the
future developments. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan signed a protocol
decision on elimination bars and forming common market in Central
Asia stage-by-stage. Forming a customs union and transport union
would be the first steps on this way. The presidents also
approved a decision of forming a Central Asian water-energetic
consortium and decided to set up the transport-communication and
food consortiums.
The agreement of mutual TV and radio broadcasting, a protocol on
stock-taking of legal base, a regulations of meetings of security
services, law enforcers and border guard bodies were signed.
Secretary of the Russian Security Council Igor Ivanov took part
in the meeting as observer. The organization was formed in April
1994, when Kyrgyzstan joined the agreement on common economic
area signed by Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in January 1994.
Tajikistan joined it later. The organization was called the
Central Asian Economic Community till 28 February 2002. Interfax
ALSO IN THE WEEK OF 23 - 29 MAY 2004:
9. On 17-22 May, Minister of Health Care Mitalip Mamytov took
part in Geneva in the 57th World Assembly of Health Care.
AKIpress
10. On 23 May, first 64 people graduated from in Bishkek the
Academy of Educational Network EdNet in frame of a project
financed by USAID and supported by the US Corporation CARANA.
Kabar
11. On 24 May, head of the tender commission on selling the
Kairat Bank, deputy chairman of the Commission for State Property
Anatoly Makarov announced the Khalk (People) Bank of Kazakhstan
won in the tender offering $1.25 million for 100 percent shares
of Kairat. The Alliance Bank was the second ($1.13 million) and
the Caspian Bank ($0.85 million) was the third, the both from
Kazakhstan too. The Kairat Bank was formed by the National Bank
of Kyrgyzstan in 1999 instead of bankrupt Bishkek KRAMDS Bank and
the Maksat Bank, its authorized capital is 170 million soms
(about $3.9 million), it issued 340,000 shares. Kabar
12. On 24 May, Ombudsman Tursunbai Bakir uulu announced he found
a bug in his office in the parliamentary building in March 2003,
when he was a deputy of parliament. Azattyk
13. On 24 May, the parliamentary Legislative Assembly ratified
the Convention 182 on banning worst forms of child labor adopted
by the International Labor Organization in 1999 and which is in
effect since 19 November 2000. Kyrgyzstan became the 156th member
of the Convention. CentrAN
14. On 24 May, IRIN, the U.N.'s Integrated Regional Information
Networks, reported on beginning of a six-day tour of executive
director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Antonio
Maria Costa through four Central Asian states, including
Kyrgyzstan. To receive the article, please send a request to
IdinovN@tiscali.cz. IRIN
15. On 24 May, Prime Minister Nikolai Tanaev received in Bishkek
a mission of the Central Asian Trans-border Project on preserving
biodiversity. Kabar
16. On 24 May, leader of the "Alga, Kyrgyzstan!" party Bolotbek
Begaliev said his party supports formation of the civic union
"For Fair Election". Interfax
17. On 24 May, expert of the Osh Media Resource Center Almaz
Ismanov said in an interview with the Russian site RBC that Hizb
ut-Tahrir propagates via international organizations and their
people in the parliament an idea that they a peaceful religious
party. Those international organizations support Hizb ut-Tahrir
to keep Kyrgyzstan under their control. The Americans begin using
southern Kyrgyzstan because who controls Osh that controls the
whole Ferghana Valley and Russia has already lost the region. To
receive the text, please send a request to IdinovN@tiscali.cz.
RBC
18. On 24 May, "Moskovsky Komsomolets" reported Vice Governor of
the Moscow Oblast Aleksey Panteleev and Governor of the Chyi
Province of Kyrgyzstan Azamat Kangeldiev agreed in Moscow last
week that Kyrgyzstan would supply 200 enterprises of the Moscow
region with cotton in return to fertilizers and agricultural
equipment. MK
19. On 24 May, a delegation of Iranian businesspersons-investors
led by Governor of the Khamadan Province arrived in Kyrgyzstan
with four-day visit. First Vice Prime Minister Kubanychbek
Jumaliev received them on 25 May and Prime Minister Nikolai
Tanaev did it on 26 May. IRNA
20. On 24-25 May, a meeting about 40 representatives of Kyrgyz
Diaspora from Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Turkey and
Uzbekistan decided in Istanbul to set up a permanent World
Congress of Kyrgyz and elected Minister of Ecology and
Emergencies Temirbek Akmataliev of Kyrgyzstan chairman of
organizing committee of it. AKIpress
21. On 24-27 May, Director of the National Institute for
Standards and Metrology Batyrbek Davlesov took part in Astana in
the 25th meeting of the CIS Inter-State Council for
Standardization, Metrology and Certifications. Kabar
22. On 24-27 May, the third CIS conference on perspectives of
civil aviation and training of high specialists was held in
Almaty. Interfax
23. On 24-28 May, the Ministry of Ecology and Emergencies held a
national seminar on banning the stuff damaging the ozone layer in
the atmosphere. It was used in Kyrgyzstan 40 tons of such stuff
in 2003 against 53.4 tons in 2001. Kabar
24. On 24-30 May, the Confederation of Cinema Unions holds in
Moscow the Eighth Cinema Forum of CIS and Baltic States.
Chairwoman of the Union of Cinematographers Gulsara Ajybekova and
movie directors Tynai Ibragimov and Ernest Abdyjaparov represent
Kyrgyzstan. Kabar
25. On 25 May, the Russian site Marketing & Consulting wrote that
the overseas strategists intend using Kyrgyzstan as an instrument
for political pressure on China and Russia in the future and are
ready to have big expenditures. To receive the article, please
send a request to IdinovN@tiscali.cz. MiK
26. On 25 May, "New Izvestia" of Moscow reported 1.75 million
people in Kyrgyzstan, or 35 percent of population, suffer from
malnutrition and gave the figures for other states of CIS and
Eastern Europe. To receive the article, please send a request to
IdinovN@tiscali.cz. New Izvestia
27. On 25 May, the fifth meeting of the Asian-Pacific Forum on
Ecology and Sustainable Development opened in Astana. Kabar
28. On 25 May, the second international meeting of the heads of
state reserves of CIS began in Kyiv. FromUA
29. On 25 May, the parliamentary Legislative Assembly passed a
new Labor Code, which equalized rates of wages and salaries to
local hires and foreign citizens. According to Deputy of
Parliament Adakhan Madumarov, in some joint ventures, foreign
citizens receive 15-20 time more then local people for the same
work. Interfax
30. On 25 May, Deputy Chairwoman of the National Bank Kanysh
Sharshekeeva told journalists the bank prepared a law draft on
fighting terrorism financing and money laundering and handed it
to the parliament. Kabar
31. On 25 May, Institute for War and Peace Reporting wrote on a
case when worshippers at a Kara-Suu mosque in southern Kyrgyzstan
caught a group of Uzbek and Kyrgyz security service agents
secretly filming all those entering and leaving the mosque on 14
May. "Local officials have denied that any such operation had
taken place, but two tapes recovered from the scene and now in
the hands of the Kyrgyz ombudsman suggest otherwise." To receive
the text, please send a request to IdinovN@tiscali.cz. IWPR
32. On 25 May, the Days of Europe in Kyrgyzstan opened in
Bishkek. The office of the European Commission organized the
days, which would continue till 30 May. Kabar
33. On 25 May, President Askar Akayev said in Bishkek at a
ceremony of granting 54 students, post graduates and instructors
certificates to go studying in the German universities that
Germany is a single country in the world which wants forming in
Kyrgyzstan engineering-technical potential in the sphere of new
technologies. The grants were given the frame of the agreement
between the Kyrgyz commission on education under the president
and the German agency for academic exchanges. Kabar
34. On 25 May, Finance Minister Bolot Abildaev and German
Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Klaus Achenbach signed in Bishkek an
agreement on giving Kyrgyzstan 16 million euros for the two
projects - for reforms of local governments and for reforms in
electric supply system. On 27 April, Abildaev and Achenbach
signed an agreement on a 3.5-million-euro grant from Germany for
fighting AIDS. Kabar
35. On 25 May, the last day in the schools, it was announced
85,448 young people leave the 2,059 secondary schools of the
country against 81,000 in 2003. The universities and institutes
of Kyrgyzstan would admit 40,000-45,000 students this year, there
are 5,255 state granted seats in them. The all-country tests are
held from 26 through 30 May. Kabar
36. On 25 May, Chairman of the Commission on Religious Affairs
Omurzak Mamayusupov met in Bishkek with coordinator of the
project of the Social Sciences Research Council of New York
Anthony David Coleeh. AKIpress
37. On 25 May, winners of the third city festival of students
"Bishkek Spring-2004", held since 21 April, were announced. The
Kyrgyz-Russian (Slavic) University in Bishkek won the grand-prix
and the Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University won the first place.
Kabar
38. On 25-26 May, Prime Minister Nikolai Tanaev took part in
Cholpon-Ata in a meeting on general layout of development of the
Issyk-Kul Region, organized by the Japanese International
Cooperation Agency. Kabar
39. On 25-27 May, a meeting of the CIS Inter-Sate Council for
Protection of Industrial Property and then an international
seminar on problems of intellectual property in the CIS were held
in Cholpon-Ata. RBC
40. On 25-27 May, Chairman of the Association of Local
Governments Kurmanbek Dyikanbaev took part in Almaty in the
second regional conference of the "Network to Strengthening
Potential of Communities", organized by the institute of the
World Bank. Kabar
41. On 25-28 May, the first meeting of Kyrgyz honorary consuls in
foreign states was held in Bishkek. There are 28 honorary Kyrgyz
consuls. Prime Minister Nikolai Tanaev received them on 26 May.
Kabar
42. On 25-28 May, the third congress of CIS oncologists was held
in Minsk, Belarus. RG
43. On 26 May, President of the Forum Group Almaz Atambaev and
Ombudsman Tursunbai Bakir uulu announced Erkin Mambetaliev,
bodyguard of Atambaev, is now in hospital with bruises on the
whole body and signs of slip-knot on the neck. He was arrested on
14 May on the case of assassination of Police Colonel Chynybek
Aliev, who was shot to dead on 5 May. According Atambaev,
Mambetaliev has alibi but was tortures to make a confession.
AKIpress
44. On 26 May, the Russian paper "Rossiyskiye Vesti" wrote that
collapse of the USSR became a catalyst of the most ethnic
conflicts on the post Soviet territory. The processes in Central
Asia are not yet open but Uzbekistan has ambitions to absolute
hegemony in the region, about one million Uzbeks live in
Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan too concerns on fate of Kyrgyz living
in Tajikistan. To receive the article, please send a request to
IdinovN@tiscali.cz. RV
45. On 26 May, The Finance Ministry said the Asian Development
Bank agreed giving Kyrgyzstan a half of the future help in
grants. Interfax
46. On 26 May, Russian Interfax reported the foreign trade
deficit of Kyrgyzstan in the first quarter of the year increased
by 420 percent to $39.8 million. The foreign trade increased by
43.8 percent to $353.4 million, with exports up 30.8 percent to
$156.8 million and imports up 56.2 percent to $196.6 million. Not
including the gold company Kumtor, exports were up 35.1 percent
to $89.5 million. Interfax
47. On 26 May, chairman of the parliamentary committee for
security Ismail Isakov said at a round table in Bishkek that the
government prepared amendments to the law on compulsory military
service. According to them, students studying military subject at
the universities and institutes should become officers only if
they go to serve in the army. There are now in Kyrgyzstan 49,000
officers in reserve, which is 11 times more than needed. The
institutes and universities prepare 4,500 officers yearly while
there are 1,500 officers serving in the army actually. Interfax
48. On 26 May, the 17th meeting of the CIS consultative council
for labor, migration and social protection was held. AKIpress
49. On 26 May, the Ministry of Health Care announced 15 cases of
malaria were registered in the country since 1 May. Interfax
50. On 26 May, police of Novosibirsk, Russia, announced they
detained two Kyrgyz citizens, mother and daughter, with two
kilograms heroin each. Interfax
51. On 26-28 May, Speaker of the parliamentary People's Assembly
Altai Borubaev took part in Astana in the fifth meeting of the
Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Eurasian Economic Community.
He met Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev on 27 May discussing
aims of the assembly. Kabar
52. On 27 May, the site EurasiaNet reported, "The biggest
question surrounding the upcoming presidential election in 2005
is whether or not Akayev will seek a third term. Akayev has
repeatedly said he intends to retire, but he has left room to
change his mind.... Many political observers believe the unified
opposition's candidate could turn out to be Ashirkulov". To
receive the article, please send a request to IdinovN@tiscali.cz.
EurasiaNet
53. On 27 May, Russian "Moskovsky Komsonolets" wrote that the
American troops at the Ganci base near Bishkek live better than
Russian troops at the nearby Kant base because the Americans came
to Kyrgyzstan knowing what to do - to fight the Taliban. The
Russians came with very unclear aims - to demonstrate muscles, to
show presence. And even their base is named a component of
something. To receive the article, please send a request to
IdinovN@tiscali.cz. MK
54. On 27 May, "The International Herald Tribune" published a
letter by Emil Juraev from Kyrgyzstan, who says, "America is a
monstrosity. Not because its people are monstrous, but because
Americans are unaware of the harm done by their government. The
American government is a synonym for hypocrisy". To receive the
text, please send a request to IdinovN@tiscali.cz. IHT
55. On 27 May, Deputy of Parliament Azimbek Beknazarov said the
presidential administration sent a letter to the parliament
saying President Askar Akayev is very busy and would not have
time to visit the parliament in the nearest future. Akayev
criticized the parliament severely on 31 March and the
Legislative Assembly invited him to discuss the problem after it.
Azattyk
56. On 27 May, representatives of ten political parties met in
Bishkek on initiative of the party "Alga, Kyrgyzstan!" and
decided to form a party club. Azattyk
57. On 27 May, Deputy Chairwoman of the National Bank Kanysh
Sharshekeeva told Russian Interfax that Kyrgyzstan would set up
an agency for financial monitoring to control money transactions
on the territory of the country. Interfax
58. On 27 May, the 22nd meeting of the Inter-Governmental Council
of Road-Transporters of CIS in Baku. Interfax
59. On 27 May, the governmental press service said Prime Minister
Nikolai Tanaev signed a resolution to set up a Kyrgyz trade
representative office in the Ural federal region of Russia.
Azattyk
60. On 27 May, the Lenin District court of Bishkek rejected a
suit by Chairman of the Human Rights Movement of Kyrgyzstan
Tursunbek Akunov against Melis Arypbek who published an article
about Akunov in the paper "Agym". Azattyk
61. On 27 May, IRIN, the U.N.'s Integrated Regional Information
Networks, reported, "There were around 470 registered indigenous
cases of malaria [in Kyrgyzstan] in 2003, while in 2002 that
figure stood at some 2,750". To receive the article, please send
a request to IdinovN@tiscali.cz. IRIN
62. On 27 May, Vice Prime Minister Ularbek Mateev said 35,000
inborn disabled people state allowances in Kyrgyzstan now. Kabar
63. On 27 May, an international festival of children creativity
of Turkic states began in Istanbul. The Rakhat troupe led by
Kamchybek Asanov represents Kyrgyzstan. The festival would last
till 4 June. Kabar
64. On 27 May, international music contest-festival of Turkic
youth began in Ufa, Russia. Singer Yryskeldi Osmonkulov
represents Kyrgyzstan. Kabar
65. On 27-29 May, Freedom House with support from the Development
Academy through Education and USAID trained for officers of the
Ombudsman office to prepare press releases on human rights
issues. FH
66. On 27-30 May, the first international meeting "Europe -
Central Asia" was organized in Tashkent by the French cultural
center "Informal European Theater Meeting". RIA Novosti
67. On 27-31 May, the International Shopokov box tournament is
held in Bishkek. KazInform
68. On 28 May, Minister of Economic Development, Industry and
Foreign Trade Amangeldi Muraliev took part in Tashkent in an
urgent meeting of the ministers of economy and trade of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization. They supported a Chinese
initiative to set up a fund to support regional cooperation.
Interfax, RIA Novosti, Kabar
69. On 28 May, Anders Aslund, adviser to President Askar Akayev
and expert of the Carnegie Endowment, said in Bishkek that
Kyrgyzstan has a chance to restructure its foreign debt through
negotiations with the Paris Club. However, according to him,
Kyrgyzstan should cut taxes, because they are higher than in the
neighboring partner states, and eliminate district
administrations. He added, corruption is getting higher in
Kyrgyzstan, especially in the law enforcement and court systems.
Interfax
70. On 28 May, it became known that Kyrgyzstan would still try to
be included in the US program Millennium Challenge Account and a
special commission was formed for it. Vice Prime Minister Joomart
Otorbaev of Kyrgyzstan and US Ambassador in Bishkek Stephen Young
head it. Kyrgyzstan was among the 63 candidate countries but only
Armenia and Georgia from the former USSR were included in the
list 16 chosen countries. Azattyk.
72. On 28 May, it became known that a nee tender began on Bishkek
on selling the national telecommunication operator Kyrgyztelecom.
Three main contenders are DetaCom from Germany which offers $16.2
million, Rostelecom again ($15.05 million) and KazCommerzBank of
Kazakhstan ($15 million). The first tender was held in June 2003
and Swedtel of Sweden won it, offering $15.68 million; Rostelecom
of Russia was the second with $15.287 but none of them bought it.
Kabar
73. On 28 May, Alexander Sobyanin, chief of the Strategic
Planning Department at the Moscow-based Border Cooperation
Association, said in an interview with "The Times of Central
Asia" that "those controlling the situation in the Fergana Valley
[shared by Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan] control the
situation in China's Xinjiang-Uigur Autonomous Region. All are
interested, not in Osh or Khorog, but in northern Afghanistan,
Kashmir, and Xinjiang". To receive the text, please send a
request to IdinovN@tiscali.cz. TCA
74. On 28 May, it was announced in Astana that trade turnout
between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan increased in January-February
by 56 percent compared to same period of 2003 and reached $39.7
million. Interfax
75. On 28 May, Bolot Januzakov, first deputy chief of the
presidential administration, said in an interview with the
Institute for War and Peace Reporting about the bug scandal,
"What was mentioned in the document was inappropriate, to put it
mildly.... It is alarming and unacceptable that former employees of
our secret services should have disclosed secret information." To
receive the article, please send a request to IdinovN@tiscali.cz.
IWPR
76. On 28 May, "The Times of Central Asia" reported, "Kyrgyzstan
is now far behind its regional neighbors (Kazakhstan and
Uzbekistan) in terms of lease financing development" in spite of
equal start-up conditions. To receive the article, please send a
request to IdinovN@tiscali.cz. TCA
77. On 28 May, the Board of Trustees of the American University- Central
Asia (AUCA) invited nominations and applications for
president of the university. Applications should be submitted to:
auca@academic-search.org, telephone and e-mail inquiries may be
made to: Dr. James B. Appleberry at 502-895-6121,
jba1233@insightbb.com, additional information is available on
www.academic-search.org or www.auca.kg. To receive the text of
announcement, please send a request to IdinovN@tiscali.cz. AUCA
78. On 28 May, a conference on perspectives of ecotourism in
Kyrgyzstan was held in Bishkek. AKIpress
79. On 28 May, Prime Minister Nikolai Tanaev took part in an
opening ceremony of the memorial to Batken Heroes in Bishkek.
During the clashes with Islamic insurgents 27 Kyrgyz citizens
were killed in 1999 and 32 more in 2000 in the southern province
of Batken.
80. On 28 May, Lenin District court of Omsk City, Russia,
sentenced the Malyshevs, husband and wife, to 7 and 6 years of
imprisonment correspondingly. They are Kyrgyz citizens and were
detained in Omsk on 10 August 2003 with 12 kilograms of opium.
RIA Novosti
81. On 29 May, President of the Coalition of Non-Governmental
Organization Edil Baisalov said the most danger to the country
security comes now from the law enforcement bodies and cited as
examples contract killings, the Aksy events, bugging of the
parliamentarians' offices, tortures in penitentiaries. Azattyk
82. On 29 May, it was the 12th anniversary of the decree by
President Askar Akayev on taking under the Kyrgyz jurisdiction
all the military objects and units of the former USSR. There are
12,000 servicemen in the Kyrgyz army now. Kabar
83. On 29 May, Bishkek representative of the Eurasian Foundation
said they allot $110,000 for Pyramida-TV in Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan-TV in Tajikistan and Mulokot-TV in Uzbekistan to
develop inter-regional cooperation in the Ferghana Valley.
Azattyk
84. On 29 May, the United States Government, through Counterpart
International Community and Humanitarian Assistance Program
delivered humanitarian aid worth $44,822 to the victims of the
April 26 landslide in Alay District. US Embassy
85. On 29 May, an exhibition of children creative work opened at
the Art Museum in Bishkek. It is devoted to the International
Children Day marked on 1 June. Kabar
86. On 29 May, the exhibition "Kyrgyzstan trough Eyes of Painter
Flekman" opened at the Art Museum in Bishkek. It is devoted to
the 90th anniversary of the painter and was organized by Saikal
Akayeva, daughter-in-law of President Askar Akayev. Flekman died
a year ago. Kabar
Regards, Naryn Aiyp.
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Weekly is an independent publication. Please send your feedback
to IdinovN@tiscali.cz
In this issue of the review, materials published on the web-sites
AKIpress, Azattyk, CentrAN, EurasiaNet, FH, FromUA, IHT, IRNA,
KazInform, MiK, MK, MSN, New Izvestiya, RBC, Rossiyskaya Gazeta,
Rossiyskiye Vesti, TCA, WNN, Yandex, as well as the reports by
AFP, AP, AUCA, CJES, CNA, Interfax, IRINnews, Itar-Tass, IWPR,
NGO Coalition, Reuters, the press services for the Kyrgyz
parliament and president, the US embassy in Bishkek were used.
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