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Soyuz spacecraft prepared for launch (photos)
Photos from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Friday, October 10, 2008.
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Country Fast Facts:Kazakhstan ,
Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th century, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936.
During the 1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures. This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many of these newcomers to emigrate.
Kazakhstan's economy is larger than those of all the other Central Asian states combined, largely due to the country's vast natural resources and a recent history of political stability.
Current issues include: developing a cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets; achieving a sustainable economic growth; diversifying the economy outside the oil, gas, and mining sectors; enhancing Kazakhstan's competitiveness; and strengthening relations with neighboring states and other foreign powers. Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as a si... more -
Russia remains a Black Sea power
by M K Bhadrakumar
If the struggle in the Caucasus was ever over oil and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO's) agenda towards Central Asia, the United States suffered a colossal setback this week. Kazakhstan, the Caspian energy powerhouse and a key Central Asian player, has decided to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Russia over the conflict with Georgia, and Russia's de facto control over two major Black Sea ports has been consolidated.
At a meeting in the Tajik capital Dushanbe on Thursday on the sidelines of the summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Kazakh President Nurusultan Nazarbayev told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that Moscow could count on Astana's support in the present crisis.
In his press conference in Dushanbe, Medvedev underlined that his SCO counterparts, including China, showed understanding of the Russian position. Moscow appears satisfied that the SCO summit also issued a statement on the Caucasus developments, which, inter alia, said, "The leaders of the SCO member states welcome the signing in Moscow of the six principles for regulating the South Ossetia conflict, and support Russia's active role in assisting peace and cooperation in the region." The SCO comprises China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
There were tell-tale signs that something was afoot when the Kazakh Foreign Ministry issued a statement on August 19 hinting at broad understanding for the Russian position. The statement called for an "unbiased and balanced assessment" of events and pointed out that an "attempt [was made] to resolve a complicated ethno-territorial issue by the use of force", which led to "grave consequences". The statement said Astana supported the "way the Russian leadership proposed to resolve the issue" within the framework of the United Nations charter, the Helsinki Final Act of 1975 and international law.
The lengthy statement leaned toward the Russian position but offered a labored explanation for doing so.
Kazakhstan has since stepped out into the thick of the diplomatic sweepstakes and whole-heartedly endorsed the Russian position. This has become a turning point for Russian diplomacy in the post-Soviet space. Nazarbayev said: I am amazed that the West simply ignored the fact that Georgian armed forces attacked the peaceful city of Tskhinvali [in South Ossetia]. Therefore, my assessment is as follows: I think that it originally started with this. And Russia's response could either have been to keep silent or to protect their people and so on. I believe that all subsequent steps taken by Russia have been designed to stop bloodshed of ordinary residents of this long-suffering city. Of course, there are many refugees, many homeless.
Guided by out bilateral agreement on friendship and cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia, we have provided humanitarian aid: 100 tons have already been sent. We will continue to provide assistance together with you.
Of course, there was loss of life on the Georgian side - war is war. The resolution of the conflict with Georgia has now been shifted to some indeterminate time in the future. We have always had good relations with Georgia. Kazakhstan's companies have made substantial investments there. Of course, those that have done this want stability there. The conditions of the plan that you and [President of France Nicolas] Sarkozy drew up must be implemented, but some have begun to disavow certain points in the plan.
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More at link. by M K Bhadrakumar ... more -
China's Wild West
Unlike their Hollywood friendly brethren, the Tibetans, the Uighurs of northwestern China, claim to be an oppressed minority group that no one has ever heard of. That is, unless the Chinese government publicizes an attack by Uighur insurgents, such as the one that killed 16 Chinese police officers on the eve of the Beijing Olympics. In this Vanguard report, Laura Ling travels to the wild-west frontier in China's Gobi Desert, an area the Chinese named Xinjiang, or New Land, but a place many Uighurs believe should be an independent Uighur nation. Unlike their Hollywood friendly brethren, the Tibetans, the Uighurs of northwestern China, claim to be an oppressed minority group tha... more
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Oil Casualties: Kazakhs Mull Exporting Through Russia
Well that didn’t take long. Russia’s military incursion into Georgia, home to a key oil and gas pipeline, stoked fears that the West would have a harder time convincing Central Asian countries to defy Russia and take part in future pipeline projects that would reduce dependence on Russia. Now, some countries seem to be bailing out of the existing ones.
Kazakhstan is considering diverting its oil exports away from the BTC pipeline that runs through Georgia, and using Russia instead. The reason? “Security concerns,” brought about by Russian military intervention. From Turkey’s Hurriyet:
"Kazakhstan is considering pumping its oil through Russia as an alternative to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline due to increased security concerns over the clashes in the Caucasus, a Turkish daily reported on Thursday. A high level Kazakh official told Turkish business daily Referans that question marks now hang over the security of the BTC pipeline. “We could reconsider our decisions on sending Kazakh oil to the world market. Changing the (export) route is in our agenda now,” the official was quoted as saying by Referans."
That’s a blow to the existing BTC pipeline, not to mention any others the U.S. and Europe plan to build. It was meant to be expanded to handle additional oil coming from the big Kashagan fields in Kazakhstan. Turkish Energy Ministry officials told the newspaper “expansion of the BTC line would only be possible with the supply of Kazakh oil.”
The big worry about the Russian-Georgia conflict was that it heralded a new “iron curtain” in the region that could affect oil supply lines. The big surprise is how quickly that appears to be coming true.
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Click on the link to access in-text links.
See also: http://current.com/items/89210784_while_the_world_s_att...
So now, counting its ally Iran, Russia has a near-monopoly and control of the Caspian Sea Basin oil and natural gas. Well done, Bush, Cheney Rice, McCain, and Saakashvili! Well that didn’t take long. Russia’s military incursion into Georgia, home to a key oil and gas pipeline, stoked fears that the West w... more -
More countries, organisations offer condolences & aid for China quake
More countries and international organizations have, by various means, offered their condolences and aid for the deadly earthquake that jolted southwestern China.
The Kazakh government announced Friday that a batch of aid material worth $3.6 million would be sent to China's quake-stricken areas including medicine, tents, food and clothing.
Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov met with the Chinese ambassador to Kazakhstan Zhang Xiyun, offering heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the quake victims. Kazakhstan
Other countries who have offered condolences, aid etc includs Italy, Mali, South Korea, Algeria and Denmark. More countries and international organizations have, by various means, offered their condolences and aid for the deadly earthquake tha... more -
Marat not Borat
When most people think of Kazakhstan, they picture Borat. Meet Marat, the ‘real’ Borat, who takes us to the rural village where he spent his childhood summers. This brief yet visually poetic film reflects Marat's own romanticisation in leaving the hectic city for the peaceful Kazakhstani countryside. When most people think of Kazakhstan, they picture Borat. Meet Marat, the ‘real’ Borat, who takes us to the rural village where he spe... more
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Kazakhstan’s Futuristic Capital, Complete With Pyramid
In 1997 President Nursultan Nazarbayev moved the capital from Almaty to Astana an used the countries massive oil revenue to build a gleaming new city.
It's like Brasilia but better. In 1997 President Nursultan Nazarbayev moved the capital from Almaty to Astana an used the countries massive oil revenue to build a gl... more -
Why is Bill Clinton leaving the country before Texas and Ohio primaries?
...time to get back to business as usual with his uranium-oil mogul buddies from Kazakhstan.
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Bill Clinton Makes Corrupt Financial Deals with Kazakh Mining Tycoons. Are You Sur...
A new investigative piece by the New York Times reveals that Bill Clinton lent his support to both the (human rights abusing) president of Kazakhstan and an investor in Kazakh uranium in exchange for a huge donation to his charitable foundation. The investor gave over $31 million to Clinton's foundation as a direct result, it appears, of Clinton accompanying him on a trip to Kazakhstan and helping him get an unimaginably lucrative mining deal he didn't otherwise deserve.
Finally, Clinton "expressed enthusiastic support" for a bid by the Kazakh president -- who was instrumental in securing the deal for Clinton's investor friend -- to head an international organization that monitors elections and supports democracy. Democracy? This is the president of Kazakhstan we're talking about. His "19-year stranglehold on the country has all but quashed political dissent."
WTF! A new investigative piece by the New York Times reveals that Bill Clinton lent his support to both the (human rights abusing) presiden... more -
Khazakhstan freestyle
Freestylin' at a talent TV show in Kazakhstan. Borat would eat his heart out.
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