This week Turkmenistan celebrated both its President’s 50th birthday and the addition of the Parthian fortress of Nisa to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. The ruins, near Ashgabat, date back to the 2nd century BC reign of Arsaces I.
International Anti-Narcotics Day (26th June) was marked in several Central Asian countries. Officials in Kazakhstan emphasised the need for regional cooperation. The Pakistan Daily Times reports that the Uzbek authorities destroyed around 400kg of seized heroin while Turkmen officials managed more than a ton, according to pro-government site Turkmenistan.ru. All three countries lie on the drug smuggling route that extends westwards from Afghanistan, the world’s largest producer of opium.
Many of those infected with HIV/AIDS in Central Asia are intravenous drug users. Though it was completely free of the HIV virus until 1996, Kyrgyzstan is now home to 1,193 registered sufferers, according to the Institute for War and Peace Reporting. In Kazakhstan on Wednesday judges found 21 medical staff guilty of charges relating to the infection of 119 babies and children with HIV, in the climax to a case that has caused popular outrage.
The politics of water came to the fore this week as Kyrgyzstan warned countries downstream that their access to water will be compromised unless an agreement is reached over the reciprocal supply of fossil fuels. Meanwhile, floods and landslides are the threat posed by glaciers in Tajikistan’s Pamir mountains. The Tajik government has stated that global warming is to blame for a increase in the rate of melting and a heightened risk of disasters. Elsewhere, Ted Rall reports from Gordo-Badakhshan on the impact of foreign aid.
There was gloom in Kyrgyzstan as the EU blacklist of airlines was updated. It currently bans all carriers certified by the Kyrgyz authorities for reasons of safety.
In other news the Uzbek authorities sought to boost entrepreneurship this week by making it easier to declare bankruptcy and in an interview with New Europe, UK ambassador to Kazakhstan Paul Brummell outlined his plans for economic cooperation.
Stay tuned to Central Asia Now for weekly news digests. Keep an eye out for our fortnightly analysis slots by regional experts.
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Welblutrin….
Welblutrin….
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