By Gulnara Ismailova (10/23/2002 issue of the CACI Analyst)

It seems that the issue of the Caspian Sea status is coming to its logical end. Previous documents never determined completely the legal status of the Caspian Sea, as they did not contain any provisions on such important issues as the exploitation of the seabed, the airspace over the sea, and the preservation of its ecosystem. The attempts to reach consensus among the five littoral states came to a deadlock first of all due to Iran's demand of 20% of the sea, and due to the territorial disputes between Iran and Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

By Kunduz Tashtanalieva (10/23/2002 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Since establishing independence from the former Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan has faced many severe hardships, which brought the disaster of poverty for many citizens. Poverty became one of the major problems for the country and its people, and an issue that needs rapid measures to address it.  Unfortunately, the consequences of poverty are making life difficult for many people.

By Marat Yermukanov, Kazakhstan (10/23/2002 issue of the CACI Analyst)

The genesis of the oil boom in Kazakhstan can be traced back to 1993, when Kazakh government and the American Chevron Corporation signed a landmark $20 billion contract, unanimously dubbed at home and abroad as "the deal of the century", to develop the Tenghiz oilfield jointly. Very few optimists could have thought at the time that the highflying joint venture would be generously rewarded for the risks taken within a decade. Foreign investors, despite all sorts of bureaucratic hurdles and ill-disguised pressure from the government of Kazakhstan, are stepping up production.