News Digest
RUSSIA IN FAVOR OF RE-ELECTIONS IN ABKHAZIA
By empty (12/1/2004 issue of the CACI Analyst)
The Russian authorities support the actions of incumbent Abkhaz president Vladislav Ardzinba aimed at stabilizing the political situation in Abkhazia, Gennady Bukayev, assistant to the Russian prime minister, told journalists on Wednesday. \"There is a legitimate president, Vladislav Ardzinba, in Abkhazia, the Russian authorities support his persistent efforts to stabilize the social and political situation in Abkhazia and his decision to organize re-elections in the republic,\" Bukayev said. He also said that, \"due to the escalation of tension in Abkhazia, the security at this sector of the Russian state border, including the sea sector, will be increased and railway communications between Moscow and Sukhumi will halt on December 2.TAJIKISTAN PARLIAMENT\'S LOWER HOUSE ADOPTS BILL TO INTRODUCE LIFE IMPRISONMENT
By empty (11/30/2004 issue of the CACI Analyst)
The Tajik Parliament\'s lower house adopted a bill Tuesday introducing life imprisonment as an alternative to the death penalty. Tajikistan has had a moratorium on the death penalty since April and courts have since been using the 25-year jail term instead. The 25-year sentence wasn\'t an adequate enough punishment for some grave crimes, the parliament\'s press service said Tuesday.RUSSIA DELIVERS 56 TONNES OF HUMANITARIAN AID TO TAJIKISTAN
By empty (11/30/2004 issue of the CACI Analyst)
Two Il-76 planes of the Russian Ministry for Civil Defense and Emergencies delivered over 56 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Tajikistan on Tuesday. Russia sent 20 tonnes of multi-bed tents, several power plants, 11 tonnes of medicines, 15 tonnes of baby food and other kinds of foods, representative of the ministry’s Center of Medicine, Rehabilitation and Tourism Alexander Toritsin, who accompanied the cargo, told Itar-Tass. The cargo was transferred to the Tajik Ministry for Civil Defense and Emergencies in the presence of representatives of the Russian embassy in Tajikistan.KAZAKHSTAN TO ENLARGE ANNUAL RETURNEE QUOTA TO 15,000 FAMILIES
By empty (11/30/2004 issue of the CACI Analyst)
The state quota for the return of ethnic Kazakhs to Kazakhstan will enlarge to annual 15,000 families in 2005-2007, Chairman of the Migration Committee at the Kazakh Labor and Social Security Ministry Zhazbek Abdiyev said at a press conference in Alma Ata on Tuesday. He said the enlargement of the quota by 5,000 families a year resulted from the governmental plans to increase the population of Kazakhstan to 20 million by 2015. “The quota aims to help the organized return of those who cannot return to their home land because of poor financial status or old age,” Abdiyev said.Visit also
Staff Publications
Silk Road Paper S. Frederick Starr, Greater Central Asia as A Component of U.S. Global Strategy, October 2024.
Analysis Laura Linderman, "Rising Stakes in Tbilisi as Elections Approach," Civil Georgia, September 7, 2024.
Analysis Mamuka Tsereteli, "U.S. Black Sea Strategy: The Georgian Connection", CEPA, February 9, 2024.
Silk Road Paper Svante E. Cornell, ed., Türkiye's Return to Central Asia and the Caucasus, July 2024.
Book Svante E. Cornell, ed., "The Changing Geopolitics of Central Asia and the Caucasus" AFPC Press/Armin LEar, 2023.
Silk Road Paper Svante E. Cornell and S. Frederick Starr, Stepping up to the “Agency Challenge”: Central Asian Diplomacy in a Time of Troubles, July 2023.
Silk Road Paper S. Frederick Starr, U.S. Policy in Central Asia through Central Asian Eyes, May 2023.