By empty (8/13/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

President Saparmurat Niyazov has signed a decree removing Saparmamed Valiev from his ministerial post as head of Turkmenneft, the state oil company, turkmenistan.ru reported on 13 August. The report stated that Valiev was removed for \"serious deficiencies in his work and abuse of office.

By empty (8/12/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Kazakhstan\'s Agriculture Ministry has banned the sale of live poultry and eggs in all regions of the country where bird flu has been discovered. Bird flu has been reported in at least four provinces, with the H5N1 strain, which has been responsible for human infections in other countries, confirmed in Pavlodar Province. Asylbek Kazhmuratov, head of the Agriculture Ministry\'s veterinary department, told a news conference in Astana on 12 August that further outbreaks of bird flu cannot be ruled out \"because the wild birds that spread the infection can settle anywhere.

By empty (8/12/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko arrived in Tbilisi on Friday afternoon. Yushchenko and his wife were met at the airport by Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili. The Ukrainian president\'s visit is unofficial, which is why there will be no press conference at the airport, a Georgian presidential administration spokesman told reporters.