Kazak President Nazarbayev signs laws; Kazakhs and Turkmens agree to work on border issues; Kazakh makes strides in communications and information sector; Kyrgyzstan Prime Minister Atambayev’s government hangs on a balance;
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    • Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed laws on the ratification of the convention of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization against terrorism and the law on ratification of the European agreement supplementing the Convention on road traffic.1 Meanwhile, the Kazakh transportation minister announced, on January 10 that Kazakhstan plans to complete its negotiations with neighboring Turkmenistan over their joint borders by the end of this year, reflecting the improving relations between the two energy-rich former Soviet republics of Central Asia. The borders were drawn ambiguously during the Soviet rule in a bid to divide and foil the ethnic unity of the Central Asian countries like the rest of the former republics including the Balkans.2

    Kazakhstan’s Minister of Communications and Information Askar Zhumagaliyev has noted that the "share of the information and communication technologies sector reached 3.72 percent in the total GDP volume against 3.16 percent in January-March, 2010”, that is, it has increased by 107%. The Minister informed that there are 4.3 mln Internet users—out of which 41 % are urban residents which will help in the development of electronic business and attracting investments into Internet.3 Reports noted that in Kyrgyzstan, the month old government of Prime Minister Atambayev in a way hangs on a balance and ‘the stability of Kyrgyzstan’s new democratic governing experiment rests largely on his ability to secure power where his predecessor President Kurmanbek Bakiev failed’.4

    Reports noted that Tajik Muslim clerics allegedly condemn the holding of a Sudan split referendum does not correspondent to the facts, according to the Islamic Council of Ulema, the country’s highest Islamic institution.5 It would be noteworthy that the 7 day referendum gives the option to the Southern Sudan, populated by majority of Christians, to break away from the Muslim north was concluded on January 15.

    Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has outlined ten priorities for 2011 at an enlarged meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan on January 10. Some of these are: search for new ways of Turkmenistan’s development to ensure decent life for future generations; to continue the active foreign policy of the country in accordance with Turkmenistan’s neutral status; further diversification of the economy and continuation of the intensive development of all sectors of the economy; to keep the pace of reforms in key areas such as culture and education; to improve the work of all government organizations, etc. In addition, the financial and banking system along with oil and gas industry, power industry, chemical industry, machinery, construction materials industry, light industry, agriculture, transport and communications, tourism and services will be further developed, he added.6

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