Tajikistan to censor websites; Tajikistan may demand close to US$ 250 million from Russia for the sue of its military bases; Iran to invest $10B in Kyrgyzstan; EU looking for higher levels of security and cooperation with Central Asia;
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    • According to reports, authorities in Tajikistan have said that they will establish a private body of volunteers to monitor and report on web sites containing “insulting content”. The organization will be registered with the justice ministry and manned by ordinary citizens and local journalists with the aim of reporting to state authorities on web sites that they consider libellous. 1

    Reports noted that Tajikistan is pressing Russia to provide more than $250 million a year for use of military bases on its territory. Under the current lease, which expires in 2014, Russia has exclusive rights to use three military garrisons and joint use of an air base. In return, Moscow provides military and technical assistance to Tajikistan’s military. 2

    In another development, in the aftermath of talks held between Kyrgyzstan’s finance minister and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran, Iran expects to invest $10 billion in Kyrgyzstan. No details were made available as to the industries or sectors which would see Iranian investment. 3

    The European Union’s Special Representative for Central Asia has said that the EU plans to ramp up cooperation on security with countries in the region. The idea is to build on from the EU five-year strategy for Central Asia launched in 2007. 4

    Reports noted that Kazakhstan and Russia are likely to ink a deal creating a joint air defence network by 2013. Under the terms of the preliminary agreement, Kazakhstan would defend Russian airspace along their shared 4,660-mile border. For its part, Moscow would provide Kazakhstan with cutting-edge Russian S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems. 5

    The head of national defence enterprise Kazakhstan Engineering and the defence chief of Ukraine have held talks in Astana in order to strengthen bilateral military-technical cooperation. These include repair and modernization of aircraft and armoured vehicles, ship building, development and manufacture of anti-aircraft defence systems. 6

    According to reports, the Presidents of Tajikistan and Azerbaijan have inked a number of bilateral cooperation documents which include copyright protection, mutual recognition of educational qualifications, youth policy and tourism. 7

    The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has said that it will extend a $197 million loan to Kazakhstan to reconstruct a highway linking up to a border crossing with Uzbekistan. The north-south road links Shymkent, provincial city of South Kazakhstan, and the border with Uzbekistan. 8

    In other developments, Turkmenistan is prepared to produce nearly 550 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas by 2016. Gas output in 2011 was close to 66 bcm. 9

    Reports noted that Kazakhstan (ranked 83rd), Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan (tied at 107th) and Uzbekistan (127th) are the four Central Asia countries on the innovation performance scale of the Global Innovation Index 2012. The Global Innovation Index (GII) analytical report is co-published by UN agency World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and INSEAD, an international graduate business school. 10

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