Malaysia and Turkmenistan to enhance bilateral ties; Tajikistan and Afghanistan leaders agreed to strengthen Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) border; Uzbekistan begins construction of a new US$ 4 billion gas to liquid plant in collaboration with
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    • According to reports, the Malaysian and Turkmen governments have decided to create a Joint Commission Meeting to strengthen economic ties between the countries. Malaysian Foreign Minister Mr. Datuk Seri Anifah Aman met with his Turkmen counterpart Rashid Meredov as part of a two-day visit to Ashgabat. They also discussed future cooperation in the construction and transportation industries, as well as the tourism sector. Petronas is a major foreign investor in Turkmenistan’s oil and gas sector. 1

    In another development, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai have agreed to work to secure the joint border in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) of Tajikistan, the site of recent clashes between government forces and militants. 2

    According to reports, South African firm Sasol and Uzbekistan’s state gas firm Uzbekneftegaz have begun construction on the water and electricity infrastructure of a $4 billion gas-to-liquid (GTL) plant with Malaysia’s Petronas. Upon its completion, it will reprocess 3.5 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas annually, producing $1.5 billion worth products including diesel and jet fuels, naphta and liquefied gas. 3

    Reports noted that Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev has signed a bill in a law to remove visa restrictions for visitors hailing from 44 countries. Visitors from 44 countries – which include all 27 European Union states, Canada, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and several South American countries – will be able to stay in the country for sixty days. This is seen as an attempt to boost tourism and improve the investment climate in the country. 4

    In other developments, according to reports, Kyrgyzstan will hold talks with its partners Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan of the Central Asian United Energy System (UES) on account of tensions over the UES, as Uzbekistan has withdrawn more electricity from the grid than it paid for. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan has threatened to withdraw from the energy-sharing organization unless the Uzbek government paid the $7.5 million it owes for electricity usage. Kyrgyzstan is in the midst of building the 500-kiloVolt Datka power station and its accompanying 500-kV Datka-Kemin power line, located in the southern Jalalabad province. Construction of the power infrastructure is estimated to take two and a half years. 5

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