ASTANA – Radmir Khaibullin, an 11-year-old accordionist, took the Trophée Mondial de l’Accordéon, securing first place in the Classique category of 12 and under.

Trophée Mondial de l’Accordéon is a prestigious event for accordion players globally with a history of over 70 years. Since 2020, the competition has been held online, which was quite challenging for the young player.

Khaibullin presented a video performance featuring works “Fugue in D major” by Johann Sebastian Bach, “Love Song” by Mark Fradkin, and “Fast Train” by Yuri Gavrilov. With this set, he triumphed at the French contest, bringing the first international open trophée to Kazakhstan.

Khaibullin is a fifth-grade boarding school student for gifted children at the Kazakh National University of Arts. He was just five years old when he first took the accordion.

Khaibullin is preparing for the upcoming national competition Astana Merey and an international competition in Barnaul, where he will represent Kazakhstan with Ruslan Turayev, his teacher and accomplished laureate of international music competitions, in December.

Source: Astana Times

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Frankfurt (3/12 – 12)

The relatively rapid cohesion of disparate nations, historically competitive or even at war with one another, into the European Union came about in part because of the ongoing threat from the Soviet Union. The specter of a tank invasion from Warsaw Pact nations, today forgotten, was such a reality that the German government kept a major portion of its gold bullion across the Atlantic.

The USSR, an ally in World War II after being double-crossed by Hitler – remember the “Non-Aggression Pact signed in Moscow by von Ribbentrop and Molotov – was soon appraised as a danger in itself when, at the conclusion of hostilities, it ringed itself with unwilling “satellites”. After having suffered under brutal Nazi rule, Poland, Czechoslovakia and others found themselves subservient to Moscow, often occupied by Russian troops.

Thus in 1949 NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was established as an intergovernmental military alliance, encompassing 29 European countries and two North American ones. In fact it was an American creation and continues until today under US domination. Its primary purpose was stated as follows: “to safeguard the security of its members and promote peace and stability in Europe.”

A wry summary of the purpose of NATO is “…to keep the Americans in, the Germans down, and the Russians out”; this is often attributed to Lord Hastings Lionel Ismay, the first NATO Secretary General. The quote has since become a common way to describe the dynamics of NATO. The Federal Republic of Germany continues to host American military bases, nearly 40,000 American troops and nuclear weapons, just as it did during Post-WW II Occupation.

The common belief of military strategists is that a paranoid, expansionist USSR, under the tyranny of Joseph Stalin, would inevitably be at war with the democratic nations of the west. Some Soviet leaders and military may have assumed the same, although it never came to pass. The politicians talk tough, but those in charge of the weapons of mass destruction are justifiably terrified of them.

American nuclear weapons were stationed in Europe, pointed at the Soviets, in case of a sneak attack; the French, having decided to refrain from joining NATO, since President Charles de Gaulle considered it too much of an American-dominated organization, had their own, a “Force de Frappe”, part of a triad of air-, sea- and land-based nuclear weapons intended for “dissuasion”, the French term for “deterrence”.

With the exception of some strongly-anti-Communist military men, nuclear war was generally considered to be impractical, as even a small number of detonations could effectively paralyze any nation, and airtight defense against nuclear attack was simply impossible, once ICBMs proliferated. At the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, General Curtis LeMay urged President Kennedy to launch an all-out attack on the Soviets; Kennedy mused, out loud, “Can I afford to lose twenty million voters?” that being a conservative estimate of the deaths that would result from a Russian retaliatory attack on the US mainland.

Following the totally unexpected collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, notable as a colossal failure on the part of western intelligence organizations to anticipate, NATO was faced with finding a new raison d’etre to justify its enormous budget – mostly born by the Americans, whose military-industrial complex is the single greatest support for a deindustrialized economy, once manufacturing was offshored to the People’s Republic of China, Korea, Vietnam and other cheap-labor countries.

The much-abused Finland joined NATO in April 2023, in part because of the conflict in Ukraine. The clever Europeans, offering tempting goodies including economic benefits and modern weaponry, have managed to lure in former Soviet satellites Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary (members since 1999), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Bulgaria (all joining in 2004). It is clearly a valiant attempt at a historical “containment” of Russia – including the “oddball member” of Türkiye, a ferociously Islamist republic dedicated to the conquest of an infidel Europe, not to mention a diehard enemy of fellow NATO member Greece.

The clearly-stated American objective, in the words of a Pentagon document, is “total spectrum dominance”, with the USA as the single superpower on the face of the planet. Russia, possessing some 6000 nuclear weapons on land and at sea, is an inconvenient obstacle to the achievement of this goal; the unexpected rise of the People’s Republic of China as a military and naval force, financed by the profits from export sales across the globe, adds another challenge to American dominance. China never had a blue-water navy; it has a respectable one now, thanks in part to the Russians, as NATO has unexpectedly pushed the two legacy adversaries into a marriage of convenience.

The “Special Military Operation” of the Russian Federation in Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine, in response to reported repression and slaughter of Russian speakers in the Donbass from 2014, has been a godsend to both NATO and the western military-industrial complex, with a ready market for its tanks, helicopters, 155mm shells and other armaments. The trigger for the Russian invasion was the clearly-stated stance of Ukraine to become a member of NATO, which Russia considers an existential threat: no way will they countenance nuclear missiles three minutes’ flight from the Kremlin. While the Americans are cheering Ukraine on (while sending no soldiers to fight there), the Europeans, perhaps with a memory of what it was like to be bombed, are less enthusiastic about approving Ukrainian membership: Article 5 of the Mutual Defense Agreement states that an attack on any NATO member will require all the rest to pile in and retaliate. Europe does not fancy turning into a radioactive ashtray. The United States of America simply cannot imagine it, never having been bombed to bits.

“’Equipment that defends America and is made in America. Patriot missiles for air defense batteries, made in Arizona. Artillery shells manufactured in 12 states across the country, in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas. And so much more,’ the politician stated. ‘You know, just as in World War II, today patriotic American workers are building the arsenal of democracy and serving the cause of freedom.’

“Ukraine has been striking Russian logistics hubs using Lockheed Martin’s Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, or GMLRS, that are partially made in Lufkin, Texas — a city of 34,000 people that saw its paper mill and foundry close over the last two decades.” [case study in deindustrialization.]

“It is represented by Republican Rep. Pete Sessions, a Ukraine aid supporter, who said Friday that the U.S. has an obligation to protect Ukraine under its post-Cold War security commitments.

“The U.S. has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launchers that fire GMLRS and are made in Camden, Ark., a town of about 10,000 people that is 100 miles south of Little Rock.

“Republican Rep. Bruce Westerman, who represents Camden, said critics of government spending can be surprised to know some of that spending is going back to communities like his.”

In the opinion of many of these fine folks, killing Russians is a great idea, particularly when it is such a profitable one. That Russia will escalate with nuclear weapons, obliging NATO to do the same, is dismissed as ridiculous.

As ever, to understand the deep dynamics of the situation, simply “follow the money”.

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Reporters from Shanghai Securities News China Securities Network learned from the Shanghai Municipal Government press conference held today that the 2023 Shanghai International Biopharmaceutical Industry Week will be held from October 16 to October 20. This event will be held overseas for the first time at the same time activity.

Wu Jincheng, director of the Shanghai Municipal Economic and Information Technology Commission, introduced at the meeting that the “International Science and Practice Conference and Central Asia-China High-end Biomedicine Exhibition” held in Kyrgyzstan will focus on biomedicine and high-end medical equipment, and bring together the latest scientific and technological achievements.

Academic research experience are shared overseas, helping Chinese companies set up locations in Central Asia for cooperation, promoting Chinese biopharmaceutical companies to go abroad, and gradually increasing the overseas influence of Shanghai International Biopharmaceutical Industry Week.

Source: CN Stock

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ASTANA – The Astana Times has compiled a selection of articles on Kazakhstan published in international media. This week’s foreign media digest includes coverage of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, U.S. senators’ efforts to repeal Jackson-Vanik amendment for Kazakhstan and other topics.

Volume of cargo transported alongside Middle Corridor by Kazakhstan grows

Business Lend published an article on Sept. 8 focused on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR).

“The quantity of cargo transported alongside the TITR, or the so-called Middle Corridor, by Kazakhstan increased by 86 % in comparison with the same period of 2022, and reached 1.6 million tons,” the article reads.

According to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, the country’s railway and logistics company, exports from Kazakhstan amounted to 1.2 million tons, representing a 2.5-fold increase year-on-year.

Kazakhstan’s bold new economic plan can enhance its regional role

The Geopolitics published an article on Sept. 1 analyzing the Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state-of-the-nation address. 

“In his recent state-of-the-nation address titled Economic Course of a Just Kazakhstan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev laid out an ambitious and nuanced roadmap for the nation’s economic and political future. For those who have been closely observing Kazakhstan’s trajectory, the President’s comprehensive vision seems not only promising but also feasible, provided there is committed execution of the outlined initiatives,” the article notes.

Kazakhstan and Italy Aim to Expand Cooperation

EU Reporter published an article on Sept. 7 informing that Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Murat Nurtleu, met with Antonio Tajani, Italy’s Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Tajani was in Astana on an official visit.

According to the article, Minister Tajani expressed support for the initiatives announced in President Tokayev’s State of the Nation Address “The Economic Course of a Just Kazakhstan”, as well as for political and socio-economic reforms aimed at building a strong economy and a prosperous society. He also noted the high level of relations between the two countries, emphasizing the presence of new promising areas.

Bipartisan bill seeks to repeal Jackson-Vanik for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan

U.S. Senators Chris Murphy and Todd Young introduced legislation on Sept. 7 to repeal the Jackson-Vanik amendment for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan and grant the three Central Asian states permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status, the Diplomat reported on Sept. 7.

If passed successfully, the U.S. Congress will have alleviated a notable point of irritation for the states of Central Asia affected. In light of the Russian war in Ukraine’s deleterious effect on Moscow’s influence in the region and simultaneous Chinese inroads into Central Asia, repealing the Jackson-Vanik amendment for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan is a considerable gesture of goodwill from the United States. 

The Jackson-Vanik amendment to the Trade Act of 1974 rendered certain countries ineligible for normal trade relations with the United States due to restrictions on emigration, specifically that of Soviet Jews seeking to leave the Soviet Union. Although it collapsed in 1991, Jackson-Vanik lived on.

Bajram Begaj and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev discuss opening of Kazakhstan embassy in Tirana 

Albanian Daily News published an article on President Bajram Begaj’s state visit to Kazakhstan on Sept. 6-8.

Invited by his Kazakh counterpart, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Begaj conducted a state visit that coincides with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. After the official ceremony, the two Presidents held a face-to-face meeting, where one of the topics discussed was the opening of the Kazakhstan embassy in Tirana, the article states.

“Special attention was also paid to economic cooperation, trade exchanges, finding opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest, such as energy, infrastructure, agriculture or extraction and processing of minerals,” said Begaj. 

Source: Astana Times

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(MENAFN– Trend News Agency) DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, August 22. Tajikistan will allocate 2.5 billion somoni ($227 million) for the construction and reconstruction of a road in the Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous region in the eastern part of the country, the President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, said during a meeting with residents of Gorno-Badakhshan, trend reports.

According to him, the current length of the road is 109 km, and it will be shortened by 17 km after complete reconstruction. Ultimately, there will be a 92-kilometer modern road that complies with all international standards.

“The construction of this road holds significant economic and social importance not only for the region’s population, but in the near future, it will also serve as a transit-economic corridor between China-Tajikistan-Northern Afghanistan and China-Tajikistan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Türkiye-Europe”.

As part of the development of this economic corridor, the country’s government has decided to implement road construction projects from Rushan village to the village of Varshez in the Shughnon district, covering a distance of 235 km, and from Varshez to the Kulma-Karasu border crossing, covering almost 300 km. Additionally, the Kulma-Karasu border crossing will undergo reconstruction.

“The creation of such corridors will lead to an increase in international freight and passenger transportation, as well as strengthen transit and tourism opportunities for the Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous region,” Rahmon said.

It was noted that the construction of this highway from Darvaz to Rushan district is already underway.

During the period of the country’s independence (in 1991), 12 state investment projects have been implemented for the residents of Gorno-Badakhshan, involving the construction of internationally significant highways with a total value of 2.3 billion somoni ($209 million). Moreover, over 200 kilometers of roads, 1 tunnel, and 25 bridges have been put into operation.

Source: Mena FN

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Air Koryo flight from Pyongyang cancelled two hours after its scheduled arrival in Beijing

North Korea’s national airline’s first commercial flight since it largely closed itself off from the world in early 2020 in response to the Covid pandemic has been abruptly cancelled.

Journalists gathered on Monday at Beijing’s Capital international airport to await Air Koryo flight JS151 from Pyongyang, due to arrive at 9.50am.

But almost two hours after its scheduled arrival, the arrivals board in the terminal showed it as cancelled, prompting groans of disappointment from media waiting to see some of the isolated country’s first international travellers in years.

Beijing airport customer service told AFP that Air Koryo, Pyongyang’s national air carrier, had not given a reason for the cancellation.

Asked about the cancellation, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson said only that it had approved restarting commercial flights between Beijing and Pyongyang.

“During the summer and autumn flight season … the Chinese side approved flight plans for passengers such as the Pyongyang-Beijing and Beijing-Pyongyang routes of Air Koryo,” Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing.

AFP reporters who knocked on the bolted glass doors of Air Koryo’s Beijing office on Monday afternoon startled a man dozing on the sofa in the darkened room.

A second man who opened the door responded to AFP’s questions by repeatedly saying: “We don’t know.”

He referred reporters to the North Korean ruling party newspaper the Rodong Sinmun for “accurate” information, as a third man slipped inside, his shirt bearing a badge with portraits of the country’s two former leaders.

After three years of Covid-induced isolation as it closed its borders, there are increasing signs Pyongyang may be becoming more flexible.

Chinese and Russian officials attended a military parade in the North Korean capital last month – the first foreign dignitaries to visit the country in years. Last week Pyongyang allowed a delegation of athletes to attend a taekwondo competition in Kazakhstan.

The Yonhap and Kyodo news agencies reported that a group of people, believed to be North Korean athletes, had crossed the land border into China last Wednesday before travelling on to Beijing, then flying to Central Asia.

Air Koryo was to conduct its first commercial flight in over three years. Seoul’s unification ministry, which manages relations with North Korea, told AFP there was “absolutely nothing we are aware of” regarding the cancellation of the flight.

“There have been various signs regarding North Korea’s reopening of its borders,” an official said. “But it is difficult to determine yet whether it is a full-scale opening of the border or a fairly limited and controlled opening,” they added.

NK News reported on Monday that Air Koryo was due to carry out two flights from Russia’s Vladivostok to Pyongyang on Friday and next Monday.

Source: The Guardian

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A truck loaded with a wide range of e-commerce goods has completed its journey from China’s inland city of Kashgar to Kyrgyzstan. This marks the first transport of its kind to connect China with Central Asia benefiting from the unique combination of TIR and the dedicated e-commerce goods customs declaration procedure called “9610”. 

China’s cross-border e-commerce trade witnessed rapid growth during the pandemic, becoming an important driving force of the country’s foreign trade. 

Data from China’s Ministry of Commerce shows that the country’s cross-border e-commerce has increased by nearly ten times over the past five years. Driven by deepening regional cooperation, e-commerce trade between China and Central Asia experienced a 95% year-on-year growth in 2022.

China’s fast-growing e-commerce trade has generated a surging market demand for safe and efficient logistics solutions to move goods across borders. TIR, which connects China with over 30 countries across Eurasia, will help to further unleash the potential of its e-commerce trade.  

The TIR system brings unique benefits to the transport of e-commerce goods. TIR streamlines border procedures, allowing for customs procedures to be handled during departure from an inland customs office, while enhancing the security of the goods. This ensures faster and more secure delivery of goods and guarantees cargo integrity during the journey.

Source: IRU News

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Catering to the increasing demand for visa services, BLS International to open five visa application centres across Kazakhstan strategically located in Astana, Almaty, Atyrau, Shymkent, and Ustkamenogorsk.

NEW DELHI – BLS International Services Ltd., a global leader in outsourcing and technology solutions for governments and diplomatic missions, is pleased to announce the signing of a contract with the Embassy of Italy in Kazakhstan. This contract aims to enhance and streamline the visa application process for individuals traveling to Italy from Kazakhstan.

Catering to the increasing demand for visa services, BLS International to open five visa application centres across Kazakhstan strategically located in Astana, Almaty, Atyrau, Shymkent, and Ustkamenogorsk. Ensuring accessibility and convenience for applicants from various regions of the country, BLS would handle 25,000 visa applications annually in Kazakhstan for Embassy of Italy. The new visa application centres will offer end-to-end visa processing solutions, including application submission, biometric data collection, and applicant support.

“We are humbled and privileged to partner with the Embassy of Italy again and provide our best-in-class visa outsourcing services in Kazakhstan this time,” said Mr. Shikhar Aggarwal, Joint Managing Director, BLS International Services Ltd. “Earlier this year, we effectively secured three new contracts with the Italian government in Singapore, Senegal, Abu Dhabi and Russia. This agreement further acts as a testament to the trust placed in us by Embassy of Italy. With our extensive experience and advanced technology, we are committed to providing outstanding services that meet the needs of visa applicants. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration and the opportunity to serve the community.”

With proven expertise in visa services and a strong commitment to customer satisfaction, BLS International Services is well-equipped to provide efficient, reliable, and transparent visa processing services to applicants. With its customer-centric approach and dedication to excellence, BLS contributes to a seamless and reliable visa application process.

Source: Travel Daily News

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China’s Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area on Tuesday launched its first China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) international multimodal cargo train, enhancing connectivity between Central Asia and the southeastern region of China, China Media Group (CMG) reported.

This new train route adopted the containerized “railway-road” multimodal transport mode. After arriving in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region via railway, the cargo will then be transferred to road transport and exit through the Irkeshtam port, passing through Kyrgyzstan, and ultimately reaching Uzbekistan, CMG said, citing information from local customs.

Compared to traditional routes, this new line saves approximately five days in transit time, providing a more efficient and expedited logistics channel for trade between the Greater Bay Area and Central Asian countries, according to the report.

Previously, trade transportation between China and Central Asian countries largely relied on China-Europe freight train route via the Horgos Port. With the rapid increase in trade volume, the port congestion has worsened, necessitating the establishment of a new transportation corridor to accelerate cargo flow.

The new route will not only strengthen economic and trade exchanges between the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Greater Bay Area, but also pave the way for the future operation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project which is expected to start construction within the year.

In June 2022, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov said in an interview with Kabar Agency that “We will start the construction of the railway in 2023 after the feasibility study is completed. The feasibility study is being prepared with the participation of three parties. There will be jobs. Our economy will boom.”

The new route forms a spatial layout of “multi-directional extension and land-sea interconnection,” supporting the deep participation of the Greater Bay Area in the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative’s international economic corridors and promoting its level of opening-up to the world, CMG reported.

The route is not the first CKU international multimodal transport train launched from China. Earlier on June 9, a CKU transport new channel test train departed from Xinjiang and headed toward Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan.

Source: ECNS News

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