The members of the Lapis Lazuli Corridor, except Georgia, are also the members of the ECO (Economic Cooperation Organization). Therefore, ECO has an important role to play in the development of connectivity solutions in the region. Here is the text of the speech of Ambassador Hiseyin Avni Bicakh Deputy, the Secretary General of the Economic […]
Trump withdraws from Iran Nuclear Deal – Probable side effects for Central Asia
Tariq Saeedi President Trump announced Tuesday (8 May 2018) that he was pulling out of the Iran Nuclear Deal. This would potentially bring several consequences to the doors of Central Asia, some positive, some negative. There are four elements to this mix: 1. Rationale of Trump for ditching the Iran deal; 2. Response of US […]
Президент Ирана Рухани с визитом в Туркменистане
Новости и комментарий nCa Ашхабад, 28 марта 2018 (nCa) — 27-28 марта 2018 года Президент Ирана Хасан Рухани находится с визитом в Туркменистане. В первый день визита состоялись переговоры между двумя президентами. Подписано 12 двусторонних документов. Совместное заявление было опубликовано, но не было подписано президентами. Сегодня (28 марта 2018 года) Президент Ирана отправится в Марыйский […]
Rouhani visits Turkmenistan
nCa News and Commentary Ashgabat, 28 March 2018 (nCa) — President Hassan Rouhani of Iran is visiting Turkmenistan, 27-28 March 2018. On the first day of his visit the summit talks were held between the two presidents and 12 bilateral documents were signed. A joint statement was issued though it was not signed by […]
2018 starts with new formats of pressure on Central Asia
Tariq Saeedi 3 January 2018 (nCa) – It is dismal yet knowable: 2018 has started with a mix of usual and fresh pressures on Central Asia. First tweets of 2018 President Trump, between his New Year festivities at Mar-a-Lago and a morning round of golf, took to Twitter: “Iran is failing at every level despite […]
Turkmenistan to go to International Court of Arbitration for gas-debt dispute with Iran
nCa News and Commentary Ashgabat, 5 December 2017 (nCa) — Turkmenistan has decided to take its gas-debt settlement dispute with Iran to the International Court of Arbitration. The Turkmen TV reported on Monday that the latest round of talks between Turkmenistan and Iran on the clearance of huge outstanding debts had failed to reach any […]
3D visualization of Trump speech . . . sort of
Tariq Saeedi 21 September 2017 (nCa) — The Donald ‘MAGA’ Trump, the president of the United States addressed the United Nations on 19 September 2017. His speech has all the ingredients The Donald is made of: bullying, hatred, bigotry, myopic nationalism, and lavish charms for his voter base. It is important to create a kind […]
National Gas Company of Iran: A textbook example of how to damage own interests
nCa Commentary Ashgabat, 26 January 2017 (nCa) — In search of a textbook example of how to damage own interests, we don’t have to go far. NIGC, the national Iranian gas company, is doing just that in a big way. After refusing to talk about the settlement of nearly USD 2 billion debts with Turkmenistan, […]
Turkmenistan-Iran Gas Dispute – What does Iran actually want?
Tariq Saeedi Ashgabat, 5 January 2017 (nCa) — It is perplexing – Hyperbole is the default mode of the Iranian side whereas Turkmenistan is explaining the situation in a calm and measured manner. What does Iran actually want? On 3 January 2017, NIGC (National Iranian Gas Company) issued a statement, adding several layers of untruth […]
Iranian penchant for drama, exaggeration complicates situation in gas deal – Turkmenistan issues clarification
Tariq Saeedi Ashgabat, 3 January 2017 (nCa) — The matter was actually quite simple: You pay for what you use, you pay what you agreed to pay, and you pay when you are supposed to pay. We are talking of the Turkmen natural gas supplies to Iran, a purely economic matter that has acquired a […]