Tariq Saeedi The unrest in Kazakhstan has been contained. There is no doubt that it was an attempt for Color Revolution with the aim of toppling the government in Kazakhstan and the aspiration that it would spread to Russia. The challenge now, not just for Kazakhstan but the entire region, is to identify the causes […]
Did Blinken just acknowledge American role in Kazakhstan unrest?
Tariq Saeedi US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, had a telephone conversation with Kazakhstani Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi on 6 January 2022. According to the official website of the US Department of State, the below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price: “Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Kazakhstani Foreign Minister Mukhtar […]
Unrest in Kazakhstan – The smell is familiar
Tariq Saeedi There is a familiar smell to the protests panning out in Kazakhstan. — There is the saying: If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck. What started on 2 January 2022 in Kazakhstan is a textbook case of Color Revolution. The […]
This is ill-conceived Cold War – HMS Defender incident proved it
Tariq Saeedi Of course, it is an ill-conceived Cold War. On 23 June 2021, it took only 38 minutes to prove it. The incident On 23 June 2021, the British Royal Navy vessel HMS Defender, arguably the best equipped warship in the world, particularly in the capacity of electronic warfare, sailed in the Black Sea […]
Afghanistan: You broke it; You bought it.
Tariq Saeedi It is amazing how fast the promises of some people crumble. There were gallant and loud promises by the USA and its partners in cri.., sorry, partners in campaign, that all the Afghans who collaborated with them during the 20 years of occupation will be settled into the USA and Europe. They will […]
Salute to Joe Biden
Tariq Saeedi Salute to the courage, wisdom and foresight of Joe Biden. He has proved that he is a great statesman in this age of shallow and cheap politicians. — He is a giant among pygmies. The people who are criticizing the lightening-fast collapse of the Ghani regime on the decision of Biden to withdraw […]
How Russia and China assess the change of power in Afghanistan – US keep on rush escape
Elvira Kadyrova Russia is closely monitoring the development of the situation in Afghanistan after the transition of power in this country to the Taliban Movement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. The press release has emphasized the change of power occurred almost in the terms of complete absence of resistance from the national armed forces trained […]
Afghanistan: Why the Taliban takeover was so fast and bloodless – what next now
Tariq Saeedi and Elvira Kadyrova Everyone is in disbelief at the speed at which the Taliban took control of Kabul. How? Just how? — The short answer: They found the path of least resistance. Here is the somewhat longer, though still incomplete, answer. The conditions were ripe Ghost army, ghost police The official figures put […]
USA step outside the fence to spy through the peepholes – Shoigu on the Americans’ attempt to gain a foothold in Central Asia after screw-up in Afghanistan
Elvira Kadyrova Having lost the war in Afghanistan, the USA is trying to gain a foothold in the Central Asian region, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated in an interview with journalists on Wednesday, 28 July. The statement was made in Dushanbe, where defense ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member-states gathered for annual […]
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan visits Tashkent
Elvira Kadyrova DPM, minister of foreign affairs Rashid Meredov is on a visit to the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent to participate in the International Conference “Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity. Challenges and Opportunities”, which takes place on 15-16 July 2021. On the sidelines of the forum, the foreign minister held several bilateral and multilateral […]
This is ill-conceived Cold War – It will sap global goodwill of American allies
Tariq Saeedi The decisions taken in a simulated reality can backfire when acted upon in actual reality. The simulated reality usually occurs in the congregations of like-minded people such as the recently held G7 and NATO summits. The actual reality is what prevails in a society or a country; it is dynamic, vibrant, and somewhat […]
This is ill-conceived Cold War – B3W has sinister connotations
Tariq Saeedi A man is judged by his deeds, not his words. —– It is a universally accepted yardstick and it holds true when judging not just the individuals but also the countries and nations. The G7 (actually C7 i.e. Colonials-7) came up with the term B3W in their recent seaside summit. It has sinister […]
Russian FM: Central Asian countries have NO interest in hosting US military bases
Elvira Kadyrova The hosting of new US military facilities in Central Asia does not meet the security interests of the regional countries as no one wants to turn into an American hostage, — this is how Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov assessed the prospects for the emerging of US military bases in the Central Asian region. […]
Strategy and tactics of Taliban as they fan out across Afghanistan after the US pullout
Tariq Saeedi President Joe Biden finally swallowed the bitter pill as he spoke from the East Room of the White House on 8 July 2021. Announcing that the withdrawal of the American forces from Afghanistan will be completed by 31 August 2021, he virtually admitted the defeat in the 20-year war. After 20 years of […]
Russia not dramatic about situation in Afghanistan, is ready to protect its Central Asian allies from the ISIS threat – the USA shapes its future presence in Afghanistan
Elvira Kadyrova The main threat to the security of Central Asia is not the Taliban, but ISIS, which has been intensified in Afghanistan, warns Russia, being engaged in countering such threats. “It is important not to lose sight of Afghanistan, where ISIS is concentrating its forces. They are doing so using the way too drawn-out […]
Turkmen carpet antiques broke price records at auction in Philadelphia
Elvira Kadyrova An 18th-century Turkmen antique carpet has been rocketed to US $ 59,375 from a start price of US $ 10,000 at an auction in the American city of Philadelphia. Over hundred lots were displayed at the Material Culture’s sale on 27 June. The trader in exciting range of Antiques, Asian Arts, Fine Art, […]
The Law, the Rights and the Rules
Sergey Lavrov, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs The frank and generally constructive conversation that took place at the June 16, 2021 summit meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Joseph Biden in Geneva resulted in an agreement to launch a substantive dialogue on strategic stability, reaffirming the crucial premise that nuclear war is unacceptable. The two […]
Whom Russia is ready to take as companions for solving Afghan puzzle
Elvira Kadyrova Russia strongly supports the settlement of the Afghan situation with the involvement of regional international organizations such as SCO, the CSTO, and the countries bordering Afghanistan. The statement came from Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during his remarks at the Moscow Conference on International Security on Wednesday, 23 June. “It is necessary to […]
As to why Ebrahim Raisi won presidential elections in Iran and what can be expected during his tenure
Tariq Saeedi Who helped Ebrahim Raisi win the presidential elections in Iran? — Donald Trump! This is a purposely ridiculous statement because there is more to it than meets the eye. Look at the timeline: 14 July 2015 – the USA, Iran and other nations announce the nuclear deal. Iran agrees to limit its uranium […]
Hugger-mugger in USA’s Afghanistan agenda and Central Asia
Elvira Kadyrova After two-decades long bloody war, the United States has realized finally that there is no military solution to the Afghan mess, and today the Biden administration is engaged in extensive discussions with partners in Central Asia and beyond the region on future policy in Afghanistan — This is the juice squeezed out of […]
Uzbek president visits Turkmenistan
nCa News and Commentary President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan visited Turkmenistan on Thursday, 29 April 2021. It was essentially a personal visit to show solidarity and support for the president and the people of Turkmenistan as the country is in bereavement on the sad demise of the father of the Turkmen president, Myalikguly Berdimuhamedov. The […]
Investigative report debunks US State Department accusations of China ‘genocide’
An investigative report published by The Gray Zone has decisively debunked the US State Department accusations of the genocide of the Muslim Uyghur population in the Xinjiang province. Gareth Porter and Max Blumenthal, both of them journalists with impeccable credentials and authors of several books have compiled the report. Their complete report can be found […]
Can Joe Biden afford to tinker with Afghan peace deal?
Tariq Saeedi Jake Sullivan, the national security advisor to President Joe Biden has announced that the United States intends to review the Afghan peace deal. The apparent purpose is to check whether the Taliban were living up to the pledges they made. It is a loaded statement. —– Does the ‘review’ include the option to […]
Начались политические консультации между Туркменистаном и США
Сегодня, 15 декабря 2020 года стартовали трехдневные политические консультации между внешнеполитическими ведомствами Туркменистана и Соединенных Штатов Америки в формате видеоконференции. На повестке дня основные векторы двустороннего сотрудничества, в частности вопросы безопасности, торгово-экономические связи, гуманитарный спектр. Открывая заседание, Министр иностранных дел Туркменистана Р.Мередов очертил туркмено-американские связи, которые приобретают позитивную динамику развития. Было отмечено, что Президент Туркменистана […]
Political consultations began between Turkmenistan and the United States
Today, on December 15, 2020, three-day political consultations between the Foreign policy agencies of Turkmenistan and the United States of America in the format of a video conference started. The main vectors of bilateral cooperation are on the agenda, in particular, security issues, trade and economic ties, the humanitarian spectrum. Opening the meeting, Minister of […]
Russia and Central Asia agreed to forge cooperation in strategically important areas
Elvira Kadyrova A joint statement has been signed following the online meeting of foreign ministers of the Central Asia and Russia held on 15 October 2020. Its text is published on the website of the Russian foreign ministry. According to the document, the parties identified several strategically important areas in which Russia and five regional […]
Трехсторонняя встреча руководителей внешнеполитических ведомств Туркменистана, Афганистана и США
8 октября 2020 состоялась первая встреча формата Туркменистан–ИРИ–США на который приняли участие Министр иностранных дел Туркменистана Рашид Мередов, Заместитель Государственного секретаря США по политическим вопросам Дэвид Хейл и исполняющий обязанности Министра иностранных дел Исламской Республики Афганистан Мохаммад Ханиф Атмар в формате видеоконференции. В ходе встречи стороны обсудили ряд важных вопросов политического, торгово-экономического и гуманитарного характера. […]
Trilateral meeting of foreign ministers of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and the United States
On October 8, 2020, the first meeting of the Turkmenistan-IRA-US format was held, which was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov, US Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale and Acting Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Hanif Atmar in the format of a video […]
China offers a way to rescue Chinese-USA relations from total collapse
Elvira Kadyrova Nowadays history witnesses strong inclemency in relationship of two super powers – China and USA. Trade wars, US every attempts to boil the situation around Chinese home policy, as well as China-demonizing attacks on world arena… It seems, there is no reversal point to peaceful political coexistence of these two giants. Meanwhile, Beijing […]
Role of China in the changing world
Tariq Saeedi The world was changing anyway; the Covid-19 and the policies of Trump administration have just accelerated the process. The Covid-19 has eaten the entrails of economies of most of the countries. Many of those countries will not be able to restart their economies on their own. China with its BRI (Belt and Road […]
Foreign Exchange Students Not Coming to America Due to Covid-19
Child Advocacy Group Encourages Parents To Do Their Homework More than 30,000 high school foreign exchange students who were planning to come to America this fall will instead be staying home due to Covid-19. Director, Danielle Grijalva of the Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students says that may be a good thing. “Too many […]
Turkmenistan opposes the politicization of COVID-19
Elvira Kadyrova “Turkmenistan opposes the politicization of epidemics under any circumstances, since such politicization cannot benefit global anti-epidemic cooperation,” foreign minister Rashid Meredov said during a telephone conversation on Sunday (28 Jun) with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi. Wang thanked Turkmenistan for its support to China in the fight against COVID-19 and praised Turkmenistan’s response […]
Washington and Tashkent to take up the revival of Afghanistan – more questions than answers
Elvira Kadyrova The United States, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan last week held a video conference, inaugurating the new trilateral format of cooperation. The teleconference linked Uzbek foreign minister Abdulaziz Kamilov, US Under Secretary of State for political affairs David Hale and acting Afghan foreign minister Haneef Atmar. The agenda included issues of peaceful settlement in Afghanistan, […]
Official position of China on some key issues
Dr. Wang Yi, the state councilor and foreign minister of China, conducted a press conference on 24 May 2020 on the sidelines of the third session of the NPC of the 13th convocation. The press conference, which was held in the video format, attracted journalists from the Chinese and foreign media. Dr. Wang Yi, who […]
Macabre dance around peace in Afghanistan
Tariq Saeedi The situation is darkly unique even for Afghanistan, a country where darkly unique situations bubble up almost every day. The hope for peace in Afghanistan was so real a few weeks ago but it is getting smothered by the events that have piled up thick and fast. The peace agreement signed between the […]
Taliban and Central Asia – Part 1
Tariq Saeedi The ink on the peace agreement signed between the USA and the Taliban on 29 February 2020 in Doha had barely dried when the disruptive noises started emerging to defeat the likelihood of peace in Afghanistan. We all know who doesn’t want peace, and why, but for now there is the need to […]
American-Taliban Agreement – Preamble to Peace in Afghanistan
Tariq Saeedi The simplicity of language and the brevity of text show the clarity of mind from both sides. It is a genuine attempt to wrap the longest war of the American history in less than four pages of plainly defined commitments, and the steps that must be taken to rebuild peace in Afghanistan. The […]
Afghanistan – At the threshold of lasting peace, or brink of insane violence?
Tariq Saeedi After more than 18 months of off-again, on-again negotiations, the Taliban and the USA could possibly sign the peace accord on 29 February 2020. Although the terms of the deal have not been made public officially, it is possible to guess some of the details based on the information from the various Taliban […]
American policies creating new stress points – Neutrality is the only viable option Central Asia
Tariq Saeedi Central Asia is simultaneously blessed and cursed by its geography. Except for the soviet period, Central Asia has traditionally seen endless streams of people and cargo moving in all directions. The transit potential has been a dependable source of its prosperity. The region is at the heart of the Eurasian landmass. — The […]
If this is a rules-based world, what are the rules?
Tariq Saeedi US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Saturday (15 February 2020) at the Munich Security Conference that Russia and China were ‘destabilizing the rules-based international system.’ Speaking immediately after him, the US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper decried the ‘Chinese manipulation of the long-standing international rules-based order.’ Rules-based international system? Rules-based order? […]
US Strategy for Central Asia – A cart without horse
Tariq Saeedi They are trying to bring in a cart and they hope to use someone else’s horse. — This is the simple, short, and correct description of the newly unveiled US Strategy for Central Asia for the period 2019-2025. This reminds us of a short fable of Mulla Nasrudin, the great Central Asian wit, […]
New American sanctions – Punishment for people of Iran?
Tariq Saeedi Notwithstanding the showcase rhetoric, the new American sanctions announced on 10 January 2020 are clearly meant to punish the people of Iran for their failure to overthrow the regime. Here is the summary of the press release issued by the US Department of Treasury on 10 January 2020 The new sanctions apply to: […]
Iran-US spat – resizing of situation and a word of caution for Central Asia
Tariq Saeedi Iran fired some missiles at two US bases in Iraq on Tuesday and declared it as ‘proportionate response’ to the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani. Trump addressed the nation on Wednesday and hinted at increasing the pressure on Iran without going for further military action. Both sides desire de-escalation although the tussle through […]
Ирано-американский раздор – перемасштабирование ситуации и предупреждение для Центральной Азии
Тарик Саиди Иран выпустил несколько ракет по двум американским базам в Ираке во вторник и объявил это “пропорциональным ответом” на убийство генерала Кассема Солеймани. Трамп обратился к нации в среду и намекнул на усиление давления на Иран без дальнейших военных действий. Обе стороны стремятся к деэскалации, хотя борьба с помощью побочных средств, безусловно, будет продолжаться. […]
Iran situation – some words for Iran, some for the west, and a few for Central Asia – Part 1
Tariq Saeedi The gasoline prices in Iran were jacked up by 50% recently. This led to riots that caused damage to the public and private property, and a number of casualties occurred when the authorities dealt with the rioters with a heavy hand. The riots have subsided though they may smolder for a while. President […]
The Ghost of Brzezinski haunts Trump Administration – Part 1
Tariq Saeedi The very vocal desire to maintain the global supremacy is perhaps the main feature of the ‘American exceptionalism.’ The American exceptionalism is composed of three related ideas: The history of the United States is inherently different from that of any other nation The USA has a unique mission to transform the world The […]
Pompeo offers new areas of cooperation with Central Asia
Elvira Kadyrova On 22 September, a regular ministerial meeting of Central Asia+USA (C5+1) was held in New York. The gathering was attended by the U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, foreign minister of Kazakhstan, Mukhtar Tleuberdi, foreign minister of Kyrgyzstan, Chingiz Aidarbekov, foreign minister of Tajikistan, Sirodjidin Mohiddin, foreign minister of Uzbekistan, Abdulaziz Kamilov and […]
Kazakhstan hosted a meeting of foreign ministers of Central Asian countries + USA
Elvira Kadyrova The chief foreign policy makers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and USA gathered in Nur-Sultan on 21 August 2019 for the next round of the high-level meeting in format “C5+1”. The meeting was attended by: Minister of foreign affairs of Kazakhstan, Beybut Atamkulov Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, minister of […]
Google distancing from Huawei could be blessing in disguise – no immediate impact on users in Central Asia
nCa Analysis The ever-widening trade rift between the USA and China has taken an ugly turn. The US chip manufacturers and Google have been forced to comply with the US government’s ban on the supply of technologies to the Chinese telecommunications leader Huawei. The ban is applicable on the hardware and the software including the […]
Trump Unveils “Warsaw Plan”
General Mirza Aslam Beg, Former COAS Pakistan friendscolumn@hotmail.com President Trump is building-up his strategic naval forces, in the Gulf Region, NOT to fight the ‘naval superiority battle’ of the deep seas, but to apply “Shock and Awe” therapy on the Iranians, suffering from decades of “Monetary Terrorism” and “Social Engineering” – an act of war, imposed […]