Political, security and economic developments in Central Asia

https://futuristrendcast.wordpress.com/2019/03/20/urgent-what-nazarbayev-sudden-resignation-means-for-russia-china-iran-us-earthshiftpodcast9/

This lady is interesting and often quite accurate. Altho some might see her as rather "eccentric". Anyway, she's alluding to some idea that the new Kazak president might be
working for the Uncle Sham in some way. I haven't watched her podcast, but does anyone know if there could be anything in this?

This is what I think Russia's error is. All Russia ever does is parry Uncle Sham's blows and never fights back directly. Now the best boxer in the world can block blows, maybe for a while, but eventually he'll get caught flush on the chin. Isn't it time Russia fought back? I mean provoking unrest in America and her closest neighbours. That would make Uncle Sham think twice before causing more trouble and death in the CIS.

first off, she seems to lack knowledge.  The agreement signed by all parties states no foreign (nations not bordering caspain sea) are allowed to have a navy there.  So if Kazakhstan breaks that agreement, then they are screwed.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/426451/No-foreign-country-has-right-to-establish-military-base-in-Caspian
https://www.euronews.com/2018/08/16/five-nations-sign-landmark-deal-on-status-of-caspian-sea

Second of all, Kazakhstan relies heavily on Russia.  There is nothing shows that this guy is some US vassal.  He was a Soviet ambassador to China.  How the hell does that make him a US vassal?

Here is a nice article that kind of just explains things:

https://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/Tokayev-President-Nazarbayev-lifelong-and-permanent-leader-of-the-nation.html

Tokayev - President, Nazarbayev lifelong and permanent leader of the nation

Interesting. I'll take a look at your link, thankyou for it. I must admit, I was a bit surprised at the idea of Kazakstan somehow becoming a turncoat for Uncle Sham.

I think she's maybe a bit too clever for her own good. She's a novelist and commentator and esoterica expert who used to be a New York banker. Her podcast articles are massively in depth ie very long and often accurate (in my experience) but they are largely fee based, and frankly few people have the time and/or inclination for such a system. Her fascinating Youtube channel gets a small number of visitors, probably because she doesn't delegate much to others to market it.(Or maybe Youtube shadow bans her for being "unAmerican", as Facebook has done.

Either way, I hope the Ru-Kaz relationship stays solid. And Kazakstan continues to develop as a key component of the Eurasian Union!

History shows nothing stays the same. Eventually Kazakhstan will get wooed by someone. My best is China more so Russia in this new case. The president is still just a body for the previous leader as he will rule behind the scenes. New guy is a former Soviet diplomat and has connections to China.

Russia seems to hold onto the idea that everything will be Rosey with Kazakhstan. And Last leader called Medvedev and held a long chat (dunno about what exactly) and it was stated that he will continue to hold long chats with Medvedev for years to come on a monthly or so basis. So this gives me indication that this new guy may also be a Russian asset.

Dunno.

Absolutely correct - nothing stays the same. The aging elite in all the "friendly" post-Soviet states will be replaced by a younger generation with no historical connection to the USSR nor Russia and whose familiarity with English will equal or surpass their use of Russian. The Anglo/American system is based partly on economic and cultural influence: the rich in those countries aspire to send their kids to Stanford or Oxford, not MGU, and they want to own real estate in Santa Barbara, New York, or London, not Moscow. Hell, even the wealthy Russians can't wait to get their money out of Russia and their kids into U.S. or U.K. schools. That is the inherent conflict: the self-interest of the wealthy and highly educated versus the national interest in a world where the U.S. dollar and Hollywood reign supreme.

calripson wrote:Absolutely correct - nothing stays the same. The aging elite in all the "friendly" post-Soviet states will be replaced by a younger generation with no historical connection to the USSR nor Russia and whose familiarity with English will equal or surpass their use of Russian. The Anglo/American system is based partly on economic and cultural influence: the rich in those countries aspire to send their kids to Stanford or Oxford, not MGU, and they want to own real estate in Santa Barbara, New York, or London, not Moscow. Hell, even the wealthy Russians can't wait to get their money out of Russia and their kids into U.S. or U.K. schools. That is the inherent conflict: the self-interest of the wealthy and highly educated versus the national interest in a world where the U.S. dollar and Hollywood reign supreme.

That is starting to change actually. No secret many Russians and others are moving outside to hide wealth but they tend to do so in EU and Israel now. But many are also returning their wealth back to Russia to build mega schools and other projects. Simply because they can, it will help them reinvest their money to make more money, etc.

I think you are a bit behind the times. 2008 called.

Now everyone everywhere is worried to hide their money and move off. Because of the US kidnapping people, taking their money, etc etc.

calripson wrote:Absolutely correct - nothing stays the same. The aging elite in all the "friendly" post-Soviet states will be replaced by a younger generation with no historical connection to the USSR nor Russia and whose familiarity with English will equal or surpass their use of Russian. The Anglo/American system is based partly on economic and cultural influence: the rich in those countries aspire to send their kids to Stanford or Oxford, not MGU, and they want to own real estate in Santa Barbara, New York, or London, not Moscow. Hell, even the wealthy Russians can't wait to get their money out of Russia and their kids into U.S. or U.K. schools. That is the inherent conflict: the self-interest of the wealthy and highly educated versus the national interest in a world where the U.S. dollar and Hollywood reign supreme.

There are other aspects to all this.
Lots of Russians did want to live the Western way. And whats happening? They're getting their wealth stolen by Uncle Scam. In Britain and New England and places, they're being branded "neanderthal criminals who don't have the class to deserve money". Look how Deripaska, Abramovich and so many more are treated. Oligarchs are coming home to Russia. Lots of Russians summarily locked up by the NATO gang on trumped up charges. Yet murderous filth like Bill Browder and the Ukrainian Nazis are backed all the way by NATO.

People in the West are starting to question Ivy League unis- the huge expense, the corrupt admissions and the often poor prospects after graduation. Whilst average salaries are excellent in the West, the cost of living is not. The young middle class is disappearing, Oxbridge grads are working in call centres etc. As an "emerging market" there are opportunities for some in Russia.

Young Slavs who weren't born in Soviet times are starting to wonder why an artificial barrier is put up by NATO against their slavic brothers and sisters. After all, slavic nations do share culture. Whether its history, language, religion or just way of life. Westerners and Slavs are sick to death of neo Liberalism. I've actually come across Americans moving to Russia. That would have been unbelievable not long ago. They tell me they're fed up of fat feminist women, Neoliberal censorship eg Facebook, they don't want their kids brainwashing into "gender neutral" homo and "transsexual" culture. And they are fed up of 3rd world immigrants depressing wages and causing other misery eg radical Islam being imported. I was comparing salaries of around 18 or so people I was at uni with. Their average salary is actually pretty high. But one person probably earns as much as 16 of those 18 put together! Not all that glitters is gold,and I think Russians are starting to see that re the West.

Kazakstan might have economic links with China. But otherwise, China is extremely alien to Kazakstan.
I think Kazakstan would be idiotic to join any China gang in political terms.

PS I have Slavic Russian paternal grandparents. My father (British born)never had any interest in going to Russia to live. I however am strongly interested by the notion. I think it shows how things change over time. Just look how China has changed in 20 years.

President of Kazakhstan signs decree on renaming capital of republic to Nur-Sultan

More:
http://tass.com/world/1050185

Relations with Kyrgyzstan get closer

Russia's VTB to sign agreement on investing $180 mln in gold mining in Kyrgyzstan

More:
http://tass.com/economy/1050902


Russian Direct Investment Fund to invest $92.6 mln in projects in Kyrgyzstan

More:
http://tass.com/economy/1050901


Russia, Kyrgyzstan sign agreement on energy cooperation worth $1.5 bln

More:
http://tass.com/economy/1050839

Tokayev sets snap presidential election in Kazakhstan for June 9

Tokayev decided to call a snap election after holding consultations with Nazarbayev, the speakers of both houses of parliament, the prime minister and leaders of political parties

NUR-SULTAN, April 9. /TASS/. Kazakhstan’s snap presidential election will take place on June 9, 2019, the country’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in an address to the nation, which was broadcast on state TV.

"In accordance with the country’s constitution, I have made a decision to set a snap presidential election for June 9, 2019," Tokayev said.

He emphasized that "it is necessary to hold a snap presidential election" and vowed to make sure the election was fair and transparent. According to Tokayev, the presidential election will be held in order to eliminate any uncertainty at an important time in the country’s history and "ensure the stability and continuity of the policy course" set by Kazakhstan’s first President Nusrultan Nazarbayev.

According to Tokayev, he decided to call a snap election after holding consultations with Nazarbayev, the speakers of both houses of parliament, the prime minister and leaders of political parties.

"I firmly believe that it is necessary to hold a snap election. In order to ensure social and political harmony, move forward with confidence and accomplish social and economic tasks, there is a need to eliminate any uncertainty," Tokayev said.

His address to the nation lasted seven minutes. He first spoke in Kazakh, then in Russian.

Presidential decree

A decree calling a snap presidential election has been published on the Kazakh president’s website. According to the document, the country’s Central Election Commission is tasked to organize and hold the vote, while the government is to provide it with organizational, technical and financial support. Regional administrations are "to compile and check voter registers in due time" and cooperate with the Central Election Commission and its local branches.

Change of power

On March 20, Tokayev took the oath as Kazakhstan’s president following Nazarbayev’s resignation that he announced in an address to the nation. However, Nazarbayev said he would remain head of the Kazakh Security Council and leader of the Nur Otan party, as well as member of the Constitutional Council.

Nazarbayev became Kazakhstan’s first president in 1990 and was elected president in a nationwide election in 1991.


More:
http://tass.com/world/1052768

Kyrgyz special forces storm house of ex-President Atambayev

Atambayev's supporters resist the security forces

https://tass.com/world/1072386

Internal power conflict?

Kazakhstan to continue talks with Russia on Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline

Kazakhstan's energy minister said that Nur-Sultan aims to use this pipeline to provide gas to Eastern Kazakhstan and Pavlodar regions

NUR-SULTAN, February 18. /TASS/. Negotiations between Moscow and Nur-Sultan on possible Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline route through Kazakhstan will continue, says Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Nurlan Nogayev.

"Implementation of this project is still a plan at this point; no concrete parameters have been outlined yet. There are various options of delivering Russian gas to China. We offered to build this pipeline through Kazakhstan, if possible," Nogayev said.

He noted that Nur-Sultan aims to use this pipeline to provide gas to Eastern Kazakhstan and Pavlodar regions. Commenting on his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak’s reaction to Nur-Sultan’s initiative, he said Novak "has taken it for consideration, the work would continue, negotiations will continue - it’s a normal work process."

According to earlier reports, Nogayev proposed to consider the option of building Power of Siberia 2 pipeline through Kazakhstan with a connection to China’s West-East pipeline system, during his meeting with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak.

https://tass.com/economy/1121163