Central Asia

A memorandum on long-term cooperation between the government of Turkmenistan and German energy concern RWE was signed at the official residence of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov in Ashgabat on 16 April.

China, the world's second-biggest energy consumer, will lend US$10 billion to Kazakhstan in return for a stake in an oil producer in the Central Asian country.

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received the chairman of the South Korean National Oil Corporation (KNOC), Kang Young-won, and the deputy minister of knowledge economy, Kim Jung-gwan, on 15 April.

The growth of the GDP of Uzbekistan made up 7.9% in the first three months of 2009. This was announced at the session of the Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday, whish considered the country's development in the first quarter.

The largest ever portion of synthetic drugs was seized in Kyrgyzstan, Drugs Control Agency informed the news agency “24.kg”.

At least 16 people died in a massive landslide Thursday morning in Aksy district, Jalalabad region of Kyrgyzstan.

China Development Bank will accommodate Development Bank of Kazakhstan with loan worth US$ 100 million.

A team of chefs from Uzbekistan took part in the International Cooking Festival in Turkey, reported the Society of Chefs of Uzbekistan.

By a decree of the president of Turkmenistan, Gurbanmyrat Begmyradov, chairman of Halkbank state commercial bank of Turkmenistan, has been appointed Turkmenistan's director for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The European Union has adopted several statements that express concern and criticism over the bills on Freedom of Press and Freedom of Religion ratified by Kyrgyzstan.