Central Asia

The European Union is highly concerned about passing the Bill On freedom of religion and religious organizations in Kyrgyzstan, the relevant message was distributed today.

The presidents of Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Turkey held tripartite talks behind closed doors at Serdar hotel in the city of Turkmenbashi on 29 November.

The research held by the State Migration and Employment Committee in collaboration with the International Labor Organization showed that over 60 percent of employers in Kyrgyzstan are ready to pay workers $100-200 a month and only 7 percent are eager to pay $400 to unique professionals.

In January-September 2008, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan is equal to US$ 440 million, which is more by 87% compared to the mentioned period in 2007, Elkhan Nuriyev, Head of Centre for Strategic Studies of Azerbaijan President.

In Uzbekistan the main part of State budget in January-September 2008 were hidden taxes-2.914 trillion sums (approximately US$ 2.132 billion).

The government of Turkmenistan discussed issues related to protecting the national economy from the impact of the global financial crisis at a meeting on 26 November.

Current account of the balance of payment for the period of January-September 2008 reached US$ 9 billion, Anvar Saidenov, Chairman of the National Bank told yesterday.

Japanese Ambassador to Uzbekistan Tsutomu Hiraoka signed grant-contracts within the framework of the no-string aid to grass-root projects on November 25.

Every fifth child in Kyrgyzstan works on the streets for 8-12 hours a day, the public survey of the Children’s Protection Center, published in the collection of articles Children’s Situation in Kyrgyzstan – 2007 unveiled.

A group of CIS observers, the first of foreign missions, arrived in Ashgabat to observe the parliamentary elections in Turkmenistan scheduled for 14 December.