Increasing security through sustainable development
By Giorgio Fiacconi
BISHKEK (TCA) - Kyrgyzstan has discovered it's new vocation as a host country for international conferences. When on 13 and 14 December, Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan hosted the International conference organized by OSCE and the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (UN ODCCP) doubts were cast on the ability of the country to organize such a conference.   Read more 

Tajikistan: Focus on the Winter Energy Crisis

DUSHANBE. Many Tajiks will again have to fend for themselves this winter as temperatures plummet and the state remains unable to meet domestic heating needs through gas and coal. Following a post-Soviet economic decline, and a five-year civil war that ended in 1997, interruptions in winter heating have become the norm for Tajiks throughout the country.    Read more 

India Recalls Envoy to Pakistan Over Attack on Parliament
By Celia W. Dugger
NEW DELHI. India recalled its high commissioner to Pakistan today and terminated bus and train service to Pakistan to show its deep displeasure with what it called Pakistan`s failure to crack down on two Pakistan-based groups that India has accused of carrying out a suicide attack on parliament.    Read more 

U.S. to Send More Troops to Search Caves of Tora Bora
By David Stout
WASHINGTON. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said today that he had approved the deployment of a substantial number of American troops to search the caves of Tora Bora for die-hard terrorists.    Read more 

British Marines in Kabul

KABUL. A small vanguard of British marines launched the international military presence in Kabul on Friday, the eve of the swearing in of a new Afghan government intended to heal a country torn apart by two decades of war.    Read more 

Institutional Support Drives Bears out of Market

KARACHI. Karachi stocks finished higher on Thursday as the post-Eid holiday session witnessed a good bit of two-way activity but the late advent of institutional support drove bears out of the market. The KSE 100-share index rose by 5.24 points at 1,385.32.    Read more 

Exports Fall by 7.8pc
By Mubarak Zeb Khan
ISLAMABAD. Exports fell by 7.8 per cent during the September 11-December 8, 2001 to $1.89 billion against $2.05 billion during the same period last year   Read more 

Sindh FC Heading for Clash of Interests
By Sabihuddin Ghausi
KARACHI. The Sindh Finance Commission is heading towards a sharp clash of conflicting rural-urban interests, as the Sindh government wants ranking of each of 16 districts by services , and has asked the Commission members to declare socio-economic development level in Karachi as the benchmark for the same.    Read more 

Pakistan, China Firms to Sign MoU

KARACHI. A 26-member business delegation, led by President FPCCI, Iftikhar Ali Malik is visiting China from December 22-25 that coincides with the current official visit of the president Gen Pervez Musharraf to Beijing.    Read more 

Tariffs Shouldn`t Increase at the Population`s Expense
By Oleg Khe*
ALMATY (TCA) - On January 1 2002 the life will become more expensive. All the monopolies have filed applications to raise tariffs. Many people are convinced they will not be refused.    Read more 

Impossible to Keep: so Privatize
By Adil Akhmetov*
ALMATY (TCA). The Government and the National bank of Kazakhstan have rejected the new program of development of the securities market.    Read more 

US May Look in Caves for bin Laden

WASHINGTON. The U.S. commander of the war in Afghanistan is considering sending several hundred Marines, and possibly a smaller number of Army troops, to the mountainous Tora Bora area to join the search for clues to the remnants of the al-Qaida network.    Read more 

Marines May Be Sent to Tora Bora

WASHINGTON. The Pentagon may dispatch Marines to eastern Afghanistan`s mountainous Tora Bora region to help hunt for clues to the whereabouts of fugitive terrorist Osama bin Laden, a defense official said Thursday.    Read more 

Nazarbayef Soft-Pedals Iranian Pipeline Route

HOUSTON. In a Houston speech late Wednesday, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayef seemed to play down a proposed oil and natural gas pipeline route through Iran that he pushed for in talks earlier this month with US Sec. of State Colin L. Powell.    Read more 

Afghans Set for New Government

KABUL. An international force began its mission in the Afghan capital Kabul on Friday on the eve of the installation of a new government with the mammoth task of rebuilding the country after two decades of war.    Read more 

Pakistan`s Economy Set to Improve

ISLAMABAD. Pakistan`s key stock prices are expected to surge starting next week in a sign of approval of the country`s debt rescheduling agreement struck last week with the Paris Club of creditors.   Read more 

Peace Elusive for New Government

KABUL. Infighting among anti-Taliban forces remains a significant problem for the interim Afghan government. Warfare is a convenient alternative to politics for many factional leaders. STRATFOR believes this trend will continue compelling many European governments and the United States to distance themselves from Afghan politics.   Read more 

Pakistan, India Tension Still High
By Akhtar Jamal
KARACHI (TCA) ? In an apparent warning to both India and Pakistan the U.S., President George W. Bush has urged stop war hysteria start cooperation against terrorism to adopt a policy that ?make common sense.?    Read more 

Two Top Taliban Reported in Custody

WASHINGTON. At least two senior Taliban officials are in U.S. custody, defense officials said Wednesday as the search for Taliban and al-Qaida leaders continued in Afghanistan and Pakistan.    Read more 

Afghans Approve Multinational Force as UN Schedules Vote

WASHINGTON. Afghanistan`s interim government has agreed to accept a 3,000-strong multinational force for six months as the United Nations geared up for vote authorising the force on Thursday.   Read more 

U.S. Interrogates Al Qaeda Fighters
By Peter Graff and Anton Ferreira
KABUL/WASHINGTON. U.S. agents interrogated captured fighters from Osama bin Laden`s al Qaeda movement on Thursday, as Washington said it was too early to declare victory over the radical Islamist network in Afghanistan.    Read more 

Britain Says Afghan Force May Number Up to 5,000 Troops
By Mike Collett-White
LONDON. Britain committed around 1,500 troops on Wednesday to lead a peacekeeping force in Afghanistan which it said could number up to 5,000 in total, but would not be fully in place for at least a month.    Read more 

World Bank Gives Credit to Kyrgyzstan
By Isabek Satybekov, IFC Capital
BISHKEK (TCA) Between December 12 and 18, 2001, trade in the inter-bank foreign exchange market of Kyrgyzstan totaled US $1.27 million. The som/dollar exchange rate was 48 som/dollar. The cash dollar rate was roughly 48 som/dollar.   Read more 

Winter - High Time for Mountain Skiing
By Alexey Schetnikov, TCA contributor
BISHKEK (TCA). The best time for traveling in Central Asia is from May through to October. During the rest of the year, snow makes many interesting places practically inaccessible. However, the winter also offers travelers some pleasures.    Read more 

Tajikistan Media Review 13-19.12

BISHKEK (TCA). American assistance for drought victims The US Ambassador to Tajikistan, Franklin Huddle, has given more than US $800,000 in seeds and fertilizers to help 24,000 Tajik families who are suffering from a severe drought.    Read more 

Uzbekistan Media Review 13-19.12

BISHKEK (TCA). Clothes for children TASHKENT. Ramz-Dzindu, a new Uzbek-Chinese joint venture has been created in the Andijan region. It will produce ready-made clothes for children and adults. The joint venture is planning to produce more than 1.2 million items of clothing.    Read more