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September 30, 2014
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Eurasia TOP STORY
1. Five documents signed after 4th Caspian summit
2. Kazakhstan suggests Caspian free-trade zone
3. Caspian countries agree on sovereignty over maritime space
4. Armenia may become member of EEU on January 2 next year, Russian official
says
Eurasia Kazakhstan
5. Kazakhstan discusses corruption with Transparency International, OECD
6. Kazakhstan allocates $13m for electronic tagging for convicts
7. Powers of government bodies separated in Kazakhstan
8. Kazakhstan may become bridge for goods from Caspian to China ñ Kazakh
president
9. EBRD lends KZT30bn to Kazakh railway company
On the website today
10. Polish growth to remain robust despite Eurozone and Russian weakness
11. Serbia to start South Stream construction by November
12. Bulgaria to check whether bank deposit guarantee scheme is EU compliant
Eurasia Other Central Asia
13. MPs propose to ban hunting in Kyrgyzstan for all species until 2030 except for
wolves, jackals
14. Tajikistan stops idle discharge of water from Nurek dam due to reduced water
inflow
15. Kyrgyz citizens fighting in Syria receive $1,000 a day
16. Agency for supervision of safety of hydropower facilities established in Tajikistan
17. Uzbek mining complex to increase gold production
18. USA provides $3.2m to Tajik law-enforcement
19. Turkmenistan creates agrarian party
Eurasia Caucasus
20. Fitch affirms stable outlook for Azerbaijan
21. Armenian SMEs protesting amendments to turnover tax law
22. Armenia's judicial system becoming ineffective
23. Armeniaís parliament ratifies $21.9m loan agreement International Development
Agency
24. Abkhaz Leader Appoints New PM
Other frontier markets
25. Lenders expect Rio Tinto to miss Mongolia deadline
26. Aspire Mining, Noble Group intersect near-surface coal at Nuurstei
Eurasia TOP STORY
1. Five documents signed after 4th Caspian summit
Kazinform
September 29, 2014
A package of five documents has been signed at the 4th Caspian summit on Monday.
The presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan signed a
joint statement and a final communique.
The parties signed an agreement on cooperation in hydrometeorology of the Caspian
Sea. In the presence of the heads of state an agreement on cooperation in warning
and liquidating emergencies in the Caspian Sea and an agreement on the
preservation and rational use of water biological resources in the Caspian Sea were
concluded, Kazinform has learnt from ITAR-TASS.
Read more here: http://inform.kz/eng/article/2701446
2. Kazakhstan suggests Caspian free-trade zone
Kazinform
September 29, 2014
President Nursultan Nazarbayev at the IV Summit of Heads of Caspian states has
offered to establish "Caspian free trade zone".
"Taking into account the current state of the world market we should consider the
possibility of convergence of our economies to increase mutual trade", said Nursultan
Nazarbayev.
Read more here: http://inform.kz/eng/article/2701409
3. Caspian countries agree on sovereignty over maritime space
Trend
September 29, 2014
Leaders of the five littoral states agreed on the principles of national sovereignty of
each country over the coastal maritime space in the range of 15 miles and 10
"fishing" miles, said a policy statement adopted by the leaders of the Caspian Five,
RIA Novosti reported.
"The activities of the parties on the Caspian Sea will be carried out on the basis of
principles agreed by them, including national sovereignty of each side of the coastal
maritime space within 15 nautical miles of the exclusive rights of each party for the
production of aquatic biological resources within the adjacent 10 nautical miles,
followed by the total water space, with the understanding that the issue of the
application of techniques with establishment of baselines will be the subject of
further consultations between the parties," said the statement.
Read more here: http://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/2317005.html
4. Armenia may become member of EEU on January 2 next year, Russian
official says
ARKA
September 29, 2014
Armenia may become a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) on January
2, 2015, Anna Sysoeva, a senior official of the Russian ministry of economic
development, said today at a meeting of the Russian Senateís committee on
international affairs, RIA Novosti reported.
She said the EEU treaty ratified already by Russia will be ratified by Kazakhstan on
October 2 and by Belarus on October 7.
Read more here:
http://arka.am/en/news/politics/armenia_may_become_member_of_eeu_on_januar
y_2_next_year_russian_official_says/
Eurasia Kazakhstan
5. Kazakhstan discusses corruption with Transparency International, OECD
Tengrinews
September 29, 2014
Last week Kazakh Lower Chamber Deputy Tursynbek Omurzakov raised the issue of
Kazakhstanís poor performance in the Transparency International Corruption
Perception Index, Tengrinews correspondent reports.
The MP noted that at the time of preparation of the sectoral anti-corruption program
for 2011-2015 Kazakhstan was ranked 105th by Transparency International. By now,
it has dropped to the 140th line position in the ranking. He wondered just how the
Agency was going to achieve the target 90th place with less then half a year
remaining to do it.
Read more here: http://en.tengrinews.kz/politics_sub/Kazakhstan-discussescorruption-rating-with-Transparency-International-and-OECD-256443/
6. Kazakhstan allocates $13m for electronic tagging for convicts
Tengrinews
September 29, 2014
Kazakhstan has recently introduced changes to the Criminal Code. In this regard, the
state will allocate $13 million for electronic tagging devices for monitoring convicts,
Tengrinews reports citing the Vice Minister of Interior Affairs of Kazakhstan Yerlik
Kenenbayev.
ìIn accordance with the new Criminal Code, we are introducing electronic tagging
devices for monitoring convicts on parole and those sentenced to administrative
supervision. A required package of documents is being prepared for the Ministry of
Investments and Development. As of today, the state budget committee has
approved allocation of $13 million for this purpose,î Kenenbayev said.
Read more here: http://en.tengrinews.kz/laws_initiatives/Kazakhstan-allocates-13million-for-electronic-tagging-256216/
7. Powers of government bodies separated in Kazakhstan
Kazinform
September 29, 2014
Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev has signed a law of Kazakhstan.
Kazakh President has inked the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On amendments
and additions to some legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the division
of powers between levels of public administration," the press service of Akorda
reported.
Read more here: http://inform.kz/eng/article/2701381
8. Kazakhstan may become bridge for goods from Caspian to China ñ Kazakh
president
Kazinform
September 29, 2014
Speaking at the IV Summit of Heads of Caspian littoral states, Kazakhstan's
President proposed to use its transit routes as bridges for the delivery of goods from
the Caspian states to the markets of other countries.
"One of the important achievements of today's summit, in my opinion, is the
approval of the principle of free access from the Caspian Sea to other seas, oceans
and back on the basis of universally recognized norms and principles of international
law", said the Head of State.
Read more here: http://inform.kz/eng/article/2701427
9. EBRD lends KZT30bn to Kazakh railway company
AKIpress
September 29, 2014
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a 30
billion tenge (local currency equivalent of Ä121 million) to Kazakhstanís national rail
company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), to finance the purchase of equipment for
logistics and infrastructure maintenance. The project will serve the main priorities for
KTZ, to increase Kazakhstanís transit potential and also to strengthen the security of
passenger rail transportation.
Read more here: http://akipress.com/news:548616/
On the website today
10. Polish growth to remain robust despite Eurozone and Russian weakness
Jan Cienski in Warsaw
September 30, 2014
For most of its history Poland has been trapped between Germany and Russia ñ
usually with terrible results.
The same is true today. To the west, Germany and the wider eurozone are having
trouble re-igniting growth and the currency union faces the threat of a triple dip
recession.
To the east, Russia's military adventures in Ukraine have sent the Ukrainian
economy and the hryvnia into a downward spiral, while Russia's economy is being
squeezed by international sanctions.
Read more here: http://www.bne.eu/content/story/polish-growth-remain-robustdespite-eurozone-and-russian-weakness
11. Serbia to start South Stream construction by November
bne
September 29, 2014
While the EU is still blocking plans to build the South Stream pipeline, construction
outside the EU is due to forge ahead this autumn. There are plans to start building
both the section of the pipeline across Serbia, and part of the offshore section linking
Russia to Bulgaria within the next two months.
The director of Serbian state gas company Srbijagas, Dusan Bajatovic, said on
September 26 that he expects work on the Serbian section of the Ä16.6bn pipeline
project to start in late October or early November, depending on weather conditions.
Funding for the pipeline has already been lined up, Bajatovic said. Russiaís Gazprom
is due to complete 60% of the Serbian section of the pipeline, with a local company
to handle the remainder. A permit for the work is expected to be issued soon.
Read more here: http://www.bne.eu/content/story/serbia-start-south-streamconstruction-november
12. Bulgaria to check whether bank deposit guarantee scheme is EU
compliant
bne
September 29, 2014
Bulgaria's finance ministry says it will change the law to allow payments to be made
to depositors at troubled Corporate Commercial Bank (CCB) if discrepancies with EU
law are found. The European Commission has started infringement proceedings
against Bulgaria after CCB clients were denied access to their deposits for more than
three months.
The EC said in a September 25 statement that it is opening infringement proceedings
against Bulgaria for its failure to correctly transpose two articles of the Deposit
Guarantee Scheme Directive, and because of the principle of free movement of
capital. It criticised Bulgaria's deposit guarantee scheme for failing to pay out on
claims by depositors at CCB and its subsidiary Commercial Bank Victoria within the
timeline set out in the EU's DGS Directive. The Bulgarian authorities now have until
October 15 to respond.
"The purpose and the task of such procedure is not to "punish" the respective
member state but to determine, in dialogue between the European Commission and
the authorities of the member state, whether and what is the infringement of the EU
law, what measures should be taken and in what time periods," said a statement
from the Bulgarian finance ministry issued the following day.
Read more here: http://www.bne.eu/content/story/bulgaria-check-whether-bankdeposit-guarantee-scheme-eu-compliant
Eurasia Other Central Asia
13. MPs propose to ban hunting in Kyrgyzstan for all species until 2030
except for wolves, jackals
AKIpress
September 30, 2014
Members of the Parliament Ismail Isakov, Omurbek Abdrakhmanov and Ravshan
Jeenbekov have brought to public discussion a bill banning hunting in Kyrgyzstan.
There are 74 hunting providers in the country who possess hunting grounds,
including 3 state and 71 public and private. The total area of hunting grounds is 14.7
million hectares. 7.8 million ha are observed by the state, while 6.9 million ha ñ by
public and private providers.
Read more here: http://akipress.com/news:548635/
14. Tajikistan stops idle discharge of water from Nurek dam due to reduced
water inflow
AKIpress
September 30, 2014
Tajikistan has stopped idle discharge of water from the Nurek dam on the Vakhsh
river due to the reduction of the water inflow, the Tajik news agency Avesta reported
on Monday.
Now, the water inflow stands at 400-450 cubic meters per second. This indicator
allows to produce the required amount of electricity to meet domestic needs and
export it to Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Read more here: http://akipress.com/news:548634/
15. Kyrgyz citizens fighting in Syria receive $1,000 a day
24.kg
September 29, 2014
Kyrgyz citizens fighting in Syria receive $1,000 a day, the chairman of the National
Security Committee Busurmankul Tabaldiyev said, responding to a question from the
member of SDPK faction Irina Karamushkina, today at a parliamentary committee for
defense and security.
According to the deputy, in the south of Kyrgyzstan, people go to fight for Syria, in a
foreign country, for the interests of others, looking for all possible ways to go there.
"There are hundred of our citizens in the hot spots in Syria, many of them are girls.
So why draftees with the same desire don't go to serve in our armed forces, as in
Syria?" she said.
Read more here: http://www.eng.24.kg/parliament/172437-news24.html
16. Agency for supervision of safety of hydropower facilities established in
Tajikistan
Asia-Plus
September 29, 2014
The Government of Tajikistan has established the Agency for Supervision of Safety of
Hydropower Facilities.
The agency top manager Bahodur Isupov says the new agency will supervise
observance of norms and standards of construction and repair of dams, hydropower
plant buildings, water discharge tunnels, and other hydropower facilities.
Read more here: http://news.tj/en/news/agency-supervision-safety-hydropowerfacilities-established-tajikistan
17. Uzbek mining complex to increase gold production
AKIpress
September 30, 2014
Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Complex (NMMC) will invest $112.3 million for
increasing the gold production at the hydrometallurgical plant-4 (HMP-4) in Zarmitan
(Samarkand region), Gazeta.uz reports.
The implementation of the program will increase the processing capacity of the HMP4 by 30% to 1.8 million tons of ore per year.
Read more here: http://akipress.com/news:548648/
18. USA provides $3.2m to Tajik law-enforcement
Asia-Plus
September 29, 2014
Press release issued by the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe notes that U.S. Ambassador
to Tajikistan Susan Elliott and First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ozoda Emomali
on September 27 signed Amendment #15 to the Letter of Agreement on Narcotics
Control and Law Enforcement between the Governments of the United States and the
Republic of Tajikistan, which will provide $3,246,667 million in assistance to
Tajikistan to continue support for programs related to border security, law
enforcement, counter narcotics, trafficking-in-persons, and justice sector
development in Tajikistan.
Read more here: http://news.tj/en/news/us-gov-provides-additional-32-milliondollars-support-law-enforcement-law-tajikistan
19. Turkmenistan creates agrarian party
Trend
September 29, 2014
Turkmenistan decided to create a new agrarian party, Turkmen government said in a
message Sept. 29.
The partyís charter and program were also approved, according to the message.
The decision was unanimously adopted at the founding congress of the agrarian
party, which elected members of the partyís central council and its leader.
Read more here: http://en.trend.az/casia/turkmenistan/2316791.html
Eurasia Caucasus
20. Fitch affirms stable outlook for Azerbaijan
Azernews
September 30, 2014
International Rating Agency Fitch Ratings has affirmed Azerbaijan's long-term foreign
and local currency issuer default ratings (IDR) at 'BBB-' with a stable outlook.
The issue ratings on Azerbaijan's senior unsecured foreign and local currency bonds
have also been affirmed at 'BBB-'. The Country Ceiling has been affirmed at 'BBB-'
and the Short-term foreign currency IDR at 'F3'.
Read more here: http://www.azernews.az/business/71339.html
21. Armenian SMEs protesting amendments to turnover tax law
ARKA
September 29, 2014
Representatives of small and mid-scale businesses gathered Monday outside the
Parliament building in a protest against the amendments to the turnover tax law.
The amendments that take force on October 1, 2014 imply turnover tax decrease
from present 3.5% to 1%, but along with that they demand certain paperwork from
small and medium entrepreneurs though introducing a facilitated scrutiny over
compliance with this demand.
Read more here:
http://arka.am/en/news/business/small_and_medium_entrepreneurs_protesting_am
endments_to_turnover_tax_law/
22. Armenia's judicial system becoming ineffective
Azernews
September 29, 2014
Judicial system in Armenia is becoming ineffective day by day because of losing
public trust.
Armenian courts have become a source of injustice as judges act under the
instruction of authorities rather than the constitution.
"Armenia lacks a fair judicial system as all decisions are adopted at the presidential
administration," Head of the Helsinki Citizen's Assembly's Vanadzor office, Artur
Sakunts said.
Read more here: http://www.azernews.az/aggression/71299.html
23. Armeniaís parliament ratifies $21.9m loan agreement International
Development Agency
ARKA
September 29, 2014
Armeniaís parliament ratifies $21.9 million loan agreement International
Development Agency
YEREVAN, September 29. / ARKA /. Armeniaís parliament has ratified today a loan
agreement Armenia signed with the International Development Agency (IDA) as part
of the Second Social Protection Administration Project.
Read more here:
http://arka.am/en/news/society/armenia_s_parliament_ratifies_21_9_million_loan_a
greement_international_development_agency/
24. Abkhaz Leader Appoints New PM
Civil Georgia
September 29, 2014
Abkhaz leader, Raul Khajimba, who took office last week, appointed on September
29 Beslan Butba as new prime minister of the breakaway region, Abkhaz news
agency, Apsnipress, reported.
Butba, 54, a businessman, who is a founder and leader of Party of the Economic
Development of Abkhazia, owns breakaway regionís only private television, Abaza
TV.
Read more here: http://civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=27693
Other frontier markets
25. Lenders expect Rio Tinto to miss Mongolia deadline
The Sydney Morning Herald
September 30, 2014
Rio Tinto appears unlikely to be ready to push ahead with the second stage of the
Oyu Tolgoi mine this week, despite an imminent deadline and improving relations
with the Mongolian government.
The majority of lenders toward the $US5.4($6.2) billion second stage have attached
a September 30 deadline to their funding commitments, after the initial deadline on
March 31 was breached.
Read more here: http://www.smh.com.au/business/mining-and-resources/lendersexpect-rio-tinto-to-miss-mongolia-deadline-20140929-10nm78.html
26. Aspire Mining, Noble Group intersect near-surface coal at Nuurstei
Proactive Investors
September 30, 2014
Aspire Mining (ASX:AKM) and Noble Group have confirmed the prospectivity of their
Nuurstei Coking Coal Project in northern Mongolia with coal intersected in all six
exploration holes drilled to date.
Shares in the company should trade higher today.
Near surface coal was also intersected in multiple seam packages, highlighting the
potential for an open pit mineable resource that could support a small road based
trucking operation.
Read more here: http://www.proactiveinvestors.com.hk/stock_news/8521-aspiremining-noble-group-intersect-near-surface-coal-at-nuurstei.html

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