Author: Berke Behcet

Tajikistan’s president has, in a move that some are reading as a response to recent bellicose remarks by the head of Kyrgyzstan’s security service, transferred control of almost all airports in near-border areas to the armed forces. According to the terms of the decree obtained by local media on September 25, all airports bordering Afghanistan, with the exception of one in the city of Khorog, as well as those near Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will now be managed by the Defense Ministry. The decree covers 18 facilities in total. The bulk of the airports has lain all but idle since the fall of…

Saudi Arabia on Friday denounced Israel’s call for Gaza City residents to move to the southern part of the Gaza Strip within 24 hours ahead of a possible ground offensive and condemned Israel’s ongoing targeting of civilians. In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry called on the international community to act swiftly to stop all military escalation against civilians and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. It also called upon the international community to provide the needed aid and medical supplies for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The ministry stressed that the deprivation of basic necessities for a decent life violates international…

Chinese oil company Sinopec Group on Sunday donated over 1,000 books to the King Saud University (KSU) in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh. The donation from Sinopec’s Middle East office comprises books spanning topics like China’s socio-economic development, history, culture, arts, technological advancement, and Chinese language. Zhang Jianchun, vice minister of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and Vice President of KSU Yazeed Al-Sheikh attended the event and jointly unveiled the “Silk Road Library Chinese Bookshelf.” Zhang said in his speech that both the Chinese and Saudi people are diligently striving for their respective…

Saudi Arabia on Sunday strongly condemned the burning of a copy of the Islamic holy book of the Quran in the Swedish city of Malmo, a move which the kingdom says was carried out with “the knowledge of the local authorities.” The Saudi Foreign Ministry “reiterated the kingdom’s rejection of such flagrant acts,” and said such a move had inflamed the feelings of millions of Muslims worldwide, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The ministry called on the Swedish authorities to deal with Quran desecrations in a timely manner and stop giving permission to those who plan to take similar actions.…

China and Saudi Arabia will hold a joint anti-terror naval training in south China’s Guangdong Province in October, a Chinese defense spokesperson said on Thursday. Wu Qian, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said the training, with a focus on overseas maritime counter-terrorism operations, will cover subjects including sniping tactics, boat handling, helicopter landing and joint rescue. This is the second joint training of its kind held by the two navies, according to Wu. He added that it aims to deepen the pragmatic and friendly cooperation between the two militaries and improve the level of real-combat training.  source

Around 300 people came onto the streets of Kyrgyzstan’s capital over the weekend in a public show of support for Palestine amid the ongoing aerial bombing campaign waged by Israel on the Gaza Strip. By contrast, a similar rally planned in Uzbekistan for the same day, October 29, was prevented by law enforcement. The differing approaches taken by the respective governments are signposting the divergent stances being taken toward the unfolding unrest in the Middle East. Participants of the Bishkek demonstration assembled in the center of the city and held up posters bearing slogans “We stand with Palestine, “End the…

A fleet of 87 apron buses manufactured by leading Chinese bus maker Yutong departed Zhengzhou in central China’s Henan Province on Monday for Saudi Arabia. This is the largest overseas order for such vehicles produced by Yutong. The desert climate of Saudi Arabia, characterized by scorching heat, aridity and minimal rainfall throughout the year, significantly impacts vehicle performance. With a unique body structure and advanced anti-corrosion technology, Yutong’s apron buses can maintain their durability even after prolonged exposure to sweltering conditions, said Wu Tao, chief of the apron bus product management section of Yutong. As the largest supplier of apron…

Agri-Food Investment Forum of Uzbekistan took place today as part of the International Conference on Food Security in Samarkand. This Forum was designed to help tap the agricultural potential of countries, with over 100 companies from 26 countries attending the event. US$ 1.88 billion worth of deals were entered into at the forum, including, 24 projects worth $857.3 million from direct investment; grants and funds from international financial institutions – 14 projects worth 707.5 million US dollars. In addition, trade agreements worth $319.2 million were concluded. Samarkand International Conference on Food Security was organized by the government of Uzbekistan with…

Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance cooperation in the mining sector, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Monday. The MoU was signed between Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar bin Ibrahim Alkhorayef and Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar during the former’s ongoing official visit to Ankara, said the report. On Monday, in a post on the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, Bayraktar said that “the deal paved the way for wide-scale cooperation between the two countries in mining, particularly in related mutual investment.” The…

Dear Compatriots, Distinguished Members of Parliament and Members of the Government, In accordance with Article 59 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, I declare the second session of the Parliament of the VIII convocation open. Dear Members of Parliament, Congratulations to all of you on the opening of this next session, and I wish you success in your responsible endeavors! After the spring elections, the number of parties in Parliament increased, and the composition of MPs changed significantly. The fractions representing political parties, as well as single-mandate MPs, have actively engaged in work, initiating many relevant bills and…