Energy and Economy

 

United States Sanctions Russian Energy

On January 10, the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed new sanctions on Russian oil and gas companies. The sanctions target key entities such as Gazprom Neft, Surgutneftgaz, and their subsidiaries. Entities that facilitate the transportation and the trade of oil are also the target of sanctions such as Russia's state-owned shipping company Sovcomflot, Ingosstrakh Insurance Company, and AlfaStrakhovanie Group. Global oil prices increased more than 3% before the announcement.

Source: United States Department of Treasury, Reuters

Azerbaijan Resumes Gas Delivery to Serbia and Bulgaria

On January 7, Bulgarian and Serbian officials confirmed that gas supplies from Azerbaijan were temporarily halted, reportedly due to technical problems at the offshore Shah Deniz gas field in the Caspian Sea.  President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić confirmed that Azerbaijan had informed Serbia of a suspension in daily gas deliveries of 1.7 million cubic meters because of technical issues, and that Azerbaijan intends to continue to supply Serbia with natural gas, despite the force majeure. As of January 11, Azerbaijan resumed natural gas deliveries through the pipeline. According to a source from BP, a technical problem was detected that affected a sub-sea condensate export line. 

Source: Offshore Energy, Interfax, Natural Gas World

Uzbekistan to Launch New International Bus Routes

On January 8, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport issued a statement planning new international bus routes connecting various regions of the country to destinations in Kazakhstan (Bukhara-Turkestan, Urgench-Aktau, Fergana-Almaty via Tajikistan), Tajikistan (Samarkand-Dushanbe, Bukhara-Dushanbe), Kyrgyzstan (Andijan-Osh, Andijan-Jalalabad, Andijan-Arslanbob, Kosonsoy-Jalalabad, Bukhara-Bishkek), Russia (Surkhandarya-Bukhara-Urgench-Nukus-Moscow, Urgench-Nukus-Ufa, Nukus-Krasnodar, Tashkent-Ufa, Tashkent-Krasnodar), and China (Nukus-Urgench-Bukhara-Urumqi). The ministry invited domestic and foreign transport companies to apply for the operation of the proposed routes.

Source: Uzbekistan Ministry of Transport

Kazakhstan Aims to Shorten Wait Times at Nine Border Crossings

On January 10, the press service of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan released a statement that Astana is planning to reduce wait times at nine of its border crossings with China, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, with the aim being an increase in capacity from 170 to 960 vehicles daily and to reduce border crossing time to 30 minutes by the end of 2025.

Source: Astana Times

Kazakhstan to Form Nuclear Consortium in 2025

According to a January 3 interview by Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan will form an international consortium to help coordinate the construction of the Lake Balkhash nuclear power plant. Tokayev stated that “discussions have mentioned the potential participation of Rosatom.... Negotiations are also ongoing with a Chinese company, given China’s significant success in constructing civil nuclear facilities. Other foreign corporations, including Western firms, have also expressed interest.” Tokayev also expressed interest in the construction of future nuclear power plants, saying that he believes “Kazakhstan should become a country with a developed nuclear energy sector, as it holds immense potential for the future.”

Source: Astana Times

Turkmenistan Intends to Provide Half of Iraq’s Power-Plant Fuel

On December 31, a spokesperson for Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity stated to an Iraqi press service that gas imports from Turkmenistan will come to account for 50% of Iraq’s power-plant fuel. In October, Turkmenistan and Iraq signed an agreement to transport 20 million cubic meters of gas per day to Iraq from Turkmenistan by way of Iranian pipelines.

Source: Iraq News

China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway Officially Launched

China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan have signed an investment agreement to build a railway connecting the three countries to reduce the cost and transit time of westbound freight. The proposed route would stretch 300 miles from Kashgar in China to Andijan in Uzbekistan via Kyrgyzstan. However, it will likely be years before it is operational. 

Source: EurasiaNet

 

Politics and Security 

 

Pashinyan Proposes 12-point Peace Initiative 

On January 9, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan released a 12-point plan for normalizing relations with Azerbaijan. The points include establishing a joint body to monitor cease-fire violations, dissolving the OSCE Minsk group, mutually refraining from escalatory rhetoric, continuing the delimitation process, signing a peace treaty, implementing the Crossroads of Peace transit project, resolving the issue of detainees, determining the fate of missing persons, abandoning mutual claims, implementing the terms of the peace treaty, and addressing refugees’ issues from both countries. 

Source: JAM News

The United States Sanctions Ivanishvili

The U.S. Department of Treasury has imposed financial sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire widely believed to be the informal center of power in Georgia’s governing Georgian Dream party, using the sanctions mechanisms which disrupt transactions with Russian financial institutions. The State Department statement on the decisions reads, “The United States is designating Bidzina Grigoris Dze Ivanishvili...for undermining the democratic and Euro-Atlantic future of Georgia for the benefit of the Russian Federation. Ivanishvili and Georgian Dream’s actions have eroded democratic institutions, enabled human rights abuses, and curbed the exercise of fundamental freedoms in Georgia.”

Source: United States Department of Treasury, United States Department of State

Ukrainian Parliament Recognizes Circassian Genocide, Endorses “Free Determination”

The Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada has voted unanimously to recognize the mass killings and deportations of Circassians from the North Caucasus by the Russian Tsarist Empire in the 19^th century as a genocide. The bill, which was voted through the parliament on January 9, additionally calls on Ukraine to “support for the peoples enslaved by Russia in their desire to respect their language, traditions and history, defend their identity and the right to free development.” In 2011, Georgia became the first country to recognize the Circassian genocide, with Ukraine now looking to be the second. Ukraine had previously passed similar legislation relating to Chechnya and Ingushetia. 

Source: OC Media, Verkhovna Rada

Prime Ministers of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan Meet for Talks

On January 8, the Prime Ministers of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan met for talks at a rural location marking the geographic meeting point of the three countries. These countries, all of which have Presidents who dominate most politics, share the Ferghana Valley region, a densely populated and impoverished area known for weak governance and other problems. The Prime Ministers took the meeting as an opportunity to tout the recent work done demarcating their traditionally contested shared borders. They additionally discussed future cooperation, particularly relating to hydro-electric power plants and logistical cooperation.

Source: Times of Central Asia 

Indian Foreign Secretary Meets with Taliban-backed Foreign Minister

On January 8, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, India’s Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, met for high-level discussions with the Foreign Secretary of the Taliban’s so-called Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi. The meeting was the first such event since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover of Afghanistan and focused on a number of issues, including humanitarian aid, cultural exchanges, and the Chabahar Port, an Iranian port through which Afghanistan receives goods originating in India. India’s delegation voiced an openness to future development projects within Afghanistan. Much of the world continues to boycott interaction and investment with Afghanistan's Taliban rulers due to severe restrictions on women’s rights, but several of Afghanistan's neighbors have engaged with the Taliban in recent months. 

Source: Daryo