Author: Gulzada Saliev

Autumn in Kazakhstan is traditionally a time of abundant treats. Today, local chefs and experts are trying to break the stereotype of Kazakhstan having a bland and unhealthy national cuisine, and are actively marketing it to foreign guests. The modern cuisine of Kazakhstan has absorbed a variety of Asian dishes, but also includes dishes from Soviet cuisine. Almost every Kazakhstani family is familiar with borscht and dumplings borrowed from Russians and Ukrainians, pilaf and samsa brought by Uzbeks, shashlik taken from the Caucasian peoples, and funchoza (Asian salad with noodles) and kuksi (cold noodle soup) adopted from Koreans. Of course,…

It was long believed that the world’s first audio recording of Kazakh music was made in 1925 during the performance of singer, Amre Kashaubaev, at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in France. However, the Berlin Museum of Visual Anthropology and Ethnology has recordings of Kazakh folk music, voices, and ritual chants, which were made in western Kazakhstan twenty years earlier. These recordings were made during the Acoustic Era, when sound waves were still recorded through analog methods. In 1857, Frenchman, Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville invented the so-called phonautograph. Three years later, the world’s first song was recorded.…

“A concrete kennel, measuring 2.5m x 3m. Most often, it is unbearable due to the cold and dampness. Water collects on the floor, and the window is tiny. The walls are thick, stifling any airflow, and not even the cobwebs stir. There is no ventilation, leaving one feeling suffocated at night, akin to a fish out of water. An iron bunk, reminiscent of those found on sleeper trains, is bolted to the wall.” This is how Alexei Navalny described the cell in which he spent 308 out of 1125 days in solitary confinement. His imprisonment amounted to both physical and…

While off-the-beaten-track destinations appeal to many in this new era of exploration and experiential travel, hesitation to venture to a new country or even continent is still to be expected. For those nervous of embarking on an intrepid adventure alone, opting to travel with like-minded travelers with the support of a trusted tour operator, experienced English-speaking guides and local representatives, and comfortable hotels, can provide that all-important reassurance. Air Astana, the principal airline and flag carrier of the Republic of Kazakhstan, has recently been selected to provide return flights between London Heathrow and Almaty for all 2024 departures of Jules Verne’s…

Kyrgyzstan’s “Manas International Airport” company, which operates 11 airports in Kyrgyzstan, has launched a new innovative landing system – ILS (Instrument Landing System) at Osh international airport, Trend reports. ILS, a cutting-edge radio navigation technique, ensures precise and safe landings in adverse weather and low visibility. The system uses a mix of radio signals and aircraft onboard instrumentation to perform autonomous landings on the airport’s runway, greatly improving flight safety, particularly in deep fog, heavy rain, or blizzard. The introduction of ILS at Osh international airport, according to the airport’s press department, primarily improves the dependability and safety of aviation operations. Furthermore,…

Russia intends to supply 1.2 million tons of fuel to Kyrgyzstan by the end of the year, Trend reports. Russian President Vladimir Putin made this announcement following negotiations with Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov in Bishkek. According to Putin, Russia exported a similar amount of fuel to Kyrgyzstan last year. He emphasized that these supplies are offered under preferential terms, exempt from export customs duties, providing a direct economic benefit to the republic and economic operators. Putin also stressed that one of the most critical sectors of Russian-Kyrgyz cooperation is in the field of energy. Russia serves as the primary provider…

Berlin (22/10 – 75) UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Fernand de Varennes, reported during his trip to the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region in Tajikistan, he met with representatives of civil society and residents of the region. Varennes arrived in Tajikistan for a working visit on October 9 till October 20. The UN Special Rapporteur told journalists that the residents of Gorno-Badakhshan informed him about violations of their rights in 2021-2022, particularly concerning the rights of detainees and cases of harsh treatment by law enforcement agencies. He stated, “People are complaining about religious restrictions as well as limitations on the use…

The presidents of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have held one-on-one talks for the second time in the space of a week in an apparent effort to soothe a surge in tensions over border issues. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and his Tajik counterpart, Emomali Rahmon, spoke on September 19 in New York on the sidelines of the ongoing UN General Assembly. A statement issued by Japarov’s office said the issues of delimitation and demarcation of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border were object of special attention. A more cursory press release from Rahmon’s office omitted this detail. This second meeting, following the one the two…

Azerbaijan has plans to build a five-star hotel by the Issyk-Kul lake in Kyrgyzstan, Trend reports. The Parliament of Kyrgyzstan has approved a project agreement between the Kyrgyzstan’s Cabinet of Ministers and the government of Azerbaijan for the construction of a five-star hotel on the shores of Issyk-Kul lake in the village of Kara-Oy in Kyrgyzstan. “After 49 years, the land will be transferred back to the Kyrgyz side, but under this agreement, the Azerbaijani side has a priority right to extension,” Nuradil Bayasov, deputy head of the National Investment Agency of Kyrgyzstan, said. Azerbaijan will be provided with 17…

After the implosion of the erstwhile Soviet Union in 1991, all five Central Asian States plus two Trans-Caspian States (Azerbaijan and Armenia) declared their independence. The Russian Federation, which replaced the Soviet Union, found a new mechanism to keep these republics as its allies in multiple ways. In terms of economics, communication, regional security, financial transactions, and international relations, the nascent “independent three” needed time to regulate the administration along the new pattern. The Vacuum Neighboring powers thought there was a good chance of filling the vacuum in Central Asia. China was the most active of all and worked subtly.…