Turkmenistan: Assets of Late President Niyazov

Turkmenistan: Assets of Late President Niyazov (Taken Question)

Question: Has the U.S. frozen the assets of late Turkmenistan President Saparmurat Niyazov?

Answer: Such matters fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Treasury and the Office of Foreign Asset Control. President Niyazov was never designated under an Executive Order, which is required for the freezing of assets under U.S. law.

2006/1137, Released on December 22, 2006

Taken Question, Office of the Spokesman, Washington, DC, December 22, 2006

Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved its independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President Saparmurat NIYAZOV retains absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated.

Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects were to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking to develop alternative petroleum transportation routes in order to break Russia's pipeline monopoly. CIA FACTBOOK

Technorati Tags: State Department and Secretary of State or Turkmenistan and Department of Treasury, or Foreign Asset Control

Kazakhstan: Arrest Of Journalist (Taken Question)

Kazakhstan: Arrest Of Journalist (Taken Question)

Question: Does the United States have any comment on the arrest of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist in Kazakhstan?

Answer: Azamat Zhetpisbayev, a correspondent for the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Kazakhstan affiliate Radio Azzatyk, was arrested December 15 by Almaty financial police, who declined to specify the reason for the arrest. He is being held in a temporary detention facility. There is no indication that the arrest is connected with Zhetpisbayev's employment at Radio Azzatyk. We will continue to follow this case closely.

2006/1138, Released on December 22, 2006, Taken Question, Office of the Spokesman, Washington, DC, December 22, 2006

Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th century, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the 1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures.

This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many of these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing a cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets; achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states and other foreign powers. CIA FACTBOOK

Technorati Tags: State Department and Secretary of State or Kazakhstan and Radio Free Europe, or Azamat Zhetpisbayev and Radio Azzatyk