On Azattyk, a review by Max Gdeorg Meier, coordinator of the Seidel Foundation, who spent 22 years in Kyrgyzstan promoting cooperation between Germany and the post-Soviet country. ‘The Kyrgyz people have never liked absolutist and oppressive governments’, but growing authoritarianism and the law ‘on non-commercial organisations’ are putting everything on the line again.
Bishkek and Tashkent ink a memorandum to connect Kashgar to Andijon. This will cut the freight journey to Europe and the Persian Gulf, while bypassing Russia. For the Chinese president, the agreement is "a show of determination,” part of the Belt and Road Initiative.
After the clashes of the past few days many students are leaving the Kyrgyz capital to return home, with a series of charter flights organised directly from Islamabad. The rector of the diplomatic academy, Kurmanov, is harshly critical: ‘We risk becoming a rogue country, where everything is shared out among the local clans’.
Today's news: Poverty in Lebanon tripled in a decade; Summit between leaders of South Korea, China and Japan on 26-27 May in Seoul, first trilateral talks in four years; Heavy pre-monsoon rains claim seven victims in Kerala; A centuries-old Armenian church reopens in Zakho, Iraq; Russian local government offers children a prize trip to ‘fascinating’ North Korea.
At least 1,200 young people have returned home in recent days in special flights, landing in Islamabad and Lahore. The attacks were triggered by a video that went viral showing “people of Asian appearance” harassing students. Kyrgyz authorities say they will take the appropriate measures to ensure justice, but a climate of intolerance towards migrants is growing in the country.
Today's news: UN 'deeply alarmed' by renewed violence in Rakhine State in Myanmar; Officials from Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan met after mob violence in Bishkek; Two Chinese warships docked in Cambodia for joint military exercises; Over 130 people died over the weekend in Afghanistan from flooding in the north and centre.
