By Erica Marat (9/20/2007 issue of the CACI Analyst)

On September 14, Kyrgyzstan’s Constitutional Court annulled the Constitutional reforms endorsed by parliament in November and December last year. The Court recognized only the constitutional changes made in February 2003 as a result of a national referendum. According to the Court, by endorsing both the November and December constitution, the parliament exceeded its capacities, as constitutional changes can only be made as a result of a referendum.

By Farkhad Sharip (9/20/2007 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov, addressing the Eurasian energy forum in Astana on September 6, signaled to the West that the government will no longer tolerate even the slightest breach of contract and environmental regulations on the part of foreign oil companies operating in the country. The prolonged row between the Kazakh government and the Italian ENI oil consortium over the Kashagan oilfield illustrates the seriousness of Kazakhstan’s intentions to put an end to what officials call “uncontrolled activities of foreign investors”.

Prospects for the largest oil reserves in Kazakhstan, the Kashagan oilfield estimated to hold  2 billion tons of oil, looked bright in 1997 when Kazakhstan signed a production sharing agreement with an international consortium including Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil Corp.

By Farkhad Sharip (9/5/2007 issue of the CACI Analyst)

The outcome of parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan held on August 18 surpassed the pro-presidential forces’ most optimistic expectations of and discouraged other contenders for parliament seats. With a staggering 88.5% votes won in the elections, Nursultan Nazarbayev’s Nur Otan party takes up all seats in parliament and practically monopolize all power in Soviet-era communist party style.