Britain as a ‘force for good’ in Central Asia Working Group: Kyrgyzstan paper

While the size of the UK’s aid presence in the country is below that of the US, EU and the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) as donors it remains a relevant player, particularly given the planned drawdown of German bilateral aid (and the erratic nature of USAID involvement), though not always a high profile one.13 Concerns have also been raised about the level of diplomatic focus on Kyrg. [...] The UK Government should ensure its voice is added to calls for more time to be given to contentious cases and if appropriate offer support to the process.22 After a tortured process where the Government de facto ceased control of the Kumtor Gold mine the Government of Kyrgyzstan has now come to an agreement with the mine’s (now) former owners, the Canadian miners Centera, to avoid international a. [...] It therefore may be of value for the UK Government (potentially alongside UK Civil society) to help compare and contrast the requirements placed on UK Charities (and the benefits they receive for undertaking these provisions) and the requirements on campaign groups that are not registered charities with the new regulatory environment in Kyrgyzstan for NGOs in the wake of the recent laws.27 The Env. [...] Relations between the Government and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty have deteriorated with a temporary block of the Radio Azattyk website (over reporting of the border conflict) and the removal of the Parliamentary accreditation of seven of its journalists. [...] A case, that despite years of international pressure, the Government of Kyrgyzstan has refused to take action, fearful of the complex web of culpability in relation the situation in the City of Osh between ethnic Uzbeks and ethnic Kyrgyz.