Uzbekistan does not have “huge oil reserves.” Unless, you know, you consider Italy and 52 other countries with bigger reserves oil giants.
Sorry to be a bitch, but it’s my least favorite and most repeated Uzbekistan mistake (part of the Saddam=Karimov comparison that drives me so batty–I mean, come on, it’s like saying these are the same thing as Shetlands).
P.S. This is not a comment on the rest of the post I’ve linked or Justin himself. Just me venting…
This post was written by...
Nathan Hamm – author of 2040 posts on Registan.net.
Nathan founded Registan.net in 2003. He was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Uzbekistan 2000-2001 and received his MA in Central Asian Studies from the University of Washington in 2007. Since 2007, he has worked full-time as an analyst, consulting with clients on Central Asian affairs, specializing in how socio-cultural factors shape risks and opportunities. Follow him on Twitter or drop him a line.
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The thing that drives me crazy is the constant references to Uzbekistan as “a valuable ally in the war on terror.” Gimme a break.
yeah, i remember nathan well pointed out how that phrase suddenly appeared, as if by command, in every single article on uzbekistan from the u.s. press last month. i wonder if they actually get paid for saying it? but again, it’s the standard you have to compare to: kazakhstan’s 12 soldiers probably also constitute a “valuable ally” in the war on terror. and those two swiss guys.
Saves time to just copy from the wire service’s cheat sheets…
If there’s anything I’ve learned from writing for this blog, it’s that the vast majority of journalists know jack shit about the topics they cover. The good ones are great, but there are too few covering Central Asia.
What those outside of the oil industry appeat to know about the oil industry could be written on stamp. Problem is, everyone is an expert in the oil industry.
I work in the oil and gas industry, right in the heart of Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Kuwait. There is lots of talk about forthcoming major projects in the Kazakh and Azeri sectors of the Caspian, the opening up of Russia, West Africa, China. I have yet to hear Uzbekistan mentioned once in 2 years of being in the industry and reading its associated journals.
I’m not sure when the penny is going to drop, but Uzbekistan’s oil is a non-issue for anyone outside of Uzbekistan and the Russian companies which are involved.
Sorry, should say “appear”. And “everyone is an expert ON the oil industry”.
I suppose the fact that Uzbekistan has the fourth largest gold reserves in the world, massive undeveloped gas fields (Tim clearly reads the wrong journals) and sufficient oil to interest foreign companies is also irrelevant?
Enron didn’t think so in ’94 when they were trying to arrange a deal over the Kandym gas field, nor do the UK’s Oxus Gold, busy digging up the stuff right now (no doubt so Karimov can steal it and ship it to the Bank of England, as he has done in the past).