Borat and the new silk route
I, along with other AMs I suspect, am receiving a constant supply of e mails from the Kazakhstan authorities keen to create a positive favourable impression of their country. They are seeking to counter the satirical digs from Baron Cohen’s Kazakhstan journalist character Borat Sagdiyev in his nylon suits and with his trademark toothy grin.
The hot news from Kazakhstan today is that the Silk Route is to be re-opened and that Khazakhstan’s Prime Minister, Daniyal Akhmetov has provisionally called the link
–wait for it—
The Europe-Saint Petersburg-Moscow–Kazan–Orenburg–Kyzylorda–Shymkent–Khorgos route.
He was no doubt being pressed by cabinet colleagues to go for something longer and less pithy but probably felt that the tourist possibilities dictated something crisp and evocative of the Silk Route. Good call!! I do salute the Khazaks though in trying to turn the Borat satirical forays to their own advantage!
test said on November 6th, 2006 at 12:21 am:
Are you disrespecting Sasha Baron Cohen ?