021902

Vol. 1, No. 5, February 19, 2002

Politics

President signs laws on fighting terrorism...

...and amnesty

Parliament sets up a working group to draft amendments into election legislation

Prime Minister meets US Ambassador, representatives of ChevronTexaco, KIO

Economy

Kazakhstan's growing role in Central Asian gas market

KIO to help create disaster clean-up center

Society

Day of Mother Tongues to be Celebrated on February 22

Kazakhstan musicians and actors to take part in International Arts Competition in Hollywood

Kazakhstan women feel "the warmth of strangers", says USA TODAY

POLITICS

President signs laws on fighting terrorism...

On February 19, 2002 President Nazarbayev confirmed Kazakhstan's commitment to fighting terrorism with all the means available by signing into law a bill introducing tougher punishment for terrorism-related crimes, particularly for "propagandizing terrorism, making public calls for the commission of terrorist acts and involvement in and leadership of terrorist groups". The law calls for stricter measures against extremism, separatism and illegal trade of radioactive materials.

...and amnesty

The same day, President Nazarbayev signed into law the bill on amnesty to celebrate Kazakhstan's 10th anniversary of independence. According to previous official announcements, as many as 10,000 prisoners will be freed under this amnesty. It applies to juvenile criminals, invalids, women over 63, men over 65 and veterans of World War II, as well as to those who committed petty crimes or crimes of medium gravity and who served at least one third of their imprisonment term. The step is an important development in improving conditions in Kazakhstan's prison through the relief of their overcrowding.

Parliament sets up a working group to draft amendments into election legislation

On February 14, 2002 the Parliament set up a working group to draft the bill introducing changes into the election legislation following the year-long consultations within the four OSCE-sponsored round-table discussions between the Government, the Parliament, political parties, NGO's and journalists. The announcement came following the meeting of the Parliament deputies in Astana on that same day chaired by Deputy Senate Speaker Omirbek Baigeldi.

Mr. Baigeldi called for the group, headed by Majilis Deputy Khakim Kushkaliev, to carry out their work in the most transparent manner taking into account views of NGO's and foreign experts outlined in the round-table recommendations and drawing on the experience of other nations in democratizing their election processes.

The next general election in Kazakhstan is to take place in the fall of 2004, and the presidential election is scheduled for January 2006.

Prime Minister meets US Ambassador, representatives of ChevronTexaco, KIO

Prime Minister Imangali Tasmagambetov, who assumed the office on January 28, held meetings with US Ambassador to Kazakhstan Larry Napper, ChevronTexaco Eurasia Business Unit Managing Director Guy Hollingsworth, and Karachaganak Integrated Organization (KIO) General Director John Morrow in Astana on February 15.

The US Ambassador expressed gratitude for Kazakhstan's cooperation in the on-going anti-terrorist operations in Afghanistan and emphasized Kazakhstan's major role in the Central Asian region. The two men discussed developments in the Kazakhstan oil sector, in which US companies have major investment, as well as Kazakhstan's eventual entry into the World Trade Organization.

Prime Minister held a meeting with ChevronTexaco's Guy HollingsworthOverseas Petroleum Managing Director. ChevronTexaco is a major foreign investor in Kazakhstan with a 50% interest in the major oil joint venture Tengizchevroil developing the Tengiz oil field in Atyrau region. Kazakhstan received more than 1 billion US dollars in revenues from the joint venture in 2001, more than 30% of which was used to purchase goods and services from Kazakhstan companies. Both sides expressed confidence in the future of cooperation between the republic and the oil company.

On February 15 the Prime Minister also met the KIO General Director John Morrow. Mr. Tasmagambetov emphasized that he considers KIO a "strategic partner" with whom Kazakhstan will be working for several decades. He noted, however, that KIO's business success should be accompanied by greater involvement in infrastructure and social development projects in West Kazakhstan region.

ECONOMY

Kazakhstan's growing role in Central Asian gas market

Kazakhstan is looking to boost its profile as a gas producer and transit country, state gas pipeline operator KazTransGas deputy head Daniyar Berlibaev told Reuters in an interview last week.

To that end the republic has plans to upgrade its gas pipeline network, in particular those routes which serve as export pipelines for Central Asian gas to the west. "Currently the future of all gas projects in Central Asia is closely linked to the pipeline running through our territory," Berlibaev noted. "We are watching the ongoing gas liberalization in Europe and we would like one day to reach directly European consumers. I think we are gradually moving toward this," he added.

KazTransGas will invest USD 500 MM by 2005 in upgrading its transit pipeline, having spent 170 million US dollars last year, in anticipation of the growing demands it will face, Berlibaev said. "We will be ready to ship up to 80 billion cubic meters per year of Turkmen gas by 2005," Berlibaev said. Capacity currently stands at 50 bcm.

KazTransGas and oil and gas companies are also gearing up for more gas production by Kazakhstan itself, particularly from the Karachaganak field, one of the largest gas deposits in the world, and possibly from the republic's Caspian Sea offshore sector. "Currently Karachaganak mainly produces liquids, but in 10 years our gas output will skyrocket. We have to think about our potential gas markets now," a source in a European oil major told Reuters.

Kazakhstan is planning to boost gas output to 50 bcm by 2015 from 14 billion this year, with exports expected to rise to some 35 bcm from 3 bcm in 2001, Berlibaev said.

KIO to help create disaster clean-up center

Karachaganak Integrated Organization, the consortium that includes ChevronTexaco and is developing the huge Karachaganak oil and gas condensate deposit, will help Kazakhstan create its first-ever center to train Kazakhstan specialists on how to liquidate spills, fires and other accidents at oil fields. KIO has signed a protocol of intent with West Kazakhstan State University that will serve as the basis for the training center.

Commenting at the protocol signing, KIO official said that the center would not only satisfy the growing need for accident liquidation specialists in the Kazakhstan oil and gas sector, but would also become a center for professional training for state employees such as fire and police officers. He believes that the creation of the center will make Kazakhstan a leader in the CIS in terms of professional training for disaster specialists.

The center, to be based at West Kazakhstan State University, will receive guidance and assistance from KIO, West Kazakhstan State officials and Texas A & M University's Emergency Specialists Training Institute (ESTI).

SOCIETY

Day of Mother Tongues to be celebrated on February 22

Kazakhstan's State Committee on Cooperation with UNESCO announced on 19 February that Kazakhstan will mark International Day of Mother Tongues on February 22. The Committee reported that according to UNESCO, this year the Day of Mother Tongues will be marked internationally. The Committee also said that for Kazakhstan, a multiethnic state with more than 100 ethnic groups, the issue of mother tongues and their preservation continues to be of utmost importance.

The same day Kazinform reported that a new Ukrainian national-cultural society, uniting more than 20,000 Ukrainians in the region, was established in West Kazakhstan under the auspices of the Assembly of Peoples of Kazakhstan with the goal to promote the study of native tongue, culture and traditions.

Kazakhstan musicians and actors to take part in International Arts Competition in Hollywood

The International Cultural Center at the Assembly of Peoples of Kazakhstan announced on February 19 that a group of Kazakhstan musicians and actors representing the culture and arts of different ethnic groups in Kazakhstan will take part in the international arts competition scheduled to be held in Hollywood in October 2002. Well-known Kazakh actor Asanali Ashimov told journalists that the group from Kazakhstan will be carefully selected in order to "gain the highest results possible."

"Kazakhstan women feel 'the warmth of strangers'", says USA TODAY

In a story on February 20, USA TODAY said "a curious love affair" was developing between a town in Utah and Kazakhstan's women hockey team during the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics games.

Apart from the high-powered women's hockey teams, such as the U.S. and Canadian, someone also cared, said USA TODAY, about a fight between Kazakhstan and China for last place.

"Who cares? Provo cares. For here, too, is a curious love affair, between a town in Utah and the women's hockey team from a country many Americans could not find on a map. There were hundreds of Provo schoolchildren in the stands Tuesday, nametags on their clothes and balloons in their hands. On hand to pull for the women of Kazakhstan. Bags of clothes have been contributed by local citizens.

Gloves, scarves, money. A brunch will be given today at a local hospital. All for the women of Kazakhstan.

''We have felt the warmth of strangers,'' forward Dinara Dikambayeva said. ''Not a single country ever accepted us like this one.''

Kazakhstan had never sent a women's hockey team to the Olympics before. Had, in fact, put its program together five years ago largely with former figure skaters.

It is a hard road, the first Olympics. Provo, then, had found a favorite, in a 1962 New York Mets kind of way. Even more so when the women of Kazakhstan kept coming back for more, loss after loss after loss. Going into Tuesday, they were 0-4 and had been outscored 22-1.

''It's very noticeable people have loved us,'' goaltender Trunova said, ''no matter how we played.''

* * *

News Bulletin of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan

(Compiled from own sources and various agencies' reports)

Contact persons: Roman Vassilenko, Aibek Nurbalin

Tel.: (202) 232- 5488 ext. 104, 115

Fax: (202) 232- 5845