In this issue:
Kazakhstan’s Average Voter: Woman with University or College Degree, of Medium Income
U.S. CoDel Visits Astana, Seeks Closer Ties
Four Countries Form Economic Bond
Norway Welcomes Kazakhstan’s Bid to Chair OSCE in 2009
Election Will Take Place before September 30
Political Parties Propose 164,000 Members for Election Commissions, Eighty Percent More Than Needed
Say it in Kazakh:
Where is… --- … kaida?
…a restaurant --- Meiramkhana
…a library --- Kitapkhana
… a hospital ---Aurukhana
… a pharmacy --- Darikhana
… a restroom --- Daretkhana
Open --- Ashyk
Closed --- Zhabyk
Kazakhstan’s Average Voter: Woman with University or College Degree, of Medium Income
A new profile of the average voter in Kazakhstan has been produced by political analysts and sociologists. The voter is a woman with a university or a college degree, and of medium income. She is most likely to go the polls in September 2004 election.
At a May 25 seminar in Almaty leaders of many political parties and experts agreed that women, who are a slight majority over men in Kazakhstan, are likely to be the most active voters. The Khabar TV news agency said the average voter is a social democrat, with views spanning the gap between conservatism and liberalism. The most active voters are civil servants and pensioners, while students are the least likely to vote. Key factors among those polls in choosing a candidate were the candidate’s personal honesty and integrity, and the realistic nature of campaign promises.
Bakhytzhamal Bekturganova, a woman and the President of the Association of Sociologists and Political Analysts in Kazakhstan commented on regional differences in voters. “The south of Kazakhstan in the regions of Kyzyl-Orda, Shymkent and Taldykorgan, is where we find the most active voters. In the capital of Astana and the former capital of Almaty people seem reluctant to vote. The western part of Kazakhstan is home to many people unsure about voting.”
These findings offer a useful insight into the character of the electorate and will surely be used by the ten or more political parties already gearing up for the campaign.
At the Almaty seminar, experts noted that while society is quite politicized with up to 20 percent of the population loyal to one party or another, a great number of potential voters, more than a third, are still undecided about making the journey to the voting booth.
Ms. Bekturganova said: “I wish the profile we described can be beautified with additional political activity.”
U.S. CoDel Visits Astana, Seeks Closer Ties
Senator Conrad Burns, Republican of Montana, led a Congressional delegation (CoDel) on a visit to Kazakhstan arriving today. The group is acting to promote closer ties in political and economic spheres.
At a meeting with President Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana on May
27, Sen. Burns and Rep. Dennis Rehberg (R-MT) presented him with
a U.S. flag that was flown over the Capitol in honor of Kazakhstan
and a message from several key American legislators.
In the message signed by Senators Conrad Burns, Orrin Hatch (R-UT),
Sam Brownback (R-KS), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), and Representatives
Dennis Rehberg (R-MT), John Sullivan (R-OK), George
Radanovich (R-CA) and Chris Bell (D-TX), they said in the short
period of its independence “Kazakhstan has overcome numerous
obstacles and emerged as one of Central Asia’s most dynamic
nations.”
They said they are “grateful to the people of Kazakhstan and
their leader, Nursultan Nazarbayev, for their firm and consistent
support in our fight with international terrorism. Kazakhstan
remains a reliable partner and strong ally of the United States.
Our important bilateral trade relationship has been growing substantially.”
They message also noted the members “firmly believe in further strengthening of the U.S.-Kazakhstan strategic partnership.”
In addition to President Nazarbayev, the two U.S. legislators met in Astana with speakers of the Senate and the Majilis (lower house) of the Parliament, Nurtai Abykaev and Zharmakhan Tuyakbai.
Speaker Abykaev said Kazakhstan’s support for the international anti-terrorist coalition “remains unchanged”. He stressed the country “remains firm in fulfilling its partnership obligations in Iraq.”
Speaker Abykaev also pressed the case for Kazakhstan’s graduation from the outdated Jackson-Vanik amendment. He said he was looking forward to the U.S. Congress’ support “in solving this long overdue problem and repealing the Jackson-Vanik amendment in relation to Kazakhstan, which was imposed on the Soviet Union in the 1970s.”
“We have since long removed all barriers to repealing this amendment in relation to Kazakhstan,” Speaker Abykaev stressed.
According to Kazakhstan Today news agency, Sen. Burns said “Kazakhstan really makes very good progress” in removing reasons for Jackson-Vanik. He also noted members of the U.S. Congress will closely watch the upcoming Parliamentary election. The members will “appreciate the transparency of the election, the opportunity for political parties to express their opinions and freely promote their agendas through the news media.” Sen. Burns added he “looks forward to the day the amendment is repealed.”
Both of the Kazakh Speakers called for further strengthening of ties between the two legislatures. The Senate speaker believes there should be a cooperative group between the two upper houses, similar to the one existing between the Majilis and the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Co-Del is accompanied by a business delegation who will participate in a business forum in Astana on May 28. Sen. Burns will also speak to students at the Eurasian University in Astana.
Four Countries Form Economic Bond
The Presidents of Kazakhstan, Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, at their Yalta summit on May 24, created de jure a “Single Economic Space” (SES) with the goal of eliminating barriers in mutual trade.
Presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, Alexander Lukashenka of Belarus, Vladimir Putin of Russia and Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine met for a two-day summit at a resort in the outskirts of Yalta on the Black Sea. The presidents exchanged ratification documents at the summit putting the SES on a legal basis.
The leaders sought to determine what needs to be done first to move the four countries closer to economic integration. A total list of about 120 legislative acts was pared down to a shortlist of 61. A high-level group of experts, including Deputy Prime Ministers of four countries which already meets regularly, was given the task of preparing these documents either for signature by the Presidents, or ratification in national Parliaments.
President Nazarbayev, speaking after the summit to reporters, said two structures within the SES needed to be established quickly, a customs union and a transportation union.
President Putin said he expected the first package of documents to be signed during in 2005 and 2006.
It has been reported that economies of the four countries, which underwent different reforms leading to different results over the twelve years of independence, used to constitute almost 80 percent of the economy of the former Soviet Union. The population of the SES is about 230 million.
The four leaders originally announced the idea to create a unified economic space, modeled on the European Union, at their meeting in Moscow in February 2003. They then signed formal agreements creating the fledgling body in Yalta in September 2003. Later, in the spring of 2004, the parliaments of all four countries ratified the agreements opening the way for creation of Single Economic Space.
The four Presidents agreed to meet next in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, in September 2004.
The current meeting of the four presidents took place in the same resort that in 1945 hosted the Soviet, British and American leaders, Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt, who discussed the future of the world after their impending victory over the Nazis.
Norway Welcomes Kazakhstan’s Bid to Chair OSCE in 2009
Kjell Magne Bondevik, Prime Minister of Norway, visited Astana on May 25 for talks on promoting closer political and economic ties, and said his country would welcome Kazakhstan’s bid to chair the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2009.
Speaking to the press in Astana, PM Bondevik added “such a chairmanship puts obligations on every member” in living up to best democratic principles. “We would like to work together with Kazakhstan in this important area,” he said.
“The proof of this is our opening a Norwegian honorary consulate in Astana, and the expected opening of Kazakhstan’s diplomatic mission in Oslo in the nearest future,” the Norwegian Prime Minister said.
Following their talks in Astana, PM Bondevik and President Nazarbayev signed a declaration calling for further development of friendly ties and cooperation.
President Nazarbayev said “Norway’s experience in exploration and exploitation of oil fields is very important to us, and we intend to use this experience in developing oil fields on the Caspian shelf.” Kazakhstan has already borrowed the Norwegian experience in the past when it modeled its National Fund, which saves oil money for future use, after Norway’s fund.
PM Bondevik confirmed his country’s “firm commitment to developing cooperation”, adding “Kazakhstan’s economy, particularly the oil sector, creates remarkable opportunities.”
Election Will Take Place before September 30
Zagipa Baliyeva, Chairwoman of the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan, said the upcoming Parliamentary election will be held before September 30, 2004.
Speaking in the Majilis (lower house of the Parliament) on May 26, Ms. Baliyeva said the Constitution provides for election to be scheduled no later than 2 months before the end of the current term, which ends November 30, 2004, and the President has to announce the election no later than 5 months before the end of the term. Therefore, she said, the President will need to issue a decree before June 30, which will set a date for the election before September 30.
In the election, 77 seats in the Majilis will be contested, including 67 seats to be filled by direct election and 10 seats under proportional voting. Ten political parties have already announced plans to field candidates.
Political Parties Propose 164,000 Members for Election Commissions, Eighty Percent More Than Needed
Kazakhstan’s political parties have submitted names of 164,000 candidates for membership in election commissions which will be selected by maslikhats (local assemblies) over the coming weeks. The commissions will oversee the parliamentary election later this year.
Zagipa Baliyeva, Chairwoman of the Central Election Commission, said the commission finished registering candidates for regional, district and city election commissions on May 26. Speaking in the Majilis floor hearings that same day, Mrs. Baliyeva said there are only 91,896 seats on the commissions, which means maslikhats will have to select future commission members by balloting.
Mrs. Baliyeva also responded to questions about reliability of a proposed electronic voting system. She said a few districts will have the system installed for trial tests soon. Then, a national commission will review its operation and make a decision as to whether it can be used selectively in the election this fall. It is expected the electronic voting may be installed in some polling stations in Astana, Almaty, and a few larger regional centers.
Things to Watch:
- The 2nd international conference, “Jews in Kazakhstan: history, religion, culture”, will take place in Almaty on May 27-28. Organized by the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress and the Jewish Congress of Kazakhstan, it will feature an exhibit of pictures and books and will host a delegation from Israel.
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News Bulletin of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the USA and Canada
(Compiled from own sources and agency reports)
Contact person: Roman Vassilenko
1401 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20036
Tel.: (202) 232- 5488 ext. 104, Fax: (202) 232- 5845
