In this issue:
President Nazarbayev Sends Condolences on Ex-President Reagan’s Passing
U.S., Kazakh Officials Break Ground for New American Embassy in Astana
U.S. Investment in Kazakhstan Reaches US$9 Billion, PM Says, Adding He Wants to See It Diversified
Gold, Currency Reserves Shoot Above $10 Billion
10-Year-Old Singer from Pavlodar to Study at La Scala
President Nazarbayev Sends Condolences with Ex-President Reagan’s Passing
President Nursultan Nazarbayev sent a letter of condolences to President George W. Bush with the passing of former President Ronald Reagan.
In the letter, “on behalf of the people of Kazakhstan” the President expressed “deep condolences to relatives and friends of the deceased, and to the American people, with this grave loss.”
U.S., Kazakh Officials Break Ground for New American Embassy in Astana
U.S. and Kazakh officials broke the ground for the construction of a new U.S. Embassy in Astana on June 8. U.S. Ambassador Larry Napper and Gen. Charles Williams, a State Department official in charge of building U.S. embassies overseas, and Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Kassymzhomart Tokaev and Astana Akim (Mayor) Umirzak Shukeev dug the first shovels into the ground on the left bank of the Ishim river where a new 90-million-dollar embassy compound will rise by May 2006.
The construction site situated in the center of the “Diplomatic City” where new embassies are being built since the capital was moved to Astana in 1997-98. From 300 to 500 construction specialists will work on the U.S. Embassy which will occupy up to 10,000 square meters.
At the ceremony, officials on both sides said the new compound will allow U.S. diplomats to work more efficiently in building strong bilateral ties with Kazakhstan.
U.S. Ambassador Napper said: “We are not just building a new compound, we also build the foundations for a new era of constructive relations between the United States and Kazakhstan based on our common commitments to democratic values and strategic partnership.”
He added: “When we finish the construction, the majority of Embassy staff will move to Astana. We are confident the new U.S. Embassy in Astana will add fresh energy into colossal efforts you pour into building a new capital of Kazakhstan.” Overall, there will be 70 U.S. diplomats and 230 locals working in the Embassy.
The U.S. diplomat also said the move will reflect its “respect for the decision to move the capital” [to Astana from the former capital of Almaty in the southeastern corner of the country] and likened Astana to Washington, which was actually the second site where the U.S. capital was moved soon after independence and which was built in the swampy banks of the Potomac river more than 200 years ago.
He said Washington today continues to prosper as the U.S. capital. Astana has seen an unprecedented construction boom since late 1990s. Its population almost doubled from under 300,000 in 1997, to almost 600,000 in 2003 as new office buildings, apartment blocks, shopping centers and hotels sprouted around the city.
U.S. Investment in Kazakhstan Reaches US$9 Billion, PM Says, Adding He Wants to See It Diversified
Prime Minister Daniyal Akhmetov told visiting Deputy Secretary of Energy Kyle McSlarrow that American private investment in Kazakhstan, primarily in oil and energy, has reached more than 9 billion dollars, but Astana hopes U.S. firms will soon begin investing in other sectors.
The Prime Minister said the trade and investment ties between the two countries were growing stronger, with bilateral trade reaching 600 million dollars in 2003, yet the Government is keen to see American investment going in other sectors. He told his guest about plans to develop Kazakhstan’s peaceful nuclear energy industry and space technologies.
Akhmetov also stressed that previous contracts signed with major U.S. corporations will stay intact as one of the important components of bilateral relations.
McSlarrow said the United States views Kazakhstan not only as a strong partner and ally, but as a close friend.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the third annual U.S.-Kazakhstan Energy Partnership Commission, which took place in Astana on June 9 and 10. The commission was established following the December 2001 visit to Washington by President Nursultan Nazarbayev with respective energy ministers as cochairmen. Energy Minister Vladimir Shkolnik cochaired today’s meeting from the Kazakhstan side, while Kyle McSlarrow filled in for Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham.
At the commission session, McSlarrow said “our cooperation in the energy sphere is an important element for reaching common goals.” Minister Shkolnik noted that while more than 1 million barrels per day were produced in Kazakhstan in 2003, “by 2015 Kazakhstan will be producing more than 150 million tons [3 million bpd] of oil per year.
Gold, Currency Reserves Shoot Above $10 Billion
Anvar Saidenov, Chairman of the National Bank of Kazakhstan, announced in Almaty on June 9 that Kazakhstan’s gold and currency reserves grew 3.2 percent in May 2004 to reach the record of US$ 10 billion. This figure includes US$3.7 billion in the National Fund, created in 2000 to accumulate access revenues from oil and gas sector.
According to Kazakhstan Today news agency (www.gazeta.kz), Mr. Saidenov also announced that net currency reserves grew 5.7 percent, while gold rose by 1.7 percent, even though gold depreciated in the international markets in the same period.
10-Year-Old Singer from Pavlodar to Study at La Scala
Masha Mudryak, Kazakhstan’s wonder child singer who has already been named in the Guinness book of records, received invitation to study for free at the Giuseppe Verde school of La Scala opera in Milano.
The Italians spotted the gifted girl from Pavlodar [in northern Kazakhstan] at an international contest, Hopes of Europe, held in Sochi in January 2004. She sang in the nomination of academic vocal and won it with a perfect rendition of an extremely complex song Nightingale by Alexander Alyabiev, one of the greatest Russian composers of the 19th Century. The song is known for its warbles that need to be sung on the edge of the voice.
Olga Mudryak, the girl’s mother, said she will study in Italy for five years during summers. This will then enable her to enter the La Scala musical academy without exams.
Masha Mudryak issued its first solo disk in 1999 when she was only five and was then entered into the Guinness book of records as the world’s youngest female singer. Since that time she won many international song contests.
Before leaving for Milano this summer, Masha will give a concert to disabled children.
Things to Watch:
- Astana celebrates its 6th official anniversary as the capital of Kazakhstan June 10.
- Presidents of six member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization – China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, - meet in Tashkent, the Uzbek capital, on June 16 through 17. Uzbek officials announced this week that Afghan President Hamid Karzai will also attend the summit as a guest.
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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
