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www.kazakhstan-embassy-us.org

Vol. 3, No. 33, September 11, 2002

Politics

Kazakhstan commemorates September 11th

President Nazarbayev and Secretary of State

Powell meet in Johannesburg

Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan settle border issue

Economy

Kazakhstan produced over 30 mln. tonnes of

oil in Jan-Aug

CPC supplies 8 mln. tonnes of oil to world market

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DO YOU KNOW THAT...

...Having pledged the unconditional support for the U.S. immediately after the terrorists struck on September 11th, Kazakhstan has provided open skies and a major international airport for the U.S., as well as enhanced bilateral military and intelligence cooperation in the continuing fight against terrorism.

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POLITICS

Kazakhstan commemorates September 11th

Parliament observes minute of silence, children send drawings and signatures to America

On September 11th, the people of Kazakhstan commemorated the anniversary of the horrific attacks of last year across the country in many ways, including the outpouring of sympathy from children, parliamentarians and officials.

Kazakhstan was "filled with indignation" at the "horrific tragedy befallen the United States of America", President Nursultan Nazarbayev said in Astana exactly a year ago today expressing his deepest condolences to President George Bush and the Americans. "All the people of Kazakhstan share the grief with the American people", Mr. Nazarbayev said at that time. During his December 2001 visit to the U.S., President Nazarbayev visited Ground Zero, where he laid a wreath and signed the memorial wall.

"The people of Kazakhstan mourn the victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, in which a citizen of Kazakhstan, Zhanetta Tsoi, also died. We feel deeply for the American people," President Nazarbayev wrote on the wall.

The fate of Ms. Tsoi, a Korean-born Kazakh national, who died at the World Trade Center, resembles the stories of so many other innocent victims who perished in the terrorist attacks. As in many cases of other fateful coincidences on that day, September 11th was only the first day on the job with a brokerage company in the WTC for Ms. Tsoi. She left a husband and a 5-year-old daughter in New York.

Today, the Parliament deputies interrupted their daily session in Astana to stand up and observe the minute of silence for all those who perished in the attacks.

Schoolchildren of Kazakhstan, feeling sympathy and friendship toward American children, joined engaged in a week long action, Children of Kazakhstan for the world free from terror, collecting signatures and drawing pictures of compassion. At the ceremony in the capital of Astana today, the children presented US Ambassador Larry Napper with more than 45,000 signatures and 500 drawings to be passed onto to children in schools in New York, Washington and elsewhere.

"We will never forget that President Nazarbayev came to the Embassy soon after the attacks and signed the book of condolences. He made it clear that Kazakhstan will do everything possible in response to attacks. And Kazakhstan has been true to its word," Ambassador Napper said at the ceremony.

In memory of the deceased, delegations of intelligentsia and officials laid wreathes to monuments in Astana and Almaty.

Elsewhere, Secretary of State Kassymzhomart Tokaev, in a statement issued jointly by the foreign ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organization today, said "those events caused the unanimous and unconditional condemnation of terrorism by the international community". Speaking highly of the cooperation in the global fight against terrorism so far, the ministers added, "the international community will have to carry out difficult tasks and cover a long road" in order to defeat terrorism.

President Nazarbayev and Secretary of State Powell meet

Discuss terrorism, energy and economic partnership

President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Secretary of State Colin Powell met in Johannesburg on September 4 on the sidelines of the UN World Summit on Sustainable development.

"We met with Secretary of State Colin Powell with whom we maintain a very friendly relationship," Mr. Nazarbayev said after the meeting in the interview to Khabar television. "We discussed the fight against terrorism. The United States is grateful to Kazakhstan" for its support, he added.

"We discussed the development of the [bilateral] energy partnership," Mr. Nazarbayev said. This week in Washington, DC, on September 12, energy ministers of the two nations, Vladimir Shkolnik and Spencer Abraham, will chair the first Cabinet-level session of Joint Energy Partnership Committee. The session is expected to culminate in signing of a number of documents at promoting energy cooperation.

"We also talked about the Houston Initiative [on the establishment of the enterprise support fund in Kazakhstan], first proposed during my latest visit," President Nazarbayev added in his comments on the Johannesburg meeting.

"We strongly need assistance to help small business develop. This is a way to support freedom and democracy."

Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan settle border issue

Pledge friendship and cooperation

During a September 9 visit to Astana by President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan, the leaders of the two nations signed an agreement on the delimitation of the remaining 4 percent of the bilateral border. The 96 percent of the 2,440-kilometers-long (1,500 miles) border was delimited last year.

Under the agreement, reached through compromises from both sides, both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan gained and ceded various territories and villages. Kazakhstan established its jurisdiction over predominantly Kazakh-populated areas of Bagys village and Arnasai village and Arnasai Dam in Southern Kazakhstan region, that were under the control of Uzbekistan up until now. Uzbekistan gained control over Turkestanets village and three small villages in Kzyl-Orda area.

"This [border] agreement represents an example of sincere friendship and good neighborly relations, and it opens new prospects for cooperation in various spheres," President said in Astana. He called the agreement "historic".

With the agreement, "no undecided questions remain" in bilateral relations, Mr. Nazarbayev said.

The two presidents also signed an agreement declaring their intention to strengthen friendship between their countries, including measures to preserve and develop Kazakh culture and language in Uzbekistan and vice versa.

The issues they discussed also included the construction of a highway between Kungrad in western Uzbekistan and the Kazakhstan's Caspian port of Aqtau that will serve as a route for Uzbek goods on their way to Russia and Europe.

ECONOMY

Kazakhstan produced over 30 mln tonnes of oil in Jan-Aug

An increase of 20 percent over last year

Production of oil and gas condensate in Kazakhstan in January-August this year amounted to 30.46 million tonnes, 20.1% more than in the same period last year. That amount included 3.322 million tonnes of condensate (up 7.4%), the Interfax reported.

Of that amount, KazMunaiGaz subsidiaries produced 4.89 million tonnes of oil and gas condensate in the first eight months. Companies with KazakhOil participation produced 12.72 million tonnes of oil in the reporting period (up 3.8% year-on-year). Most of this production was accounted for by Tengizchevroil - 8.597 million tonnes (up 2.9% year-on-year) and Karachaganak Petroleum Operating Company (KPO) - 3.299 million tonnes (up 7.5%).

Other oil companies in Kazakhstan produced 12.85 million tonnes of oil in the first eight months (up 28.3% year-on-year), including Mangistaumunaigaz - 3.029 million tonnes (up 3.7%), Aktobemunaigaz - 2.834 million tonnes (up 38.4%), and Hurricane Kumkol Limited - 3.005 million tonnes (up 26.6%).

CPC supplies 8 mln. tonnes of oil to world market

Over 1.1 mln. tonnes transported monthly

Since its inception in the fall of 2001, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium sea terminal near Novorossiisk has shipped 8 million tonnes of oil, supplied through the Tengiz-Novorossiisk pipeline, the CPC information service announced September 5.

The eight millionth tonne of oil was loaded onto the tanker Astro Sirius, chartered by ChevronTexaco. This was the 80th ship to be serviced at the CPC terminal since the trial loading of the tanker Minerva Alexandra October 13, 2001. The terminal has shipped 7.1 million tonnes of oil since the start of this year.

CPC is now preparing to receive oil from new producers in Kazakhstan, CPC General Director Ian McDonald said. The current forecasts for the development of the Kazakh oil industry indicate the need to increase the capacity of the CPC pipeline. The consortium is winding up work on a number of proposals to expand the pipeline system and hopes to present them to shareholders for consideration over the coming weeks, he said.

At the moment over 1.1 million tonnes of oil is transported through the CPC system monthly. After the Karachaganak field is connected to the system, which is expected next year, the pipeline will start operating at full capacity.

Russia has a 24% stake in Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Kazakhstan - 19%, Oman - 7%. Another 50% of the consortium are divided between Chevron Caspian Pipeline Consortium Co. (15%), Mobil Caspian Pipeline Co. (7.5%), and a range of other companies.

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For more news and information visit us at www.kazakhstan-embassy-us.org

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