-6°C / -4°C Wednesday, march 12, 2014 No 5 (48) www.astanatimes.com Customs Union Leaders Discuss Investors See Risk, Integration in Moscow but Stay Put in Wake of Tenge Devaluation By Pavel Pribylovsky an attempt to support the Kazakh economy in the aftermath of the The National Bank of Kazakh- global financial crisis. However, stan’s recent decision to devalue despite the magnitude and unex- the tenge by 19 percent was an un- pected nature of the most recent welcome surprise for institutional devaluation, Mandel added that investors and the local market. the devaluation has not resulted in “Most investors were caught off a mass exit of large investors. guard. These kinds of moves by “We have seen a good deal of the central bank, made without a movement in Kazakh equities (after warning, naturally add a greater the central bank’s announcement), element of risk and frustration mostly out. That said, there has not when it comes to investing in the been a mass exodus of any sort. First country,” said Simon Mandel, off, the liquidity is still pretty tight in vice-president on the Emerging these names (especially Halyk and Europe Equities desk at Auerbach KCell), so it’s not like selling out of Grayson in New York. positions is easy to begin with. This is not the tenge’s largest It appears that investors have ac- scale devaluation in its 20-year cepted the new reality of the deval- history. In February 2009, the Al- ued currency, as well as a height- maty-based National Bank deval- ened risk atmosphere.” ued the currency by 21 percent in Continued on Page A4 Education, Balanced Foreign Policy Will Lead

Presidents Nazarbayev, Lukashenko and Putin greet each other at a meeting to discuss the Customs Union and Common Economic Space in Moscow on March 5. Later, President Nazarbayev discussed the situation in Ukraine with President Vladimir Putin, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and President Barack Obama to Evolutionary Changes in of the United States in a series of telephone calls on March 10. The Kazakh leader reiterated his position in favour of finding peaceful negotiated solutions to the political crisis in Ukraine and to differences between Russia and Ukraine over Crimea. President Nazarbayev also stressed the importance of finding negotiated solutions that would ensure the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Central Asia, Scholar Says By Merey Kabiden Customs Union and Common Eco- President Nazarbayev updated the We need to comply with the planned By Altair Nurbekov Massachusetts Avenue, filled nomic Space integration, as well as council on progress made at the most schedule and the governments of with books, maps, handmade Kazakhstan President Nursultan progress on the Eurasian Economic recent meeting of council representa- member states should do more to WASHINGTON, DC – Gradual rugs and the two bicycles he Nazarbayev, Russian President Union establishment treaty. The tives in Astana. “I examined carefully explain the benefits of integration, and incremental changes will en- uses to get to work. The 73-year- Vladimir Putin and Belarus Presi- discussions were held during the the documents and believe our experts which is being conducted for the good sure greater popular participation old professor is known for his dent Alexander Lukashenko met leaders’ attendance of the Supreme have done well. I hope we can come of our peoples,” Nazarbayev said. in political processes, leading to keen interest in both history and on March 5 in Moscow to discuss Eurasian Economic Council. to a consensus on all disputed issues. Continued on Page A3 evolutionary democratic changes present day of Central Asia, in in the countries of Central Asia which he includes Afghanistan, as the middle class and new elites and has authored numerous with modern educations will play books on the region, includ- increasingly assertive roles, said ing the seminal 700-page work, prominent American scholar on “Lost Enlightenment: Central Samruk Kazyna Announces Focus the region S. Frederick Starr. Starr Asia’s Golden Age from the also believes Afghanistan will not Arab Conquest to Tamerlane,” plunge into abyss once the major- published by Princeton Univer- ity of foreign troops leave that sity Press late in 2013. on Kazakhstan Way 2050 country by the end of 2014, as Asked about political pro- By Rufiya Ospanova egy laid out in President Nursul- implementing the tasks set in the enterprises to the private sector, scheduled. cesses in Central Asia today and and Jan Furst tan Nazarbayev’s latest state-of- Kazakhstan Way 2050 state-of- Samruk Kazyna will submit to Starr, founder and chairman of their future, especially in light of the-nation address. Kazakh Prime the-nation address and on achiev- the government a list of Samruk the Central Asia and Caucasus the ongoing upheaval in nearby Institute at Johns Hopkins Uni- ASTANA – The Samruk Kazyna Minister Serik Akhmetov attended ing the goal of becoming a strate- Kazyna companies proposed for Ukraine, the scholar said he was versity’s School of Advanced National Welfare Fund announced the meeting, which was followed gic holding company,” Shukeyev transfer to the private sector in “confident of the normal evolu- the first quarter of 2014. Accord- International Studies, shared his tion towards greater participation at a meeting of fund companies on by a benchmarking analysis on said. ing to preliminary data, the list is optimistic views on the future of by the people in running their Feb. 26 that it will focus in 2014 Feb. 27 by the fund’s chairman of According to Shukeyev, in order expected to include more than 80 the region in an interview with own countries.” on implementing the elements of the board, Umirzak Shukeyev. to implement the President’s in- companies. Kazakh reporters and bloggers the Kazakhstan Way 2050 strat- “This year we will focus on structions to transfer state-owned Continued on Page A5 in his office on Washington’s Continued on Page A8 Dutch Envoy Sees EBRD President Says ‘Proud of Work Opportunities for More with Kazakhstan,’ Focuses on Green Trade, Investment By Jan Furst for them in Holland. There is a Economy Projects, Regional Development strong and steady flow already, but I By Michelle Witte the potential to be one of EBRD’s ASTANA – The Netherlands is want to double it,” he continued. “In biggest markets. Kazakhstan’s largest foreign in- 2016, I will be 65 and my term will Sir Suma Chakrabarti, Presi- President Nazarbayev said that vestor and the third largest trading probably have finished, but I will dent of the European Bank for Kazakhstan is focusing atten- partner in Europe. Yet the coun- still work towards this goal: I hope Reconstruction and Develop- tion on the development of small try’s new ambassador in Astana to take part in EXPO 2017, which is ment (EBRD), in an exclusive and medium-sized enterprises thinks there’s much more that can my third goal. I want to see a consid- interview with The Astana Times, (SMEs) and would like to inten- be done to expand trade and in- erable amount of Dutch businesses spoke about the diverse portfolio sify cooperation with the bank in vestment ties further, and to bring from all sectors of the economy par- of Europe’s major transnational this sector. The EBRD and the the two countries closer together. ticipating in EXPO 2017, not only lender and its work with the Ka- Kazakh government are already “First, I want to double the num- as representation, but as permanent zakh government to pursue green working to support SMEs. The ber of Dutch businesses in Ka- fixtures in Kazakhstan.” economy projects, promote re- government has provided donor zakhstan,” said Ambassador Hans Such expectations are based on gional development and support funding to the EBRD’s Small Driesser as he outlined priorities both solid economic fundamentals small and medium-sized busi- Business Support programme, for his term in Astana in an ex- and assessment of the two coun- nesses. which provides advisory servic- clusive interview with The Astana tries’ potentials and mutually com- es to enterprises throughout the Times. “Currently, we have more bining interests. President Nursul- What EBRD projects did you country. that 60 Dutch companies working tan Nazarbayev’s upcoming visit discuss with President Nursultan At our meeting, President Naz- in Kazakhstan. About 40 of them to The Hague at the end of March Nazarbayev in Davos? arbayev also noted that the Nation- Sir Suma Chakrabarti visited Astana in May 2013 to participate in the Foreign Investor’s Council under the President of Kazakhstan. are based in Almaty. That number should give a major boost to ef- We spoke about the achieve- al Bank of Kazakhstan may ben- must be doubled. We would like forts to develop relations across ments of 2013, highlighting the efit from EBRD advice on dealing viewed recent EBRD projects, in How would you assess the to see more Dutch businesses in the board. European Bank for Reconstruc- with non-performing loans in the particular,those with Kazakh mu- bank’s cooperation with Kazakh- Astana as well.” In 2012, Netherlands-based tion and Development’s $450 mil- Kazakh banking sector. nicipalities. Among these projects stan generally? “Second, I want to double the companies invested $8.5 billion in lion of investments in Kazakhstan We also discussed significant are public transport investments in We are proud of our work in number of Kazakh students studying Kazakhstan, more than 30 percent last year, over half of which have work that is underway to develop Almaty and Kyzylorda, as well as Kazakhstan. Last year, the EBRD in the Netherlands, and young politi- of the total foreign direct invest- a green economy element. I com- local currency and capital mar- investments in waste management, celebrated 20 years of successful cians and governmental officers we ment that year. mented that we are keen to increase ketsin Kazakhstan. In addition, water and waste water services and activity in the country. interact with by having a programme Continued on Page A8 this figure in 2014. Kazakhstan has President Nazarbayev and I re- district heating. Continued on Page A4

Inside

Nation Economy & Business editorial opinions NATION & CAPITAL Country Seeks to Increase Medical Equipment DPM Issekeshev Reviews Industrial Working to ensure nuclear security and Ronaldo: Counting down the days until EXPO City Construction to Begin in Spring B1 Procurement Transparency A2 Development Programme Results and Future promote global nuclear nonproliferation A6 Brazil welcomes the world A6 On International Women’s Day, EBRD Projects in East Kazakhstan A5 Foreign Ministry Holds Briefing for Diplomats Nurgaliyev: Kazakhstan Addresses Highlights Support for Women in Business in on Religious Freedom in Country A2 Challenges of International Trade A7 Kazakhstan B1

US$ 1 = 182.08 KZT 1 Euro = 252.60 KZT 1 Rouble = 5.02 KZT A2 NATION

Wednesday, march 12, 2014

NATIONAL Country Seeks to Increase Corps A Civil news in brief Minister of Education and Sci- Servants, Regional ence of Kazakhstan Aslan Sarin- zhipov visited the Almaty region Medical Equipment on March 5. The main purpose Akims Participate in of the visit was to promote the President’s address, “Kazakhstan 2050: Common Goals, Common Procurement Transparency Interests, a Common Future.” The By Marina Parkhomenko EU-supported Distance minister visited a number of edu- ASTANA – The government is cational institutions in the region, including the Zhansugirov Zhe- working hard and methodically to Learning Programme tysu State University. The minis- efficiently use funds and respect ter familiarised himself with the transparency in procuring medi- By Michelle Witte al civil service training centres, 300 university and met with students cine and medical equipment. akims (mayors) of small regional and faculty members. He told This issue was discussed at a ASTANA – The Academy of cities, rural districts, towns and vil- them the President plans to intro- meeting of the Public Council for Public Administration under the lages took part in a training seminar duce the principle of autonomy the Protection of Patients’ Rights President of Kazakhstan and the on the implementation of 67 local European Union project on mod- in higher education. This will in- chaired by Serikbol Mussinov, ex- government functions. The func- ernising and reforming Kazakh- crease academic freedom and in- ecutive secretary of the Ministry of tions fell into categories including stan’s civil service have collabo- taxation, budgeting, providing em- crease universities’ ability to raise Healthcare. funds and implement innovative rated to create distance-learning ployment and organising gatherings. “Health system modernisation is programmes. The minister also training programmes for the newly A number of akims also spoke about the main task of the Salamatty Ka- visited the Taldykorgan College State programmes aim to attract investment to pharmaceuticals and increase appointed Kazakhstan’s A Corps of development in their regions. Partic- zakhstan state programme,” said of Service and Technologies and transparency in the purchase of medicine and medical equipment. civil servants and regional akims ipating akims received certificates of Mussinov. “Once again, we saw several schools. He noted that re- (mayors). completion after the training. the benefits of unified distribution and Innovative Development (SPAI- 5-50 million tenge (US$27,100- The online distance learning gional authorities have developed The akims will also receive regu- in helping to ensure the availability ID). As a result, over the five-year $271,000) is bought through the course organised for the civil ser- plans to improve the condition of lar training through an 80-hour pro- of medicines under the Guaranteed period, 58.3 billion tenge (US$316.1 leasing system. At the same time, vice A Corps was the first of its kind several schools in the region with- gramme developed by the Academy Free Medical Care (GFMC) pro- million) worth of domestic products the state reserves the right to spend in Kazakhstan. The practice-orient- in five years. Minister Sarinzhipov of Public Administration, the EU gramme. According to SK-Pharma- were purchased and their share in its budget on acquiring unique, ed training modules used technolo- also signed during his Almaty cy, in 2014, a strategic stabilisation GFMC reached 75 percent. high-value and high-tech medi- gies from leading research centres civil service reform project and the tour a memorandum on achieving fund was established and medica- The favourable investment climate cal equipment. In this case, it must around the world and covered stra- National Centre of Education. The education and youth policy goals tions are now being purchased at in the country has attracted world- comply with the rules of state and tegic planning and budgeting, per- training will be conducted in region- for 2014-2016 with the acting single prices. The long-term contrac- famous pharmaceutical manufactur- sectoral programmes. sonnel management in state agen- al training centres. akim (governor) of Almaty region tor’s scheme concluded on onerous ers. Polpharma and Pharmstandard Vice-Minister of Healthcare Bu- cies, development and managerial Alikhan Baimenov, chairman of Amandyk Battalov. conditions for the state, as its prior have already invested about $150 lat Tokezhanov said that KazMed- decision making. the Agency for Civil Service Af- incarnation, has been eliminated.” million in the industry. Pharmaceuti- Tech helps attract investments to The final stage of training, held fairs, said, “Strong local authority Denis Ten, bronze medal winner Since 2011, SK-Pharmacy has cal giants such as Sanofi and Pfizer the country, protects domestic pro- Feb. 24-26, focused on developing means a strong state. The attitude in men’s individual figure skating signed direct contracts totaling 18.5 are planning to launch factories in ducers and stimulates the develop- personal leadership, creating leader- of citizens [towards] civil service at this year’s Winter Olympics, has billion tenge (US$100.3 million). Kazakhstan, according to the coun- ment of new industries. ship development strategies, devel- in rural areas where more than been given the “Breakthrough of This has saved 3.6 billion tenge try’s officials. In order to attract Increasing transparency and effi- oping personal competence and de- 40 percent of the population of the Year” award by Kazakhstan’s (US$19.5 million). From 2009- large-scale direct investment in phar- ciency in the procurement process cision making. Using training cases, the country lives depends largely Agency for Physical Culture and 2014, savings reached about 27 bil- maceuticals, new rules for long-term will help save more than 20 billion the A Corps managers practiced on the activities of town akims. Sports. “I am honoured to receive lion tenge (US$146.4 million). The contracts will be approved. tenge (US$108.4 million) of state working in teams, making manage- This work is very important in this prize,” Ten said, calling the nationwide distributor was designed The main goal of the government funds. ment decisions and working with strengthening the statehood of Ka- award an acknowledgement of his to be a driving factor in the develop- programme is decentralisation and The Public Council for the Pro- information sources in tight time zakhstan.” hard work. “An Olympic medal ment of the domestic pharmaceutical the creation of a competitive en- tection of Patients’ Rights, includ- frames. Participants who passed The seminar was attended by rep- is an award for our country,” he industry. There are special prefer- vironment for producing medical ing members of the Senate and the the course were given certificates resentatives of the Agency for Civil said, “this is something very per- ences given to domestic producers equipment. Decentralisation has Mazhilis (the upper and the lower confirming their completion of the Service Affairs, the Academy for sonal. This prize is similar to an provided by the programme for the clear principles: medical equip- chambers of the Parliament), sup- training. Public Administration, ministries Oscar. Yesterday was the Academy development of the national phar- ment worth up to five million tenge port this system of procurement of Five training courses are planned and departments, the Damu Entre- Awards – I’ll say that now I have maceutical industry under the State (US$27,100) is to be acquired by medicines and medical equipment. for administration officials this year. preneurship Development Fund and my own Oscar.” Ten won Kazakh- Programme of Accelerated Industrial hospitals and equipment worth The system uses market principles. Via an online broadcast to region- the Kazagro National Holding. stan’s only medal in the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

As of March 5, 27 applications for innovation grants totalling Foreign Ministry about 600 million tenge (US$3.3 million) had been submitted dur- ing the preceeding two-week pe- riod, said Deputy Chairman of Holds Briefing for the Board of the National Agency for Technological Development Aslanbek Amrin. As earlier re- Diplomats on Religious ported, the innovation grant appli- cation process opend on Feb. 20. Applications will be received all Freedom in Country year. This instrument of support By Merey Kabiden We respect the views and feelings of for innovators is relatively new all followers of different faiths, but but its popularity is growing. This ASTANA – The Ministry of For- we also demand respect for the laws year, 44 projects totalling 822 mil- eign Affairs of Kazakhstan held a of Kazakhstan.” lion tenge (US$4.5 million) were briefing on March 6 concerning reli- Azilkhanov presented a report on approved for financing. Innova- gious freedom in Kazakhstan for the the state of freedom and religion in tion grants are used to support diplomatic corps and representatives Kazakhstan. The report was meant promising innovative projects. of accredited international organisa- to demonstrate transparency in Ka- The programme is carried out tions. zakhstan, discuss issues of religious with support from the Ministry of At the briefing, Foreign Minister freedom and confirm that Kazakh Industry and New Technologies of Erlan Idrissov and Chairman of the legislation pertaining to religious Kazakhstan. Agency for Religious Affairs Marat freedom is consistent with interna- Azilkhanov spoke about the reli- tional standards. A photo exhibition on Afghani- gious climate in Kazakhstan and the Azilkhanov noted that the new stan, “Seeing a different Afghani- country’s compliance with the inter- 2011 law on religion was necessary stan,” was organised on March 3 national human rights and democ- to curb the activities of some ele- by the MDP/Global Classroom racy obligations it has undertaken. ments that use religion for destruc- programme at Al Farabi Kazakh The briefing was attended by tive and extremist purposes. National University in Almaty. representatives of Kazakhstan’s “All religious associations are The exhibition presented a series civil society specialising in religious equal before the law in the country, of pictures about the everyday freedom, as well as Kazakhstan’s and freely conduct religious gath- life of young people and students religious leaders also attended the erings. The number of missionary around the city of Kabul. The pic- briefing. organisations is growing. No mis- tures were taken during an educa- In his remarks, Idrissov noted that sionaries were denied permission tional trip to Afghanistan by Pro- Kazakhstan has representatives of to operate in the re-registration pro- fessor RafisA bazov of Columbia more than 120 nationalities living cess,” the head of the agency said. University. Abazov is also a vis- peacefully in the country and fol- According to Kazakhstan’s for- iting professor at Al Farabi Uni- lowing many different religions. eign ministry, Chief Rabbi of Ka- versity and travelled to Kabul in Freedom of religion is a reality in zakhstan Yeshaya Cohen, Bishop of late 2013 to discuss research and Kazakhstan and is guaranteed by the Kaskelen Gennady and Apostolic education cooperation between Constitution, as well as by other laws, Buendia commented on remarks by Afghanistan and Kazakhstan. the minister added. The 2011 Law the Minister of Foreign Affairs and The roughly 50 photos depict on Religion fully complies with the the Chairman of the Agency for Re- little-covered aspects of peace- country’s international obligations ligious Affairs and expressed support ful everyday life in Afghanistan, and creates a healthy environment for the country’s leadership policy, particularly the lives of students, for religious organisations, which including regarding religion, which schoolchildren and professionals number more than 3,400 today. is aimed at ensuring public safety. and the way they are influenced “We are open to all. In Kazakh- They noted that the timely adoption by their cultural heritage, cross- stan, followers of all faiths are ab- of the new law on religion contrib- generational issues and many solutely equal and they have equal uted to the establishment of equal other forces. opportunity to practice their faith. and favourable conditions for con- Critical statements about this or fessions. The law presents oppor- More than 120 billion tenge that representative of Christianity, tunities for activities that contribute (US$659 million) will be provid- Islam, Buddhism or other faiths be- to growth in the number of religious ed from the national budget for ing subject to discrimination based organisations in Kazakhstan. 2014 to increase salaries, stipends on religion are baseless,” Idrissov The religious leaders expressed and social allowances, Minister noted. “We know of a few cases of their willingness to share experi- of Economy and Budget Planning litigation involving representatives ences to ensure the law’s proper im- Yerbolat Dossayev reported at a of certain denominations. I assure plementation. government meeting. “There will you that all of these cases involve a Participants of the event were giv- be 121.6 billion tenge (US$667 violation of our laws. In most cases, en a bilingual report and literature million) allocated to support so- these are issues related to compli- about Kazakhstan’s efforts to guar- cially vulnerable segments of the ance with the rules of registration. antee religious freedom. population,” Dossayev said. A3 eurasia&world

Wednesday, march 12, 2014

of Kazakhstan’s main priorities is external to join the European legal frame- news in brief work. In this regard, the sides Finnish Parliament Speaker Visits Astana addressed inter-parliamentary Special Representative of the Or- By Rufiya Ospanova and Finland enjoy close political cooperation. Cooperation groups ganisation for Security and Coopera- and economic relations and that established in the parliaments of tion in Europe's Parliamentary Assem- ASTANA – Speaker of the Finn- contacts between the two heads both countries have contributed bly (OSCE PA) in Central Asia and ish Parliament Eero Olavi Hein- of state demonstrate a desire to to bilateral relations. Nigmatulin member of the French National As- aluoma paid an official visit to Ka- expand cooperation. Innovation, said Heinaluoma’s visit will help sembly Thierry Mariani visited Astana zakhstan from March 2-5, seeking green economy, as well as coopera- strengthen political dialogue and Feb. 20-23. Mariani met with Chair- to promote parliamentary ties as tion within the United Nations, Or- mutual understanding between the man of the Senate Kassym-Jomart To- part of the growing bilateral rela- ganisation for Security and Cooper- countries’ parliaments. kayev to discuss bilateral ties. Mariani tionship. ation in Europe (OSCE), Council of Heinaluoma also praised Ka- later met with First Chairman of the President Nursultan Nazarbayev Europe (CE) and other international zakhstan’s role in the region and in Nur Otan Party Bauyrzhan Baibek to welcomed the first visit by Hein- organisations were recognised as the international arena and noted discuss interparty cooperation. The aluoma, noting that Kazakhstan is two political parties have collaborated priority areas for collaboration. Kazakhstan’s stable development for five years. With Deputy Chairman interested in developing economic Nigmatulin also emphasised that is an example for many countries. of the Mazhilis Kabibulla Dzhakupov, and political cooperation with Fin- the Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy has The Finnish delegation also met Mariani discussed interparliamentary land. During a meeting between united the nation to achieve the with Kazakh Minister of Foreign cooperation within bilateral and in- the delegation and Nazarbayev, the initiative’s development goals. Affairs Erlan Idrissov. The sides parties discussed bilateral cooper- Speaking of Kazakhstan’s con- discussed bilateral cooperation ternational organisations, such as the President Nazarbayev (top) received Finnish Speaker Olavi Heinaluoma OSCE. Talks with Deputy Prosecutor ation and international politics. (top left) in Akorda. tribution to promoting peace, in the political, economic, social, General Johan Merkel focused on re- Heinaluoma noted the excellent stability and security, Nigmatu- cultural, humanitarian and other forming the justice system, improving relations between the two countries There are many Finnish companies Bridge Partnership Programme, lin emphasised the importance of sectors. The sides also noted the the Criminal Code and the Criminal and conveyed greetings from Presi- that use energy saving and energy which is an initiative of the Presi- President Nazarbayev’s antinucle- increased number of country visits Procedure Code and strengthening dent of Finland Sauli Niiniste, who efficient technologies. Finnish dent of Kazakhstan. ar initiatives and efforts. Nigmatu- and intensified relations between human rights protections. Mariani also visited Astana slightly less than a companies are also specialising In addition, Heinaluoma also lin also said Kazakhstan’s parlia- the two countries in recent years. met with Mazhilis deputy Dariga Naz- year ago, to the President of Kazakh- in green mining to take natural noted Finland’s national air car- ment members are prepared to take The parties also discussed co- arbayeva and head of OSCE office stan. The Finnish speaker also em- resources from the earth without rier Finnair is ready to start direct part in an upcoming international operation in tourism, innovation in Astana Natalya Zarudnaya. “Al- phasised the potential for increased further damaging nature,” Hein- flights fromA stana to Helsinki. conference in Helsinki concerning and energy saving technologies, though governments in France may business and economic cooperation aluoma said. During a meeting with Speaker the establishment of a Middle East as well as noted the importance change, the friendship between our between the two countries. Heinaluoma also briefed the of the Mazhilis (lower chamber of zone free from weapons of mass of direct flights between the two two countries will remain the same,” President on Finland’s decision Parliament) Nurlan Nigmatulin, the Mariani said after his meetings. “Finland is developing a lot destruction. countries in developing trade and in the area of green technology. to sign the Charter of the Green two speakers agreed Kazakhstan According to Nigmatulin, one tourism. Deputy Minister of Foreign Af- fairs Yerzhan Ashikbayev attended the opening of the High Level Seg- ment of the 25th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on March 3 in Geneva, Talks over IAEA Customs Union Leaders which was opened by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Addressing the session, Ashikbayev discussed the priorities and challenges of Ka- Uranium Fuel Bank Discuss Integration in Moscow zakhstan’s membership in that coun- Continued from Page A1 zakhstan have been consistently importance of continued assistance cil for 2013-2015 and said Kazakh- moving towards integration, which to Kyrgyzstan, which also intends stan favoured strengthening systems in Kazakhstan Near The President noted that the has already yieled positive results. to join the union. of human rights protection and called treaty establishing the Eurasian “Despite the global economy The Belarus President empha- for a analysis of world events in that context. He reported on Kazakh- Economic Union (EEU), expected slowdown in 2013, the turnover sised the effort to create the EEU stan’s formation of a digital library of Completion to be signed in May 2014, con- within the three countries did not should not repeat the mistakes of sists of two parts: institutional and decrease, but increased slightly, the Commonwealth of Independ- free human rights information and its By Merey Kabiden its Soviet-built Ulba Metallurgical new consultative body for dialogue functional. reaching $64.1 billion. Russia ap- ent States. Plant in Ust-Kamenogorsk, which “According to the first part, an preciates the constructive, equal “We need to make appropriate on human issues. He also noted ASTANA – Talks over a so- Kazakhstan’s application for a non- is located in the eastern part of the international economic organisa- and open relationships that have decisions and extensively move called host country agreement be- country. This very facility meets re- tion is to be created. We agreed on developed in the economy be- towards our economic union,” Lu- permanent seat on the UN Security tween Kazakhstan and the Inter- Council for 2017-2018 demonstrated quirements for the long-term stor- the equal representation of the par- tween our countries,” he said, kashenko noted. national Atomic Energy Agency the country’s commitment to interna- age as well as safe processing of ties in the union organs. The deci- adding that it was time to draw up Chairman of the Board of the tional obligations. Ashikbayev held (IAEA) for the country to host an nuclear materials and already meets sions of the heads of state shall be an agreement on Armenia’s acces- Eurasian Economic Commission bilateral meetings with UN Deputy international bank of low-enriched all IAEA physical security require- binding for all other bodies. As for sion to the EEU, which should be Viktor Khristenko, who also at- High Commissioner for Refugees uranium fuel under the IAEA aus- ments and is put under the agency’s the functional part, we must first formed in 2015. tended the session, reported on Alexander Aleinikoff, Director of pices are nearing completion, Ka- safeguards, meaning its handling of create an economic union,” the “Armenia has adopted and is progress to prepare the agreement the UN Office for the Coordination zakhstan Foreign Ministry said in a nuclear materials is monitored 24 Kazakh President said. successfully implementing the at various levels. of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Feb. 17 statement dedicated to the hours a day all year around. President Nazarbayev urged the plan of action for adaptation to the “The readiness of a large num- Rashid Khalikov and others. 20th anniversary of its accession to In 2012, head of Kazakhstan’s gathering to reach consensus on norms of the Customs Union and ber of Customs Union regulations the Treaty on the Nonproliferation state-owned nuclear company Ka- remaining issues and to hold an- Common Economic Space. So we concerning the tariff, non-tariff, Kazakhstan is “deeply concerned of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). zatomprom Vladimir Shkolnik as- other session of the Supreme Eura- believe it is possible to prepare the and trade policies is 99 percent. with the current developments in Having renounced its Soviet- serted that the Ulba plant is one of sian Economic Council in April. accession deal,” the Russia Presi- Only a few things are left for the Ukraine,” the country’s Foreign era nuclear weapons legacy in the the safest places in the world for Russian President Vladimir Pu- dent said. experts to wrap up,” Khristenko Ministry said in a March 3 statement early 1990s, Kazakhstan has long tin said Russia, Belarus and Ka- In conclusion, Putin stressed the said. adding that “further escalation of ten- uranium storage since it has never been a leader in the non-prolifer- experienced a nuclear leak or ac- sions may lead to unpredictable con- ation and disarmament movement. sequences at both regional and global cident during its more than four When the IAEA decided to create decades of operation. levels.” “Kazakhstan calls on all par- an international nuclear fuel bank, ties to renounce options that imply the He also underlined that adding designed as an additional element use of power and make maximum 60-70 tons of low enriched ura- of ensuring the security of a global political efforts to resolve the current nium fuel to the Ulba plant, which nuclear fuel cycle, Astana volun- U.S. Senator Introduces $100 crisis by means of negotiations,” the is what an eventual fuel bank will teered to build and maintain it as Foreign Ministry stated. “The reso- require, will only increase its ca- part of an effort to provide safe and lution of the crisis should be based pacity by approximately 5 percent, internationally guaranteed access on respect towards the fundamental or up to 1,200 tons of low enriched to low-enriched uranium for coun- Billion Nuclear Weapons principles of international law.” “We uranium. “Kazakhstan’s experi- tries which meet IAEA require- urge all parties to maintain a balanced, ence in handling such materials objective and responsible approach ments but for political or other rea- has been a key point in promoting towards the situation and refrain from sons are unable to procure uranium the country’s candidacy to host the any actions that could provoke further fuel on the open markets. Reduction Bill, As ATOM escalation of the crisis,” Kazakhstan’s When addressing the Nuclear bank,” Shkolnik stressed. Foreign Ministry declared. “Kazakh- Security Summit in Washington in As a country with a well-devel- stan hopes for an early normalisation April 2010, Kazakhstan President oped nuclear establishment, Ka- of the situation, the prompt restoration Nursultan Nazarbayev confirmed zakhstan also offers a significant Project Is Presented in Senate of law and order and a peaceful dia- number of highly qualified nuclear the country’s intention to host the By Altair Nurbekov logue between all parties involved,” fuel bank. In 2011, Kazakhstan, scientific and technical personnel, the statement concluded. which is another advantage. a country with its own developed WASHINGTON, D.C – U.S. Hosting the LEU bank will not uranium mining and processing in- legislators from both sides of the A delegation from the Mangystau only help fulfill Astana’s non-pro- dustry, officially submitted its bid to aisle, the Kazakhstan Ambassador region led by Akim (Governor) Alik liferation commitments, but also host the LEU bank to the IAEA. The to the United States, representa- Aidarbayev met with representa- benefit the country. The facility tives of the Kazakh diaspora living Vienna-based agency subsequently tives of Parliamentarians for Nu- will give new impetus to nuclear in Iran’s Golestan province during decided that Kazakhstan should be clear Non-Proliferation and Dis- a March 10 visit to that country. the host country for the bank. power development and introduce armament (PNND), The ATOM About 200 representatives of the Ka- The draft agreement between the the most advanced technology by Project and more than 200 others zakh diaspora in Iran took part in the IAEA and Kazakhstan on the estab- sharing experiences with devel- gathered in the Russell Senate meeting. A yurt was set up and tra- lishment of the bank was originally oped countries. Establishing the Building Feb. 27 for an evening ditional Kazakh dishes were cooked. expected to be agreed upon by the nuclear bank will also deepen co- meant to encourage anti-nuclear Today, 6,000 ethnic Kazakhs live in end of 2013, but the IAEA and operation with the IAEA and its weapons dialogue and, according Golestan province, the descendants government of Kazakhstan are still sponsoring countries. to PNND, who co-organised the of those who migrated there during discussing technicalities of a rather Experts also stress that establish- the time of great famine of the early event along with the Kazakhstan complex host country agreement. ing the international nuclear fuel Embassy, “build parliamentary en- (R-L) Karipbek Kuyukov, Kairat Umarov and members of the Kazakhstan 1930s. As representatives of the di- bank will not do any harm to local Mazhilis Viktor Rogalev and of the Senate Byrganym Aitimova at the event in aspora noted, Iranian Kazakhs study According to experts from the gagement in practical measures to the U.S.Senate. Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), people or the environment. Also, it advance nuclear disarmament and the Kazakh language and culture their allies and the United Nations. nuclear weapons testing survivor a Washington-based nongovern- does not entail the import or produc- non-proliferation, and achieve a and watch news about Kazakhstan. However, much work remains Karipbek Kuyukov. Aidarbayev thanked the hosts for mental organisation whose co- tion of any high-level radioactive nuclear-weapons-free world.” to be done and organisations like their hospitality, and the Mangystau chairman Sam Nunn first proposed waste. The project encompasses According to PNND, in 2007, Senator Markey, who hosted the delegation distributed donations in- the idea of an LEU bank to the the acquisition of a relatively small four high-level U.S. statesmen PNND and The ATOM Project, event, urged those in attendance to tended to help the Golestan Kazakhs IAEA in 2006, and from the IAEA amount of low-enriched nuclear fuel advanced the goal of a nuclear- along with like-minded leaders, embrace the cause, as well as high- implement cultural projects in their itself, Kazakhstan is the most qual- and its storage in secure facilities. weapons-free world as something such as U.S. Senator and PNND lighted other, better ways the U.S. community. Governor of Golestan ified candidate to host such a bank. According to IAEA and other that must be “sought collectively Co-president Ed Markey, are con- can spend funds now devoted to its province Hassan Sadeqlu said the The country is the world’s biggest experts, low-enriched uranium is to reverse nuclear proliferation tinuing the effort. nuclear arsenal. In his speech, Mar- Kazakhs living in Iran were loyal uranium producer, with 38 percent not an attractive terrorist target. and achieve security, but noted that The Feb. 27 event included in- key announced he was introducing people who respected the cultures of the global market share. Most Moreover, the quality of the man- such a goal was like an extremely spirational speeches by Senator a bill into the U.S. Senate, which he of both Kazakhstan and Iran. The importantly, Kazakhstan has set up agement of nuclear materials in high mountain that would take Markey, Global Security Institute did on Feb. 28, that would cut $100 delegation also visited a number of President Jonathan Granoff, Ka- facilities in Gorgan, the twin city of a regulatory legal framework that Kazakhstan has been repeatedly some effort to climb.” billion over the next decade from Aktau. The delegation took part in a provides control over the export praised by the IAEA. The bank In the seven years since that zakh Ambassador to the United the U.S. nuclear weapons budget. Kazakh-Iranian business forum and and transport of nuclear materials will not be a permanent source of time, that aim has been embraced States Kairat Umarov, PNND The Smarter Approach to Nuclear visited the site of a new railway sta- and dual-use materials. nuclear fuel, but rather an ‘insur- and endorsed by U.S. President Global Coordinator Alyn Ware, Expenditures, or “SANE” Act, is co- tion currently under construction on The bank’s location is of impor- ance mechanism’ in case of a nu- Barack Obama, as well as leaders as well as ATOM Project Honor- sponsored by Senator Jeff Merkley. the Iran-Turkmenistan border. tance too. Kazakhstan has offered clear fuel delivery disruption. of other nuclear weapon states, ary Ambassador, armless artist and Continued on Page B5 A4 economy

Wednesday, march 12, 2014

economy EBRD President Says ‘Proud of Work with news in brief Kazakhstan’s government plans to issue a sovereign Eurobond this year, after putting off a plan to raise Kazakhstan,’ Focuses on Green Economy $1 billion last year. The bond would be Astana’s first entry onto interna- tional markets for 13 years. Minister of Finance Bakhyt Sultanov said the Projects, Regional Development bond will be issued this year, accord- ing to a Feb. 28 statement published Continued from Page A1 in supporting energy efficiency in seven cities in Kazakhstan – in Al- Great Almaty Ring Road expected plemented in all parts of Kazakh- on the finance ministry’s website. the transport and power sectors maty, Astana, Ust-Kamenogorsk, to bring the country? stan via the EBRD’s seven offices, “This year, in order to reduce pres- In that time, Kazakhstan has been and in municipal infrastructure. Kostanai, Aktobe, Aksai and Shy- The EBRD envisages this as together with government agen- sure on the liquidity of the domestic transformed to some extent with All of these projects will help op- mkent. In all these cities, our Small a pilot project for public-private cies that support SMEs. The latter market, we plan to issue Eurobonds the help of international organisa- erators to save energy costs while Business Support team works with partnerships (PPPs) in Kazakh- include the DAMU Entrepreneur- on foreign markets,” Sultanov an- tions such as the EBRD, but mainly improving the quality of life for small businesses. More generally stan. We are working with the ship Development Fund, which is nounced at a cabinet meeting on through the hard work and determi- Kazakh citizens. our strategy in the country high- Ministry of Transport and the In- part of the national Business Road Feb. 27. “This will be the first issue nation of the Kazakh people. After A large proportion of our green lights regional involvement, and ternational Finance Corporation to Map 2020 Programme. of Eurobonds in the last 13 years. two decades in Kazakhstan, we economy investments have been in we are actively looking to support pilot this as an example of a truly It will form the benchmark for Ka- remain ready to work as partners the power sector. In Kazakhstan,this projects in the regions. Our pipeline viable PPP and to help develop What is the EBRD’s involve- zakh companies attracting outside with the Kazakh authorities and the sector is characterised by a rapid for municipal and environmental in- related legislation. In the long ment in the ground-breaking capital and will reduce the cost of private sector, to share our knowl- increase in demand and an ageing, frastructure includes 10 projects in term,the project will assist in mak- scheme for carbon emissions borrowing.” Kazakhstan’s last sov- edge of sustainable growth and in- inefficient infrastructure. We have the regions of Kazakhstan, outside ing the whole sector attractive to trading? ereign Eurobond issue was in 2000, vest in changing lives.To date, we already financed a number of re- of the two main cities. We are work- mainstream foreign investors. The The EBRD has been assisting when the country raised $350 mil- have invested about $6.4 billion newable energy, energy efficiency ing with the Ministry of Regional Almaty Ring Road is integral to Kazakhstan in establishing carbon lion. Those bonds were redeemed across various sectors of the Ka- and infrastructure modernisation Development and the Ministry of the development of Kazakhstan’s pricing, which is a cornerstone for in 2007. Astana wants to limit credit zakh economy, mainly in the pri- projects, for example, energy effi- Environment and Water Resources logistical network. building a green economy. In 2010, growth in the economy, particularly vate sector, and we hope to further ciency improvements with Central on framework agreements for in- the Bank sponsored a study of car- unsecured retail lending, which increase our annual investment. Asian Electric Power Corporation vestments in the areas of solid waste What support does the EBRD bon market options for Kazakh- could pose a risk to a banking sec- (CAEPCO) and Kazakhstan Elec- management, water and district provide to SMEs in Kazakhstan stan. We were pleased to see that tor recovering after being bailed out What are some green economy tricity Grid Operating Company heating. In addition, we are invest- (with an emphasis on regional de- in 2013 Kazakhstan established an by the government in 2009. “In or- projects the EBRD is financing? (KEGOC), and the modernisation ing in urban public transport and velopment)? emissions trading scheme, which it der to ensure economic security, we What growth areas are likely of the Shardara hydropower plant. municipal lighting. In December Small and medium-sized enter- has begun to implement. The Bank have worked out measures to moni- to fuel the green economy as it In addition, we are currently work- 2013,the EBRD signed an agree- prises in Kazakhstan still face many is providing the Ministry of Envi- tor and regulate the process of debt grows? ing on a project to finance the first ment with the akimat of Kyzylorda challenges, from geographical lo- ronment and Water Resources with management in the quasi-public The green economy is a broad large wind farm in Kazakhstan. region to finance 100 environmen- cation to red tape. But we aim to ongoing support for carbon market sector,” Sultanov said. While the idea based on a model of sustain- tally-friendly compressed natural support the country’s many talent- capacity building through its Pre- government has not been in interna- able economic development that What percentage of green econ- gas buses. We also invest in the ed entrepreneurs through financing tional markets for many years, state- improves the well-being of peo- omy projects are in the private energy sector – a loan to CAEPCO, and consulting work. In 2013, we paredness for Emissions Trading owned organisations have been rais- ple while reducing environmen- sector? extended in 2013, will finance elec- provided 15 billion tenge (US$81.3 in the EBRD Region (PETER) ini- ing funds recently. KazMunayGas tal risks. This idea of sustainable Two examples of highly effec- tricity networks upgrades in Pav- million at current exchange rate) tiative. borrowed $3 billion in a substan- development is aligned with the tive private sector projects are lodar and Petropavlovsk. to Kazakh SMEs through a loan We are also ready to help our Ka- tially over-subscribed two-part bond EBRD’s mandate and with our energy efficiency improvements The EBRD’s new strategy for to Sberbank, the Kazakh subsidi- zakh clients prepare for participation issued in April 2013, while agricul- new strategies adopted at the end at CAEPCO and the modernisa- Kazakhstan includes supporting ary of SBR. Sberbank will on-lend in the carbon market. We are able do tural holding KazAgro issued $1 of last year–the Energy Strategy tion of wastewater facilities by the policies aimed at commercialising the money to small businesses. We this by investing in emissions reduc- billion worth of Eurobonds in May and the new Country Strategy for Shymkent water company. Both public enterprises. What are some cooperate with microcredit institu- tion projects, as well as by providing 2013. The Kazakhstan government Kazakhstan. Transition to a green- EBRD projects employed pioneer- public enterprises in Kazakhstan tions such as Arnur Credit or Ka- technical assistance for the monitor- had announced in May 2013 it was er economy is a unique opportuni- ing energy-efficient technologies that would benefit from being zMicroFinance, and through our ing of greenhouse gas emissions. planning a $1 billion sovereign Eu- ty for the country to develop new and are recognised as being suc- commercialised? own donor-funded Small Business The EBRD also offer straining in robond. industries, create jobs, foster re- cessful. For example, the Shym- The utilities that the EBRD Support (SBS) unit. the management of carbon trading gional development and diversify kent wastewater project, which works with, such as those which The SBS programme has helped activities and in developing low- On March 5, while discussing the economy. involves the production of biogas provide district heating, water, over 1,000 Kazakh firms to mod- carbon growth strategies for firms. provisions of the agreement es- All of the key green economy from wastewater, was named as wastewater services and public ernise by subsidising consultancy Furthermore, the Bank is a strong tablishing the Eurasian Economic projects that the EBRD is working Environment Project of the Year transport, would all benefit from projects for SMEs and is now sup- promoter of international involve- Union, the parties agreed on the on aim to improve the energy effi- by the American Chamber of commercialisation. We aim to im- ported by grant funds from the Ka- ment in Kazakhstan’s carbon mar- need for gradual integration, First ciency of Kazakhstan’s infrastruc- Commerce in Almaty. prove the operational and financial zakh government. When the origi- ket. It seeks to coordinate its activi- Deputy Prime Minister Bakytzhan ture, both public and private, or to viability of these enterprises to en- nal grant agreement was reached, it ties with other donors assisting the Sagintayev stated at a briefing on introduce clean energy sources. What significant projects is the sure that they are sustainable and was the first commitment to donor development of the Kazakh carbon the meeting of the Board of the We are active in the newly-devel- EBRD funding in Kazakhstan’s attractive to the private sector. financing by a host government in market, such as the World Bank, the Eurasian Economic Commission oping renewables sector (biogas, regions and rural areas? any EBRD country of operations. Asian Development Bank, USAID, in Astana. “Today, we can say hydro, solar and wind), as well as First of all, we have offices in What long-term benefits is the Now, the SBS programme is im- Germany and Norway. that in the key areas of the Eura- sian Economic Union agreement we have a common understanding account position, worries over 6.2 percent in anticipation of sig- on the need for gradual integra- the impact of weak growth in nificant cost-push inflation as dol- tion processes based on mutually Russia and the ruble’s managed lar denominated fixed production beneficial economic cooperation,” Investors See Risk, but Stay Put depreciation.” costs will increase. Local compa- he said. He noted the meeting dis- “Apparently, from the point of nies buy equipment and borrow in cussed in detail the functional part view of minimizing negative im- foreign currencies. The country’s of the agreement, provisions on pacts on Kazakh society, a one- foreign debt stands at roughly 67 trade policy, tax policy, the finan- in Wake of Tenge Devaluation time surprise devaluation is much percent of gross domestic product cial sector, agribusiness and indus- Continued from Page A1 better than a series of smaller, (GDP), with most of it (88 percent) trial policy. The board’s next meet- incremental devaluations,” adds foreign currency denominated. ing will be in Moscow in April. Ian Hague, a portfolio manager Alexei Deviatov, chief economist Servicing this debt in the aftermath at the Firebird Fund in New York, at Uralsib Bank in Moscow. “I of the devaluation will impose an Rehabilitation procedures aimed at is one such investor and has a $330 also don’t think that the expecta- additional burden on the govern- financial recovery are being applied million exposure to Kazakh equi- tion of a further ruble decline is ment and corporate coffers. by 156 companies, saving 11,000 ties. “We have been investing in the primary reason for such a size- Kazakhmys PLC, the country’s jobs, Chairman of the Tax Commit- Kazakhstan’s oil, metal and bank- able drop in the value of the tenge. largest copper producer and one tee of the Ministry of Finance of ing sectors since 1996. Our current More likely they (National Bank of of the beneficiaries of the devalu- Kazakhstan Anuar Zhumadildayev Kazakh portfolio reflects our long- Kazakhstan) wanted to boost their ation, announced plans to increase said at a March 3 media briefing. term investment strategy in the currency reserves and budget rev- salaries by 10 percent. This move, “In accordance with the decree of country and we have not made any enue. And they decided that a 19 as well as similar moves by other the government of Kazakhstan as of changes to it in the aftermath of the percent devaluation would be an large companies in the country, September 12, 2013, ‘On certain is- devaluation,” said Hague. appropriate level to achieve that.” though popular, could also risk sues of the Ministry of Finance,’ the According to the country’s cen- “The scale of the move is clearly spurring inflation.. committee for dealing with bankrupt tral bank, the move to a new sup- Some pull out of Kazakh equities, but so far there has been no mass exodus after higher than we expected,” said a Weakness in emerging markets debtors was integrated into the Tax currency devaluation. port level of 185 tenge per dollar, Moscow-based Bank of America is increasing, with analysts warn- Committee. The functions on con- with a range of three tenge on ei- Chinese renminbi and the South fected by ongoing uncertainty over economist Vladimir Osakovskiy in ing that more devaluations across trol over the bankruptcy process, ther side, is intended to boost Ka- Korean won have proved immune Russia’s involvement in the crisis a note to clients. “We see limited the region could follow. Weak- including the functions on detection zakhstan’s competitive position to this trend. in Ukraine. devaluation pressures at the new er currencies will improve the of deliberate and false bankruptcy, economically and reduce specula- For U.S. dollar-based investors, The ruble has fluctuated the level.” competitiveness of exports from are performed with the use of the in- tive pressure on the currency. Prior international currency exposure most among of all emerging mar- Visor Capital, an Almaty-based emerging markets, but with China formation systems of the tax admin- to the most recent devaluation, the is always a serious consideration. ket (EM) currencies and is expect- investment bank, estimates that the slowing and developed markets istration,” he said. “Rehabilitation central bank gave no hint that de- Assuming that dividends remain ed to decline further as the CBR is 19 percent KZT depreciation will in a prolonged low-growth mode, procedures aimed at financial recov- valuation was on the table, much flat in local currency terms, in- preparing to float the currency by allow the national bank to increase anemic global demand will remain ery are underway at 156 companies. less a devaluation of that magni- vestors will see payouts decline 2015. The ruble’s decline has put its 2014 foreign currency reserves a challenge for exporters. Debts totalling 5.5 billion tenge tude. Nonetheless, the economic in U.S. dollar terms to reflect the additional pressure on the tenge, to $25 billion from the current lev- Still, macroeconomists agree (US$30.2 million) were redeemed indicators were all there. broad emerging market currency according to a Feb. 11 statement els of $20 billion. The regulator that Kazakhstan is better-posi- during the procedures. This is 86 The tenge is the latest casualty weakness. Consequently, inves- from the Kazakh National Bank. had been supporting the currency tioned than its peers to withstand percent of the total amount of debt. on a long list of emerging market tors have been fleeing to mature Russia accounts for 17.7 percent at 150-155 tenge to the dollar at a the pressure on emerging markets. About 11,000 jobs were preserved,” currencies that have declined rela- markets that offer more attractive of Kazakhstan’s total trade and cost of $4.5 billion. According to The country’s $204 billion econ- Zhumadildayev said. tive to the US dollar over the past yields and stable currencies. over a third of Kazakhstan’s im- the bank’s macroeconomic report, omy, almost the size of Ireland’s, few months. Some of them, for Russia, another largely resource- ports come from Russia. Accord- the devaluation is likely to worsen added 5.7 percent in the third Chairman of the Tax Committee example the Turkish lira, Brazilian based emerging economy and Ka- ing to the Russian Federal Cus- the trade balance in the near-term quarter of 2013 and is forecasted of the Ministry of Finance of Ka- real and South African rand, took zakhstan’s major trading partner, toms Service, Russia-Kazakhstan as “the volumes of exports and for solid growth. Visor Capital up- zakhstan Anuar Zhumadildayev re- a serious beating, losing as much also experienced significant capital trade was $22.4 billion in 2012 imports are relatively fixed in the graded its 2014 real GDP growth ported on the committee’s activities as a quarter of their value vis-à- outflow in 2013 and saw the ruble and $13.1 billion in the first half of short-run.” They expect positive forecast to 6 percent from the at a March 3 Central Communica- vis the dollar. A Bloomberg index gradually decline in value against 2013. In mid-February, First Dep- effects from the devaluation to previous estimate of 5 percent. tions Service briefing discussing of 20 emerging market exchange the dollar. The ruble, which Ka- uty Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov take effect in 2015 with declining In addition to healthy economic the introduction of electronic ser- rates has weakened by 10 percent zakhstan holds as a reserve cur- said the weaker tenge will have imports and increasing non-com- growth, Kazakhstan has an extra vices. “Over 2,000 taxpayers were over the past 12 months, and this rency along with dollars and eu- “no effect” on Russia because the modity exports. $70 billion available in a sovereign registered online as individual en- month dropped to the lowest level ros, has depreciated by more than two countries don’t have a cur- Kairat Kelimbetov, named the wealth fund that it does not count trepreneurs. About 440,000 patents since 2009. Winding down of the 16 percent against the dollar since rency union. Kazakh Central Bank chairman in as part of its reserves. were issued in electronic format quantitative easing programme in January 2013, including a signifi- According to Tim Ash, chief October 2013, is planning to target “The economic logic of what last year. In total, about 16 million the U.S., coupled with weak global cant 5 percent drop in the first two emerging markets economist at inflation within a range of 3-4 per- is happening is inescapable. It’s services, including 12 million or demand for commodities, resulted months of 2014. After a slight re- Standard Bank Group Plc. in cent in the medium term. proof of how far Kazakhstan still 73 percent of electronic services, in an outflow of capital from de- covery earlier, the ruble reached London, the National Bank of Visor Capital analysts are less has to go to build a diversified were rendered last year,” he said. veloping markets into developed its all-time low against the dollar Kazakhstan’s decision to depre- optimistic in their 2014 inflation economy, less susceptible to fluc- Zhumadildayev also said work to markets and put downward pres- of 36.37 on March 3, according to ciate the tenge “reflects a com- forecast, and increased it by al- tuations in the global demand for increase the number of electronic sure on emerging market curren- data from the Central Bank of Rus- bination of factors, including the most a full percentage point to 7.1 commodities,” concluded Fire- services and improve their quality cies across the globe. Only the sia (CBR), as the ruble became af- steady deterioration in the current percent from the projected earlier bird’s Hague. would continue this year. A5 Business

Wednesday, march 12, 2014

Business News in Brief DPM Issekeshev Reviews Industrial Development Programme A moratorium on inspections of small and medium-sized busi- nesses will not affect every or- ganisation in Kazakhstan, Deputy Results and Future Projects in East Kazakhstan Chairman of the Board of the By Svetlana Abenova nium products per year, which is alisation, was discussed in a meet- Kazakhstan National Chamber of 60 percent of domestic demand for ing. Entrepreneurs Zangar Nogaibai UST-KAMENOGORSK – Dep- these goods. South Korean part- “Traditionally, the region is said at a Feb. 28 Central Commu- uty Prime Minister and Minister ners have invested 11 billion tenge considered one of the metallurgi- nications Service (CCS) briefing. of Industry and New Technologies (US$59.7 million). cal centres of the country. Lately, “Financial organisations, nuclear Asset Issekeshev viewed State Issekeshev’s next destination the engineering sector has also energy enterprises and arms and Programme of Accelerated In- was the Aitas-IP LLP deep pro- been developing dynamically explosives dealers will be inspect- dustrial-Innovative Development cessing poultry plant with a design here. However, it is necessary to ed,” he said. “We are leaving this (SPAIID) projects on a working capacity of 12,000 tonnes per year. study the potential of other sectors up to those in charge of public trip to the East Kazakhstan region Almost a third of the 1.8 billion that could become new points of safety.” According to him, these in late February and said at least tenge (US$9.8 million) is the com- growth,” Issekeshev said. inspections will be carried out only five joint projects with transnation- pany’s own funds. He also noted the region’s activity upon the decision of the heads of al companies will be launched in In the past four years, 37 pro- in implementing SPAIID projects. central and local state bodies and the region within the second five- jects worth 190.7 billion tenge Last year, the volume of industrial only in coordination with the At- year segment of the programme. (about US$1 billion) were com- production in the region reached torney General’s Office. Nogaibai Issekeshev discussed the pro- missioned in the oblast within the one trillion tenge (US$5.4 billion), reminded that President Nursultan jects during a working trip to the and the processing sector accounted Nazarbayev declared a morato- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Industrialisation Map and 3,700 region with one of the so-called Issekeshev (right) visits industrialisation projects in East Kazakhstan in late new jobs were created. for 80 percent of this figure. Follow- rium on inspections of small and February. medium-sized businesses from national information groups to 2014 is the final year in the im- ing the meeting, two memoranda April 2 until January 2015. “From explain the main thrust of the mented by Asia Auto Kazakhstan hicles per year and half the output plementation of the first five-year were signed. The regional akimat now on, all efforts of state agen- Kazakhstan Way 2050, President and the Renault-Nissan alliance, will be exported. plan of the SPAIID. By the end of (administration) and the Ministry cies and the National Chamber of Nazarbayev’s recent state-of-the- is 74.5 billion tenge (US$404.7 Another investment project is 2014, 14 investment projects to- of Industry and New Technologies Entrepreneurs will be directed to- nation address. million), nearly 15 billion tenge the POSUK Titanium LLP plant talling 17.5 billion tenge (US$95 agreed to cooperate in the sphere of wards completing the President’s Akim (Governor) of the region or US$81.5 million of which is the of titanium ingots and slabs, which million) and creating 1,500 jobs in tourism, and the Ministry of Indus- instructions on business protec- Berdybek Saparbayev accompa- companies’ own funds with the rest the Ust-Kamenogorsk Titanium- the east of the country are planned try and New Technologies and the tion,” he said. nied the delegation during the visit coming as loans from the Eurasian Magnesium Plant and one of the within the Industrialisation Map. Kazzinc mining company agreed to to the full-cycle car assembly plant Development Bank and the Euro- world leaders in metallurgy, the After the project visits, the im- work to improve the efficiency of Vice President of the Associa- and technology park for producing pean Bank for Reconstruction and South Korea-based POSCO, plan plementation of SPAIID, including geological exploration programmes tion of Trade Enterprises of Ka- car parts now under construction. Development. The design capacity to launch in 2014. The new facility the region’s specialisation in the and increase the mineral resource zakhstan Zhibek Azhibayeva The cost of the project, imple- of the future plant is 120,000 ve- will produce 6,000 tonnes of tita- second five-year plan of industri- base on the “Great Altai” project. discussed Kazakhstan’s trade is- sues at a March 5 media briefing. “Trade issues require a system- atic approach and planned miti- gation. The trade development programme for 2010-2014 was Gov’t Acts to Meet Domestic Refined Fuel Demand worked out in 2010. However, the By Kulpash Konyrova because its three existing refineries per year. With this scenario, we will tic market was planned to be re- leak in the pipeline. Some foreign programme’s implementation was are technologically outdated and have to export the lion’s share of the solved through tolling operations media reported on the possible need frozen due to a lack of financing,” ASTANA – After commissioning cannot produce enough gasoline to products of the fourth plant, and in with China: KazMunayGas would to replace the entire troubled sys- she said. “As you may know, there its fourth refinery, Kazakhstan will meet demand. The state programme this case we will face the problem supply their border factories with tem, which would require billions are only a few trade networks and stop importing high-octane fuel to modernise these companies lags of finding potential markets for the around 1.5 million tonnes of crude of new investment. national brands in the country. and will be able to export oil to its behind the growing needs of the do- sale of Kazakh gasoline,” he said. oil and get back the petroleum Mynbayev couldn’t give an ex- These topics are constantly being southern neighbours, Uzbekistan, mestic market. Today, according to “Export to neighbouring Rus- products they needed. raised. However, this plan will be act answer, he said, as final expert Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghan- official figures, Kazakhstan imports sia is hardly possible because they But, the head of the national com- conclusions about the accident have cancelled.” She also noted the as- istan. However, the country will 1.6 million tonnes of light oil. produce this fuel in abundance. pany said, the solution of two years sociation analysed regulatory le- not yet been drawn. have to compete in these markets “Upon completion of the mod- Chinese plants are also competitive ago isn’t right for today. “After the gal acts and submitted about 20 “We expect to receive the final with Russia, said Sayat Mynbayev, ernisation programme in the sec- enough. Access to western markets agreements we reached with Russia conclusion from experts by the end proposals for sector development. head of KazMunayGas, at a March ond half of 2016, the capacity of the is complicated by logistics. And if in late 2013 on the duty-free import of this month and, therefore, it is She also noted the previous mora- 4 Central Communications Service torium on inspections of small and Pavlodar refinery will rise to 7 mil- we choose routes across the Cas- of goods, I do not see an economic premature to speak about any ex- briefing. basis for tolling operations. This medium-sized businesses enacted lion tonnes annually, the Shymkent pian Sea, there is Azerbaijan, which penses associated with full replace- Rising gasoline prices, measures processing plant to 6 million and has its own refining capacities,” year, tolling will continue as a result in 2009 brought positive results. ment or repair of the pipeline,” he taken by KazMunayGas to end the Atyrau oil refinery up to 5 mil- Mynbayev said. of inertia, but in small quantities. I “The new moratorium is being an- added. chronic fuel shortages, the impact lion. From that moment, the needs In his opinion, the most attractive think that with time, this scheme nounced at a most difficult time. Mynbayev was also cautious of production delays at Kashagan of domestic market will be met 100 export market for Kazakhstan’s fuel will come to naught,” he said. The actions being taken now are about when production at Kashagan not unlike those taken in 2009. field and other issues were the fo- percent,” said Mynbayev. lies to the south: Uzbekistan, Tajik- According to Mynbayev, it is cus at the briefing. But from 2022, the total capac- istan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan. easier to import duty-free volumes would resume, although a day earli- This moratorium was implement- er, Minister of Economy and Budg- ed in light of the results of the last Kazakhstan remains in the para- ity of these refineries will not be “Our specialists, together with of light oil products from Russia. et Planning Yerbolat Dossayev had one,” she said. doxical situation of being an oil- able to satisfy the needs of Kazakh the Ministry of Oil and Gas, have As for fuel prices, he said, they are producing nation that needs to consumers. The fourth oil-process- begun thorough calculations and the prerogative of the antimonopoly said that the country planned to Every third project of the In- import high-octane fuel. With the ing plant is meant to improve the discussions of all details of this agency and questions about price receive 2.5 million tonnes of crude dustrialisation Map in the Kosta- increasing number of car owners in situation and allow Kazakhstan to project. Right now, it is difficult to should be addressed to its authori- oil from the Kashagan deposit in nai region is supported though the the country, high-octane gasoline transition from light oil importer to say where the future plant will be ties. the second half of 2014. Mynbayev Business Road Map 2020, Bnews. has become popular despite high exporter. placed and how much it will cost,” In October of last year, oil pro- wouldn’t comment on that, saying kz reported March 5, referencing prices. “It is inexpedient to build a plant he said. duction at Kazakhstan’s most prom- any discussion of resuming produc- Kostanai Region Governor Nuraly The country is unable to create a with a processing capacity of less Two years ago, the problem ising project, the huge Kashagan oil tion at Kashagan could only cover Saduakassov. “More than 2 billion sufficient high-octane fuel supply than 5.6 million tonnes of crude oil of fuel shortages in the domes- field, was suspended because of a probabilities. tenge (US$11 million) was allocat- ed in 2013 as part of the Business Road Map 2020 programme. Over the three years of the programme’s existence, a total sum exceeding 5 billion tenge (US$27.5 million) Samruk Kazyna Announces Focus on Kazakhstan Way 2050 has been issued. In total, 224 pro- Continued from Page A1 tions Service, there are 73 national fund’s companies pointed to a lack jects totalling 49.6 billion tenge welfare funds in the world and 23 of productivity. (US$272.5 million) have been sub- When selling shares in subsidi- state bodies that manage national The overall conclusion of the re- sidised since the launch of the pro- aries and affiliated companies, the companies. Five with similar man- sults of the benchmarking was that gramme, production infrastructure fund intends to attract strategic and dates and portfolios starting from $40 the fund and subsidiaries need to has been built for 45 enterprises portfolio investors and move them billion to $175 billion were picked use the experience of the world’s totalling 2.9 billion tenge (US$16 on the stock market, including with- for a benchmarking analysis by Mc- leading companies and improve op- million), 22 emergent entrepre- in the People’s IPO programme. Kinsey and Company, Inc. Accord- erating efficiency. Most important- neurs received grants amounting to Shukeyev stressed that the fund ing to McKinsey’s results, Samruk ly, they must keep pace with chang- 44 million tenge (US$242,000),” and the government will also make Kazyna is ninth in the world in total ing times to implement changes the governor said. According to proposals for further implementing assets, first in its level of disclosure that allow for better returns. him, more than 4,000 businessmen the People’s IPO programme within and its rate of return on equity was no Samruk Kazyna will seek to at- have used the non-financial instru- one month. less that that of similar counterparts. tract more foreign investments and ments of the programme. “In order The fund also intends to complete Investment activity was pointed out increase the proportion of debt fi- to expand efforts, a mobile support the withdrawal of remaining non- as an area to improve. nancing (up to 70 percent of the centre is visiting all towns and dis- core assets and facilities from the Subsidiary KazakhstanTemirZholy project cost), as well as to attract tricts to explain the provisions of group. “In 2014-2015, we plan to was ranked 11th in the world among strategic partners to access technol- the programme and provide con- Chairman of the Board of Samruk Kazyna Umirzak Shukeyev addresses a CCS remove 75 assets and facilities. In the biggest railway companies by ogy and markets. The fund plans to sultations,” Saduakasov said. media briefing on Feb. 27 in Astana. general, this withdrawal will enable cargo turnover and 15th for income refocus on attracting private capital us to get rid of the loss of 5.7 bil- portfolio expansion through the de- mance indicator (KPI) of operating aggregate. through the implementation of cost- Kazakhstan is suing the North velopment of startups and new di- earnings (EBITDA margin) also in- Caspian Operating Company, the lion tenge ($30.8 million). Another Air Astana has a rating of four stars effective projects. 156 non-core assets will also be re- rections. creased from 19.3 percent in 2012 and had been named by Skytrax as the The assets of major subsidiar- consortium developing its huge Samruk Kazyna also intends to to 20.5 percent in 2013. Net profit, Kashagan oilfield in the Caspian viewed,” he said. Best Central Asian and Indian Sub- ies total $82 billion, of which the change its approaches in investment excluding second-tier banks, rose Sea, Reuters and other news agen- Another important direction of continental Airline. The Kazakh air- majority is allocated to the oil and cies reported. Repeated delays at work will be the deployment of the activities and increase the propor- from $3.4 billion in 2012 to $3.5 line was rated in top 50 world airlines gas sector (60 percent), logistics (20 the 13-year-old project, the big- Fund Transformation Programme, tion of debt capital in the financ- billion in 2013. by Airfinance Journal for the third percent), uranium mining (5 per- gest oil discovery in decades, have transitioning from its current model ing of projects from the current Other 2013 fund successes in- time according to financial parame- cent) and telecommunications (4 angered the Kazakh government. of work as an administrator of the 54 percent to 70 percent. Overall, cluded the implementation of pro- ters, income, profit per passenger, low percent). The rest of the sectors total The NCOC comprises Exxon, transferred state assets to an active in 2014, the fund plans to com- grammes to withdraw non-core administrative costs, EBITDA margin 10.3 percent ($8.5 billion). Royal Dutch Shell, Total and Eni investor’s role. plete 18 investment projects worth assets, reduce costs, centralise treas- and rate of return on equity. In order to diversify activities, as well as Kazakh state oil firm “World practice shows that the $3.3 billion, while under the State ury functions and implement e-pro- According to the Energy Intelli- the national welfare fund is actively KazMunayGas. Production at leaders of national welfare funds Programme of Accelerated Indus- curement systems. In line with the gence, in 2012, KazMunayGaz was developing startup companies in the Kashagan began in September but such as Khazanah, Temasek, trial and Innovative Development President’s tasks of 2013, the fund ranked 33rd among the 100 larg- sectors of power generation, mining was stopped just weeks later after Mubadala pass through this stage (SPAIID) six projects are slated for left the capital of second-tier banks, est vertically-integrated oil and gas and metallurgical complex, chemis- a gas leak was found. The project of evolutionary development and completion in 2014. signing all transactional documents companies in the world. try, engineering and construction. burned 2.8 million cubic metres of become active investors in order to The meeting also looked at the on the sale of Temirbank, BTA Bank A comparative analysis of the op- Total investment in these segments residual sour gas, more than the fund’s 2013 performance and an- and Alliance Bank shares. legal limit, in September and Oc- maximise value for shareholders,” erational and financial performance shall amount to $25 billion, with the nounced that the fund’s 2013 activi- Samruk Kazyna also transferred tober, Kazakhstan’s Environment Shukeyev said. of Samruk-Energo with leading share of investment by subsidiaries and Water Resources Ministry said According to Shukeyev, the es- ties showed positive results in key the Baiterek National Managing companies in the fuel and energy and affiliates accounting for about in a statement on March 7. A claim sence of the fund’s activity is to fo- financial performance indicators. Holding, the Development Bank of sector in Kazakhstan and Europe $4.5 billion. A result of this invest- for 134.2 billion tenge ($737 mil- cus on two areas: first, to increase The fund’s initiatives imple- Kazakhstan and KazExpoGarant to indicated the need for more innova- ment is expected to increase the value lion) against the NCOC has been income from established companies mented in 2013 led to an increase in state ownership. tive development and production of assets of start-up companies from made by Atyrau regional authori- through improving the operational equity of the fund’s companies to a According to Shukeyev, who also efficiency. $8.5 billion to $39 billion, which ties in western Kazakhstan where efficiency of businesses on all levels total of $52.5 billion, a 12 percent spoke on the subject at a Feb. 27 Shukeyev underlined that the would achieve capitalisation growth Kashagan is located. and second, to direct income toward increase over 2012. The key perfor- briefing at the Central Communica- benchmarking of most of the of start-up companies to $11 billion. A6 EDITORIAL&opinionS

Wednesday, march 12, 2014 Working to ensure Central Asia, A Symbiosis of Cultures By Altaiy Orazbayeva services, amenities and information. The character of these relations also suggests Central Asia has long held an impor- the existence of unconscious mutual at- nuclear security tant position in the world and is an area traction and sympathy, which has been of unique resources and cultures. Cen- defined as complementarity. The two tral Asia’s special nature can be traced had to create original ways to pay each back to its origins as a symbiosis of the other for using the same environmental and promote global worlds of agriculturists and nomads. niche. “Nomads pasture on the fields Originally, Eurasia was inhabited by where crops have already been gathered. hunter-agriculturists. As a result of the Sometimes they pay for using the crop challenges of living on the steppe, some residues and sometimes they are paid for nuclear nonproliferation of these agriculturists started to wander the manure, which nourishes the fields,” particularly its environmental monitoring. in search of better conditions while oth- noted Anatoliy Khazanov in 2000. azakhstan’s firm commitment to Joint efforts identified the most likely areas of ers accepted the challenge successfully Famous nomad researcher Nikolai nuclear security was reiterated radioactive contamination at the Semipalatinsk and adapted to new conditions. Eurasian Kradin defined three types of nomadic in the country’s new Foreign test site. nomads created their own mechanisms empires according to the character of Policy Concept adopted earlier The year of 1994 saw the successful com- for existing in the world, the essence of the relationship between the nomadic this year. The strategic docu- pletion of a joint Kazakhstan-U.S. operation which was harmonious development and flat space appears, where it grows and and agricultural systems: cases of no ment states that Kazakhstan “puts all efforts into codenamed Project Sapphire, which secretly the co-evolution of society and nature. stretches in all dimensions, is a place integrated economic and political sys- K Nomadic civilisations are natural and achieving a world order free of nuclear weapons transported around 600 kilogrammes of weap- where a nomad appears. He grows to- tems, cases where nomads and agricul- and other weapons of mass destruction, partici- ons grade uranium from Ust-Kamenogorsk to environmentally friendly; they do not gether with it and extends it: a nomad turists functioned as the same political pates in the development of multilateral mecha- Oak Ridge, Tennessee. About 25 nuclear bombs create big changes. The traditions of gives birth to a desert in the same way organism but there was no close con- nisms for both a comprehensive ban on such worth of material was later converted and used non-intervention in natural processes, as he is born by it.” nection between economic systems and weapons and their destruction, as well as in the for the production of peaceful atomic energy. preserving and caring for natural land- Agricultural civilisations were con- cases where empires were formed after creation of zones free of nuclear weapons.” Kazakhstan has had a tangible achievement in scapes and contemplative perception of nected to river valleys and could exist nomads conquered agricultural territo- Despite being a relatively young country, Ka- downgrading highly enriched uranium (HEU) the cosmos are associated with nomads. only in definitive space frames. Vitally ries so nomads and agriculturists with zakhstan possesses solid experience in nuclear to low-enriched uranium (LEU) for peaceful Nomads who carry all their posses- important for them was coordinat- urban populations were the part of the disarmament. Since gaining its independence in purposes. In 2001, Kazakhstan and the Wash- sions with them cannot express them- ing their activities strictly with natural same social organism. 1991, Kazakhstan has consistently contributed ington-based Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) selves in cities or temples, statues, writ- cycles. It is no accident that, having All three types of empires can be to global nuclear security across a wide range jointly implemented a project to downgrade ing or nourished lands. Thus, we can reached a certain level of prosperity, found in Central Asian history. Despite of processes. The country is justifiably touted 2,897 kilogrammes of HEU – sufficient for make an important suggestion about they regarded their civilisation as their the strong influence of foreign cultures, as one of the world’s leaders in global efforts producing a number of nuclear bombs – to LEU nomads’ worldviews: that the notion of supreme value with its rules, rhythms, one of the major factors of the unity of toward nuclear non-proliferation and disar- and place it in safe storage. In 2005, then IAEA space should prevail over the notion of traditions and beliefs. Central Asia is a national identity, with mament and ensuring the security of nuclear Director General Dr. Mohamed El Baradei said time. Special vitality is given to “emp- As opposed to nomadic civilisation, its own traditions and political life. materials. This role was gained after a number the project demonstrated the feasibility of devel- ty” territories, where nothing seems to here we can observe a sharp contrast be- Civilisations are also “socio-cultural of bold operations implemented during its first oping complex engineering and organisational exist. The nomad does not feel the traces tween human activity and the environ- organisms.” They are carriers of sym- two decades of independence. solutions for converting HEU into commercially of his ancestors in his footsteps but he ment. Working toward order, regulating bols, styles, mentalities, codes and so on Closing the Soviet Union’s Semipalatinsk Nu- valuable material not directly usable in nuclear remembers them there. Even the trivial- chaos, the agriculturist tries to cultivate that we can call the system of values of clear Test Site was the first step toward what has weapons. According to the IAEA, the NTI-Ka- seeming character of inter-seasonal no- the world as a garden and a field. He certain cultures and reflect former tradi- now become Kazakhstan’s solid track record of zakhstan effort could well serve as a model for madic migration and the utilisation of endeavours to change space, which is tions and civilisations. important nuclear disarmament projects and ini- future projects in other countries. flora are organised to maintain the bal- expressed not only in agriculture, but The phenomenon of the Central Asian tiatives. From 1949-89, the former Soviet Union Kazakhstan, the U.S. Department of Energy ance of the ecosystem. also in urban development. Here we are unity with which the modern generation conducted about 460 nuclear weapons tests at and NTI also concluded another project in 2006 As we see, the nomad is a master of talking about classic, city-building cul- associates itself serves as a clue to com- the test site. These included 117 explosions that where large quantity of highly enriched uranium a vast area, concerned not only about tures. Agriculturists cultivated lands, or- prehending the essence of the concept were conducted aboveground or in the atmos- was downblended at the Ulba Metallurgical himself and his relatives, but also about ganising space into empires in contrast of unity in diversity. The coexistence phere. As a result of the tests, the environment Plant in Ust-Kamenogorsk. the inviolability of the environment. to the chaotic – to their eyes – world of of cultural elements of different origins was seriously contaminated with radioactive Regarding the secure export of nuclear ma- He uses his intelligence and willpower, nomad. reflects the times when two economic fallout. Even after a generation, the radioac- terials, in 2002, Kazakhstan became the 40th grassland changes, maintenance of pas- Here we see how the lifestyles of these types merged together to give birth to tive material continues to negatively affect the member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). turage sequencing and different types societies result in different attitudes. Ag- the notion of the Central Asian world. health of the local population. Within the NSG, Kazakhstan is committed to of migration, to lay the foundation for a riculturalists, concerned with the mate- In 1991, the leaders of Kazakhstan, Belarus, serious measures against terrorism, to counter- distinctive socio-cultural organism. rial sphere, emphasise individualism, The author is Head of the Depart- Russia and Ukraine signed the Almaty Declara- acting nuclear proliferation and to strengthening Eurasian nomads are defined by rationalism and steady habits to create ment of Source Studies, Historiog- tion on Strategic Nuclear Forces, which defined control over the use and movement of nuclear horse riding, which is associated with comfort and order. Nomads value syn- raphy and National History of the the mechanism of joint control over the main- materials and the production of dual-purpose belligerency, mobility, dynamism and cretism, unity with nature and inactivity. Institute of State History under the tenance of nuclear security and confirmed their materials. impulsiveness. This explains the views The union of these two societies can be Committee of Science of the Ministry adherence to international obligations regarding Along with four other neighbouring countries, of some foreign researchers, expressed seen in patterns of regional barter, demo- of Education and Science of Kazakh- the reduction of strategic offensive arms. Kazakhstan initiated the establishment of a by Gilles Deleuze: “A place where graphic exchanges and the exchange of stan. Subsequently, Kazakhstan acceded to multiple Nuclear Weapon Free Zone in Central Asia by protocols and treaties which ensured its com- 2009. One of its intended purposes is to further mitment to denuclearisation and nonprolifera- reinforce nuclear security, prevent illicit traf- tion. Among these international documents are ficking of nuclear materials and combat nuclear the Lisbon Protocol to the START 1 Treaty, terrorism. Counting down the days until the Nonproliferation Treaty, the Convention on In 2010 and 2012, two important projects Nuclear Safety, the Comprehensive Test Ban were carried out further ensuring the security of Treaty (CTBT), the Chemical Weapon Conven- nuclear materials in Kazakhstan. One involved tion, the Convention on Early Notification of a the transportation of tons of spent nuclear Brazil welcomes the world Nuclear Accident, the Convention on Assistance fuel from Aktau for safe storage at the former cessfully organised another challenging in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiologi- Semipalatinsk test site, and the other involving By Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima event: the Final Draw at the Costa do cal Emergency, the Joint Convention on the ensuring the security of nuclear materials at the Sauípe in Bahia. And after we discov- Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the test site’s Degelen Massif. Conducted in close Only 100 days. It’s hard to believe it’s ered in which cities the games would be Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, the cooperation with the United States and Russia so close. It seems like only yesterday played, the 32 national teams that will Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nu- and the IAEA, the projects contributed to secur- that Brazil was confirmed as the 2014 dispute the tournament discussed their clear Damage, the Convention on the Physical ing dozens of nuclear weapons worth of nuclear FIFA World Cup host nation. I remem- operational plans with members of the Protection of Nuclear Material, the Amendment materials, earning praise from leaders from ber the excitement I felt once I realised LOC, FIFA, and the Brazilian govern- to the Convention on the Physical Protection of throughout the world. that my country was going to stage the ment. This exchange of ideas and opin- Nuclear Material and the International Conven- Kazakhstan has also undertaken efforts to most important football event on the ions between organisers and national tion for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear support UN Security Council Resolution 1540, planet. teams is an ongoing process, and another Terrorism. including by hosting regional seminars in Even though I won’t be out there on the key event, the National Teams Workshop Soon after announcing the renunciation of its 2011 and on March 11-12 this year focusing field, I’m starting to get the same butter- at the Costão do Santinho in Florianópo- nuclear arsenal in the early 1990s, Kazakhstan on efforts by more than 30 countries to ensure flies in the stomach as I used to do when lis, took place last month. Subjects such faced the challenge of destroying nuclear weap- stronger control in the area of non-proliferation a big game was coming up. After all, the as safety, transport, and how the teams ons infrastructure on its territory and converting of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruc- World Cup will be a kind of “final” for try, blessed with breathtaking natural are to be looked after were discussed in former military production installations to civil tion. Brazil, in terms of the country establish- beauty. Tourists that come here for detail. Now we’re really on the home purposes. With the support of the International Kazakhstan has also put its candidacy forward ing itself on the global stage. The spot- the World Cup should prepare them- straight. Since the beginning of the year Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United for hosting the IAEA LEU bank on its territory. light will be on us, and it’s a great chance selves for an unforgettable experience. two new stadiums have opened: the Are- States, the United Kingdom and the Russian Complex negotiations between Kazakhstan and to show the world just what’s so special Whether it’s from visiting the beaches na das Dunas, in Natal, and the new Es- Federation, among other countries, Kazakh- the IAEA on this project are underway and are about Brazil and the Brazilian people. of the northeast, witnessing the vastness tádio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre. They’re stan implemented large-scale operations at the reportedly nearing completion. Once estab- With the World Cup and the 2016 Olym- of the Amazon River, or taking in the beautiful, just like the Arena Amazonas, Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and other nuclear lished, the bank would become another element pics taking place here in Brazil, we have dazzling blend of ocean and mountains the Arena da Baixada, the Arena Panta- facilities. in ensuring the stability of the international the chance to prove to the world not just that makes Rio de Janeiro such a spe- nal and the Arena Corinthians, which are In the early 1990s, Kazakhstan began partici- nuclear fuel cycle, contributing indirectly to the how much we love sport, but also how cial place, every visitor will take home a also almost ready. pating in the U.S.-funded Nunn-Lugar Coopera- goals of nuclear non-proliferation. strong we are economically. treasured personal memory. By the time the World Cup begins, all tive Threat Reduction (CTR) Programme aimed President Nursultan Nazarbayev is scheduled Brazil is a world leader in biotechnol- Brazil is a place of great happiness the stadiums will have carried out test at destroying and disinfecting the infrastruc- to participate in the Nuclear Security Sum- ogy and one of the biggest meat, mineral and joy, and we will welcome World events. These are of vital importance so ture and apparatuses of nuclear, chemical and mit in The Hague on March 24-25 this year. and soya producers on the planet. Very Cup visitors with open arms. But un- that the tournament organisers can make biological weapons remaining in the country, There, he will yet again express the country’s soon thousands of tourists and foreign til then, we must keep working. As a final adjustments to their plans. dismantling strategic offensive arms, creating an firm commitment to creating a world where journalists will arrive on our doorstep, 2014 FIFA World Cup Local Organis- There is not much time left now until export control system, improving management nuclear materials are safe and which is free anxious to discover the real Brazil. ing Committee Management Board the tournament begins and the greatest and control over nuclear materials and convert- from the threat of nuclear weapons. His report Although Brazil is a country of great member, I have been lucky enough to players on the planet go head to head. ing its defense industry. The effort spanned over is expected to illustrate Kazakhstan’s recent social contrasts, we have made signifi- observe up close the dedication and skill Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Iniesta, Ney- more than two decades and continues to this day achievements in nonproliferation activities, cant progress in tackling this problem of the workers who are helping to con- mar… I can’t wait. I’ll be expecting you with projects relating to improving the security including institutional development in nuclear in recent years. We are a diverse but struct this unique event. In all 12 host in Brazil. of nuclear materials. materials security. The report is also expected unified society, a land of talented, deter- cities I’ve witnessed the commitment of See you at the World Cup! In 1994, Kazakhstan became a member of to reflect how Kazakhstan evaluates the recent mined, creative and innovative people the thousands of people who are striving the IAEA and signed the Safeguards Agree- challenges posed by the increasing number of – characteristics that are captured per- to create the best World Cup possible. The author is Member of the Ad- ment with the IAEA. Based on the agreement, countries wishing to develop nuclear energy fectly by Neymar’s dizzying, magical We faced some tough tests during the ministration Council of the Local Or- all nuclear facilities were placed under IAEA technologies, challenges that include balancing dribbles, the music of Tom Jobim, and preparations. Last year, we hosted the ganisation Committee of the World safeguards and Kazakhstan signed up to carry sensitive transportation issues against the threat the scientific achievements of Miguel best FIFA Confederations Cup in his- Cup 2014 in Brazil. Ronaldo, “the out all its nuclear activities according to IAEA of nuclear terrorism. Importantly, the report is Nicolelis, whose exoskeleton research tory. That’s not just my opinion, but also Phenomenon,” was the 1994 and 2002 rules and standards. During the 1990s, Kazakh- also expected to contain Kazakhstan’s concrete has given paraplegics hope that they that of fans, journalists, and even FIFA World Cup champion, three times stan, with the support of the IAEA, strengthened proposals to answer current and future nuclear may one day walk again. President Joseph S. Blatter. best player of the year (1996, 1997 its national radiation protection infrastructure, security challenges. Brazil is such a colourful coun- Less than six months later, we suc- and 2002).

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Wednesday, march 12, 2014 Four Points of the Compass – Kazakhstan’s Energy Future By Gregory Gleason cated around Kazakhstan as one of emergent foreign policy agendas For Central Asia countries – Kyr- and Ruta Buneviciute the world’s major energy suppli- and bureaucracies. Principle and gyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan ers. With wise and forward-look- purpose compete with gain and and Uzbekistan – energy and water The recent announcement by ing policies, Kazakhstan will play influence in all the Caucasus and are closely linked. This linkage has Kazakh Oil and Gas Minister a crucial role in balancing markets, Central Asian countries in deter- both important intra-regional and Uzakbai Karabalin that Kazakh- environmental and technological mining government policy. inter-regional aspects. Energy com- stan’s oil and gas resources will challenges. Oil is truly a magnificent energy merce ties Central Asian producers adequately supply the country’s Energy policies pursued by Ka- resource. In comparison with other with external transporters and con- energy resources through the next zakhstan’s neighbours will grow in forms of fuel, petroleum is excep- sumers. Energy is also an impor- half century is testimony to the importance. China’s energy poli- tionally rich in caloric value and yet tant issue interconnecting various country’s leading position in Eura- cies are integral to China’s unique it is easily storable, transportable economic sectors within Central sia and in the international energy and deeply-rooted foreign policy and usable for combustion in addi- Asia. The hydroelectric power in- market. tenets. China’s energy policy is tion to its numerous other applica- dustry ties upstream states such Kazakhstan’s economic dyna- comprehensive in the sense that tions. Oil is the “black gold” that as Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan with mism is fueled by its energy re- it is closely connected to China’s made possible the global mobility downstream, power-rich but water- sources but Kazakhstan has also policy assumptions, goals, and which has transformed our planet hungry states such as Uzbekistan clearly embarked on forward- practices. China’s energy policy and led to the improvement of the and Turkmenistan. Inherently non- looking policies. These successful involves both “push and pull” quality of life in myriad ways. transparent and centralized fixed energy policies out-distance Ka- were dependent upon the import of obtain sources of energy fuels at factors, implying greater and con- Oil can be expected to continue energy infrastructures such as oil zakhstan from many other energy- energy fuels. Third party countries reasonable costs and with confi- tinuing engagement in the world to play a crucial role in the energy and gas pipelines and electric grids exporting powerhouses. Kazakh- physically located between suppli- dence that the supplies will not be economy yet on a very carefully future. However, oil can also ex- obscure financial transactions and stan’s new Foreign Policy Concept ers and consumers often played a disrupted. Supporters of new and defined and balanced basis. pected to be increasingly joined by are susceptible to manipulation. (2014-2020) further directs Ka- role as transit countries, vying for more pragmatic security policies In contrast, Russia’s energy commodities of critical value, such Kazakhstan’s ample energy re- zakhstan toward a pragmatic em- influence and benefit as a result of insist the new definition of energy policy is substantially different. as, for instance, “clear gold.” Water sources provide a guarantee of phasis on the “green revolution” their geographical location. security must do more to take into Russia’s vast natural resource en- is critical to life itself. The value of economic stability through the and on yet greater emphasis on These features still define the account the common responsibil- dowment is the country’s most sig- water is expected to rise as water next half century if Kazakhstan technological innovation in sci- contemporary world but the dyna- ity of all producers and consumers nificant foreign policy advantage. becomes a subject of competition continues to steward its resources ence and industry. Energy-related mism of technological innovation to find ways to use all forms of en- Russia’s resurgence in economic over its availability and cost. New wisely, emphasizing pragmatic connections in all four points of is making subtle but very signifi- ergy more efficiently, more effec- and political matters during the technologies that bring down the economic policies and practices, the compass will very likely be cant changes. Today the emergence tively and more environmentally past decade has been almost exclu- costs of water isolation, produc- and encouraging technological ad- critical components in Kazakh- of new energy technologies is one sustainable for future generations. sively fueled by energy exports. tion, treatment, transportation and aptation and innovation. Kazakh- stan’s energy future. of the drives behind the trans- International politics has been Russia’s planners are aware of the reuse will make water more availa- stan is positioned to demonstrate For all countries around the formation of energy markets. It and will continue to be an impor- country’s long-term vulnerability ble to people around the globe. But even greater success and prosper- world, energy security has become is profoundly influencing estab- tant factor in international energy in a world in which excessive de- these new technologies will not ity by making use of Kazakhstan’s a dominant aspect of national and lished practices of energy produc- policy. Kazakhstan is located amid pendence upon a primary export be without a high cost. Countries leading position in Eurasia and in foreign policies. The global ener- tion, transport, and consumption. major producers and consumers of commodity exporting strategy in the decades ahead are likely to the international energy market. gy security architecture is chang- Changes taking place are influenc- oil, gas, nuclear energy and elec- threatens to relegate a country to a impose comprehensive water pric- ing. A short time ago it was pos- ing energy security, energy effi- trical power resources. These rela- second-rate status as a supplicant- ing systems and tax systems. Only Gregory Gleason and Ruta sible to speak of energy producers ciency and energy conservation. tionships have been exceptionally supplier rather than as an innova- a generation ago, ordinary people Buneviciute are professors at the and energy consumers as the two These technological changes well managed in past years by Ka- tor or beneficiary of technological rebuffed the idea of purchasing George C. Marshall European defining actors in international often call for close transnational zakhstan’s multi-vector policies. progress. In yet another different drinking water in bottles that of- Center for Security Studies. The energy relations. It was easy to cooperation. They raise impor- The agility and insight used by contrast, the energy policies of the ten exceed the price, strangely, views expressed here are those of think of the world as divided be- tant questions regarding the future Kazakhstan in the past will be just Caucasus countries and the Central of alcoholic beverages. But that the authors and do not represent tween countries that possessed of energy security practices and as important in the future. China, Asian states – Kyrgyzstan, Tajik- has changed. The public attitudes the views of the Marshall Cent- ample supplies of oil and gas as policies. Energy security often Europe, Russia, the Middle East istan, Turkmenistan and Uzbeki- toward a global market in “clear er, the U.S. Government, or the opposed to those countries which has been defined as the ability to and South Asia are physically lo- stan – are the expression of newly gold” are likely to change as well. Lithuanian Government. Space Technology Key to Developing Natural Resources By Zhumabek Zhantayev Surface deposits are almost ex- The National Sultangazin Centre grow economic sectors such as innovations that can be converted hausted and exploration of the for Space Research and Technolo- mobile, multimedia, space and into commercial developments. In his state-of-the-nation ad- earth’s depths is a very complicat- gies has accumulated solid expe- nanotechnologies over the next Leading industrial countries of the dress “Kazakhstan’s Path to ed and expensive thing. Therefore, rience in the use of space-ground five years. Americas and Europe have always 2050:Common Goals, Com- market conditions dictate the need monitoring technology and remote The use of space technology in understood this very well. For ex- mon Interests, Common Future,” for the most cost-effective technol- subsurface sensing. The cost of various sectors of the economy ample, Japan and China, which President Nursultan Nazarbayev ogies in finding new deposits. these methods is several times less will improve economic efficiency previously onlycopied foreign de- set specific tasks, among them is In the twenty-first century, the than traditional methods, which and simultaneously further Ka- velopments, now largely dictate increasing the efficiency of the role of an “all-seeing eye” can and is especially important taking zakhstan’s scientific progress. global scientific and technological mining sector in order to give it a must be taken by space technology into account the vast size of our Supporting the research and in- standards that are based on their competitive advantage and devel- in mineral exploration. These tech- country. Using space monitoring, novations of which the President own scientific foundations. That oping rare earth metals because of nologies most effectively ensure we can determine the contours of speaks, including those in space, is why the head of state spoke their importance to science-inten- compliance with environmental the field, its depth and potential will create a synergetic effect. This primarily on the development of sive industries. safety both during the production in only a short time. A variety of approach will also facilitate the advanced education, science, new The President also set the task of able scientific and industrial re- and transportation of raw materi- terrestrial technologies, such as commercialisation of research. knowledge and new technologies. making Kazakhstan a world leader sources and modern technologies als. seismic, geochemical sensing, We must not forget that ap- in geological exploration. It is dif- in the development of existing Our questions are not just about magnetic and gravimetric meth- plied science, with its commercial The author is a Doctor of ficult to overstate the importance fields and in the exploration of oil and gas fields and hydrocarbon odologies can give more accurate component, is always based on a Physical and Mathematical Sci- of geological exploration because new resources, especially since the transportation, but also about the supporting data. powerful backdrop of fundamental ences, Academician of KazNAU the future of our country depends volume of proven mineral resourc- safety of open mining operations, All of the above is also reflect- science. Only the high “density” and Member of the National on it. es has dramatically decreased over such as monitoring the stability of ed in other sections of the Presi- of fundamental research generates Academy of Sciences of the Re- It is necessary to use all avail- the past decade. pit walls. dent’s address. There are plans to different kinds of discoveries and public of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan Addresses Challenges of International Trade By Doszhan Nurgaliyev faring developed countries, because tasks set by the head of state to the foreign economic sphere shows that and unrefined copper by 34 percent. With structural problems in the landlocked countries have to spend government and the National Cham- much is determined by the spontane- Intermediate goods, the volume of economies of the EU, market volatil- ASTANA – In 2014, the Kazakh much more than the actual cost of ber of Entrepreneurs is to organise ous nature of the process. Each sector which also decreased by 7 percent ity and the high cost of current export government will continue to work the transported goods to actually systemic work on attracting foreign and company individually operates to $11.1 billion, traditionally occupy destinations, it is expedient to reori- on improving its World Bank Do- bring them to market. Therefore, do- investment and creating effective at its own risk, sometimes without a a significant share in the structure of ent Kazakh exports to other markets. ing Business ranking, following a mestic companies in Kazakhstan are principles of export promotion. This clear understanding of the possibili- processed export goods. For example, representatives of the comprehensive plan. The country’s particularly sensitive to fluctuations implies improving the Doing Busi- ties and prospects of the market. And, Currently, about 135 WTO mem- National Chamber of Entrepreneurs biggest stumbling block is in interna- in transport service rates. The growth ness ranking. as Finance Minister Bakhyt Sultanov ber countries are trade partners of speak about a strategic expediency tional trade, where it is ranked 186. of transportation rates by at least 1 Kazakhstan is studying the Turk- noted at a recent government meet- Kazakhstan. However, while Ka- to increase exports to China. Export- The Doing Business rating, which percent means the share of transport ish experience, and the chamber ing, it seems that some participants zakhstan remains outside the interna- ing more to China rather than the EU assesses the ease of conducting busi- costs in the goods’ costs respectively has invited the former head of the in foreign economic activity are not tional trade alliance, it is difficult for would get rid of many of the head- ness in 189 countries, is called a pilot grows from 5 to 9 percent. Turkish Investment Agency, who is aware of the reforms that were im- domestic exporters to speak about aches associated with the EU market. chart for global investment capital. Together with other expenditures, credited with attracting investment plemented in the past year. any trade paritywith their partners, But to promote domestic business Kazakhstan, as a landlocked coun- this adds its share of negative speci- and technologies from major global The recent economic period, with because each of them has a specific to the Chinese market requires an try, has no direct access to European ficity to Kazakhstan’s foreign trade, companies to Turkey, as a consultant. its widespread slowdown in busi- “immunity,” including the right appropriate strategy with principles markets, though it does enjoy prox- so that when entering world markets, Turkey’s annual export volume is ness activity and lower demand for of antidumping investigation. For and mechanisms to ensure growth. imity to two major markets: China domestic exporters are always more about $130 billion, 19th place among resources in world markets, was not years, domestic companies have Reaching a consensus with China to and Russia. But high transport costs likely to remain noncompetitive in all countries in terms of exports. In favourable for many participants been dealing with hurdles like these reduce transport costs in mutual trade in the final price of exported prod- pricing because of the high cost of the medium term, Ankara intends to of foreign trade. According to pre- in exporting ferrous and non-ferrous turnover is one of the measures that ucts hamper not only the country’s their products. enter the world’s top 10 exporters liminary data, in 2013 Kazakhstan’s metals, uranium and other goods will help boost trade in this direction. competitiveness in the international That’s why they are given pref- with a volume of no less than $500 foreign trade turnover, taking into to the United States, the EU, India, In order to reduce the transport market but also the expansion of in- erential treatment, including tax billion. account its mutual trade with Rus- Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Ven- costs of Kazakh exporters and im- vestment in nonprimary sectors of its breaks. The rationality of certain Kazakhstan already has created sia and Belarus, amounted to about ezuela. Trade advantages are always porters, the government-developed economy. forms of export support, particu- a structure, Kaznex Invest, to pro- $108.5 billion, 1.5 percent less than in WTO countries’ favour. comprehensive plan envisages the Landlocked countries account for larly the partial reimbursement of mote exports and establish business in 2012. The level of exports also de- Today, 53 percent of Kazakhstan’s reduction of coefficient charges to 12.5 percent of the planet’s land and the transportation expenses of com- bridges, including through attracting creased by 4.9 percent to $69.1 bil- exports go to the EU. China accounts tariffs on guaranteed transit goods, 4.1 percent of the world’s population, modity sector, is often criticised by investment. lion, while imports increased by 5.1 for 17 percent of total exports, and including negotiations with China and have the lowest proportion of nongovernmental organisations and The head of the National Cham- percent. the countries of the Customs Union on the application of uniform tariffs participation in global trade process- parliamentarians, who say that “poli- ber of Entrepreneurs believes that It is noteworthy that in the last account for 8 percent. About 6 per- for railway transportation from the es. Every year, Kazakhstan’s trade cies aimed at promoting exports, ac- the chamber is comparable to the year, the share of processed prod- cent of commodities are exported to Chinese port of Lianyungang. In turnover with other countries has tually become a funding policy for Turkish Investment Agency, but ucts increased slightly in Kazakh- the rest of the world. According to terms of reducing bureaucratic barri- grown in proportion to the growth exporters.” with a staff three times larger and a stan’s total exports and reached 24.1 experts, the geographical structure ers, the state agencies this time have of business activity and the invest- It is understandable that subsidis- much smaller effect of activity. He percent. Nevertheless, in general, of processed exports has changed sacrificed two documents belonging ment attractiveness of the economy, ing and investing in business from also believes that it is more logical the volume of processed exports slightly. During the first nine months to the portfolio of foreign economic but Kazakhstan’s international trade national or pension funds is not ide- to reconstruct the work of the exist- decreased by 4 percent. This was of 2013, processed products were activity: forwarding accounts for ranking remains the same. al. But in the absence of long-term ing organisation in keeping with new explained by decline in exports of supplied to 105 foreign countries. transportation and terminal handling. Meanwhile, as practice shows, the funding and given the slowing influx challenges and demands rather than semi-finished products: from iron by The lion’s share of processed ex- transport component in the structure of investment in the economy there create a new quasi-public structure. 82 percent, gold by 54 percent, tita- ports, 69 percent, was also delivered The author is an analyst with the of foreign trade in landlocked coun- is no other way to promote business. Meanwhile, an analysis of the nium by 48 percent, ball bearings by to the EU, China and the countries of Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspa- tries is 5-6 times higher than in sea- In this regard, one of the important problematic aspects of Kazakhstan’s 42 percent, flat stock by 41 percent the Customs Union. per. A8 eurasia&world

Wednesday, march 12, 2014

Tajiks, nor Uzbeks, throughout all those recent decades of turmoil, Education, Balanced Foreign Policy Will Lead to had announced any secession in- tentions. Second, geography. Back in the 1950s, South Korea was on the periphery, on the outskirts Evolutionary Changes in Central Asia, Scholar Says of the underdeveloped Far East, Continued from Page A1 growing on a daily basis,” Starr gion larger than the five countries ma decided to cut short the mili- whereas now Afghanistan is, and said. in ‘central’ Central Asia, said the tary mission in Afghanistan and to will increasingly be, in the mid- “I am not sure when or in which “I am absolutely optimistic term still stands and is not meant withdraw troops so quickly and so dle of all the communications net- forms and through which organi- about the region of Central Asia,” to be political. irresponsibly.” works in the middle of Eurasia. sations [this would be happening] Starr said. “I am not naïve, but “By using the term Greater Cen- “Yet, this does not mean that Third, resources. South Korea then but it certainly would be happen- very sober and this feeling is based tral Asia, I only wanted to under- America will not play a role there. had no natural resources. Afghani- ing as the middle class increas- on the results of the new kind of score that the present day defini- To the contrary, we have promised stan is rich in such resources now. ingly realises its right to make its education. And that is very strong- tion of Central Asia [consisting billions of dollars in assistance for And fourth, education. Afghani- voice heard,” Starr said, making ly felt in 20-30 year olds.” only of five former Soviet repub- the next 10-15 years. In fact, post- stan now has a very well-educated a caveat. “Since we are talking “You need to compare your lics] does not fit with historical 2014, USAID [the U.S. Agency group of youngsters, so I am very about democracy and democratic friends to friends of your parents, definitions.O f course, Afghanistan for International Development] much optimistic about the future developments, I must say that, de- and you will see the changes,” he should be included in this defini- already has $1.5 billion in funding of that country.” spite fundamental core common- continued. “I am not saying eve- tion. As should be Xinjiang in Chi- for Afghanistan, while at the UN’s Generally, this American scholar alities, democracies in England or rything will go smoothly, as the na,” he said. donor conference in Tokyo the believes the countries in the region France or Japan are different and developing culture has both posi- “After the collapse of the So- U.S. committed some $4 billion would benefit from pursuing a for- so will be democracies in Central tive and negative effects, such as, viet Union in 1991, the Chinese annually for the next decade, and S. Frederick Starr eign policy that does not overem- Asia. And that is a healthy situa- for example, computers or the In- were quite clever in approaching many other countries made serious phasise relations with one country tion.” ternet.” Kazakhstan and the Asian Devel- answering himself. “Through commitments as well.” or set of countries, but rather seeks Starr’s optimism is based on, “Compared to the lives of your opment Bank with a proposal to “It is time for the U.S. adminis- close trade relations.” a balance in such ties. among other factors, the rising lev- ancestors in the region, you now re-create the Silk Road, connect- tration to also clearly state, for our More evidence of close trade ties “I respect a lot the concept of el of education of Central Asians. have less contact, not more, with ing themselves to the west,” Starr partners and foes alike, its posi- that predate even the Silk Road the multi-vectoral and balanced “I am amazed at the quality of your immediate neighbours in continued. “Yet the southern outlet tion about what it is that the U.S. is, according to Starr, a turquoise foreign policy of Kazakhstan. This young leaders, say, in Tajikistan. Central Asia,” Starr said. And this, [via Afghanistan] was still closed stands for in Afghanistan, not just mineral called lapis lazuli. It was Of course, it is an extremely poor too, has both positive and negative because of the Taliban. And it was what it is that we stand against,” is a simple yet very reasonable country, but there are extraordinar- aspects, according to the scholar, found among the decorations of a completely unexpected side ef- Starr added. concept which all countries in the ily talented, world-class profes- who highlighted the logistical dif- Tutankhamen and other pharaohs fect of September 11 [2001] that He went on to share what he region are now trying to do some- sionals. And the same is true for ficulties of travel from, for exam- in pyramids in ancient Egypt as it opened the borders between the called “perhaps a somewhat crazy thing similar to,” Starr said. “But Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turk- ple, Karaganda in central Kazakh- well as in India, yet it comes from former Soviet republics and Af- theory” regarding the successful it is not easy to pursue it now, as menistan, not to mention Kazakh- stan to Khodjand in Tajikistan. Badakhshan, a region in Tajik- ghanistan.” future of Afghanistan, as opposed the Chinese are pursuing their own stan,” Starr added, again explain- Another key component of Cen- istan, as well as from Afghanistan. Only now, 10 years later, will what quite a few other experts ex- very strong policies, the Russians ing that he expects gradual changes tral Asia’s eventual progress, ac- Starr said he was “thrilled” when southern corridors towards India pect from a country that they say have their own concepts, and the in due course. “I am talking about cording to Starr, is developing, or President Nursultan Nazarbayev open. “It is a new phenomenon will not be able to withstand the West [and] the Americans are get- mid-term to long-term evolution rather recreating, trade routes of of Kazakhstan was received as the now, yet historically there was return to power of the Taliban. ting poised to withdraw [from the here, not about ‘pyatiletki’,” he yore and reconnecting the region guest of honour at Indian Repub- such a route and it worked,” Starr “Comparing Afghanistan today region].” said, using the oft-derided word to the world and to its own ele- lic Day in January 2009. To him, said. with, say, South Korea in the mid- “I think this concept is very for the five-year plans so favoured ments, which used to be carved up this was “an echo of the long-gone Obviously, for any such trade 1950s, one can see that the situation reasonable and I think throughout by the Soviet rulers. into opposing spheres of influence past, and a modern-day reincarna- route to work again, there will is more positive there now than it centuries, states or entities in Cen- “Look at Kazakhstan: 30 years by empires. tion of the restoring ties between have to be a stable and secure Af- used to be 60 years ago on the Ko- tral Asia have mastered such an ap- ago there was an intelligentsia, “Roman numbers were thought Central and South Asia.” ghanistan, to form the crux of a rean peninsula,” he said. “First, the proach, and have mastered the so- there were specialists working in for a long time to have come from Starr, who is credited with [re] Greater Central Asia. history of statehood. Afghanistan called ‘Great Game.’ They knew various industries, et cetera, but the Arabs, but it was not true, as introducing the term “Greater Cen- Asked about the future of that has had a history of statehood for how to play it then, they learn how there was no middle class then in they came from India via Central tral Asia” into American foreign war-torn country post-2014, Starr three centuries, while South Korea to play it now. And the sooner they the proper sense of the word. But Asia. And how did they come from policy parlance first and then into said he was “very disappointed had none, and no ethnic group in do that, the smoother their way to now there is, and you can feel it Central Asia?” asked Starr, before the standard description of a re- that [U.S. President Barack] Oba- Afghanistan, neither Pashtuns, nor prosperity and progress will be.” Dutch Envoy Sees Opportunities for More Trade, Investment Continued from Page A1 on nuclear waste cleanup, but we to find themselves in the top 30 de- Before that, he served as head of around the country, including to need to do our utmost in a variety veloped countries in the world. Say the defense support section at the Atyrau to meet the largest Dutch The two countries have enjoyed of issues to tackle and address nu- there is quite a long road ahead of Permanent Representation of the community in Kazakhstan consist- stable growth in bilateral trade, clear issues, including spreading us, but we are ambitious!” Netherlands to NATO in Brussels. ing of some 250 citizens, and Al- consisting mainly of oil, chemicals awareness,” he said. Asked about the news about Having graduated from the Uni- maty, with 70 Dutch nationals. and machinery. In 2012, imports The ambassador found Kazakh- potentially renaming Kazakhstan versity of Leiden (Dutch Law) in “I have plans to travel even more from the Netherlands to Kazakh- stan’s nuclear heritage “striking” Kazakh Eli as another step the 1974, the ambassador has spent as I realise that Astana is not typi- stan reached $286 million, while and stressed the importance of ini- country can make to improve its most of his career in diplomacy. cal Kazakhstan and that Almaty exports from Kazakhstan to the tiatives such as The ATOM Project, international standings, Driesser Driesser has also learned to has much more to offer, as well as Netherlands surged to $7.3 billion. describing it as “appealing and said such news hit even Holland. adapt to new environments, and he Shymkent and Turkestan and other The year of 2013 showed similar moving.” “We need to constantly “My reaction to that news was a was well prepared for Astana win- cities,” Driesser said. trends. have this on the agenda. We are very simple one: Let the Kazakh ters. “I thought to myself, ‘I am a Coming from a country famous “The bulk of trade consists of on the same page here. We need to people decide,” he explained. Dutchman! Bring it on!’ So, some for its omnipresent bicycle culture, Dutch oil imports; a variety of raise more awareness!” he said. This past winter was the first Sundays were quite cold, and I the Dutchman lamented the lack of products including machinery and Ambassador Hans Driesser The Dutch as a seafaring na- Astana winter in the ambassador’s could only walk for about an hour bicycle racks and specially desig- specialised services also occupy a same reception afforded to them tion have been to many places long career. Previously, he held outside. But what is the problem?” nated lanes on Astana roads. But, large share of trade from the Dutch prior and during the summit. around the world, the ambassador the post of project manager in the The ambassador is not going to he said, once the snow melts, he side,” said Driesser, who arrived in A few memorandums of under- explained, yet but to an average reorganising of the Dutch diplo- limit himself to working in Asta- and his wife will be the first to hit Astana in November 2013. “Such standing on agriculture are to be Dutch citizen, Kazakhstan is still matic network’s economic efforts. na, though, and is planning to go the road on their bicycles. services mainly pertain to agricul- signed during the visit, according an unknown territory. ture and water management. And, to the ambassador. Other memoran- “Our foreign minister’s visit to of course, Shell is here and I would dums to be further negotiated and Astana in early February and your call it the trailblazer of Dutch in- possibly signed cover areas such president’s visit in March will help vestments and exports.” as space cooperation, establishing spread knowledge about Kazakh- Speaking of potential new areas a business council and cooperating stan and are good first steps in for cooperation, the Dutch ambas- on environmental management. Kazakhstan’s attempts to market sador listed water management, The ambassador sees great poten- itself in the Netherlands,” Driesser both in the energy fields and in tial in Kazakhstan’s efforts to di- said as he went on to explain his municipal settings, as well as agri- versify foreign investments in the views on what the country’s strong culture, including both horticulture country, including in light of the selling points are or should be. and animal husbandry. Kazakhstan 2050 strategy. “Kazakhstan is a good country “In terms of agriculture, green- “Holland is small. We export, as in the making,” the ambassador houses are key,” he said. “I had a we must. For instance, 40 years ago said. “Everybody [in the West] meeting with the [Kazakh] minis- all roses came from greenhouses in understands where you are com- ter of agriculture and we went over Holland, but not anymore because ing from and you make quite an our existing cooperation efforts. Holland invested in Africa, espe- impression.” The Dutch greenhouse company cially Ethiopia, and is now export- “Your president once had a Dalsem is working on some green- ing from Ethiopia through Amster- dream; now look around and here house projects south of Almaty. dam to New York, China and, yes, it is: Astana. This city is amazing. And an egg and chicken farm near Kazakhstan. That is what I call an Astana is not a paradise,but what Almaty is also a major ongoing investment. We are very interested was here even 10 years ago? It is project.” to see similar things happen in Ka- a starting point. Then, Kazakh- All of the areas of cooperation zakhstan,” Driesser said. stan is a developing, emerging are expected to be reviewed and “Kazakhstan is a very rich coun- market.You have everything the explored further during the visit try. You have wide open spaces and world needs in the soil: oil, gas, by President Nazarbayev to The plenty of land, but on the other hand, uranium, you name it, the whole Hague on the eve of the March 24- the distances are a challenge. There periodic table of elements is here 25 Nuclear Security Summit which are 17 million residents, like in Hol- in the ground. You are the ninth is expected to bring together more land, but your country is about sixty largest country in the world and than 50 heads of state and govern- times bigger. So as they say, from your location is strategic: it is not ment and leaders of international stable to table, from acre to baker land-locked, but land-linked in the organizations. in every element of the expression, heartland of Asia, the continent of The Dutch are preparing to wel- I think the Dutch can advise on and the future. You are coming from a come the Kazakh President with maybe execute projects.” difficult, moving history, which is the audience with King Willem- The Netherlands and Kazakh- also a rich one.” Alexander, a meeting with Prime stan see eye to eye as far as nuclear “You can be honest about the Minister Mark Rutte, a round table non-proliferation and disarmament transition process.You can say, discussion with business leaders are concerned, the ambassador we are coming from point A and and a presentation of the Dutch continued. moving ahead and there are un- expertise in green economy, the “[Nuclear responsibility] is one certainties.There are challenges in ambassador said noting the close of the biggest challenges of our the fight against corruption. We all involvement in the minutiae of the time,” he said. “We are small play- know this. Another challenge is in visit by his Kazakh counterpart in ers.There are some big ones out stovepipe bureaucracy. Don’t deny The Hague, Mainura Murzamadi- there, but when working together, it, but put it on the table and contin- yeva. According to Driesser, only we small players become big. On ue demonstrating leadership with a few heads of state will have the the bilateral level, we have worked ambition: by 2050, Kazakhs want B Nation&Capital

Wednesday, march 12, 2014

People Culture Sports Dedication, Love of Country Lead Kazakh Sixth Grader Wins Paris Barys Takes Commanding 2-0 Educator to Success B2 Violin Competition B3 Lead in Playoffs B7 EXPO City Construction to Begin in Spring EBRD Highlights Support for Women in Business

By Michelle Witte

To mark International Women’s Day on March 8, the European Bank for Reconstruction and De- By Kulpash Konyrova velopment (EBRD) highlighted its work with Kazakhstan’s women ASTANA – Construction of the entrepreneurs. architectural complex for EXPO On March 4, the EBRD an- 2017 in Astana will begin this May, nounced that it had signed an Deputy Chairman of the Astana agreement with BG Kazakhstan EXPO 2017 Company Bekzhan to continue the second phase of Kulbayev announced on March 4 its support programme for wom- at a Central Communications Ser- en and young entrepreneurs in vice briefing. West Kazakhstan region’s Bur- A week earlier, President Nur- linskiy district. The programme, sultan Nazarbayev approved the designed to meet the needs of concept of the architectural com- An Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill design for Astana’s Expo City. female and young entrepreneurs, plex for EXPO 2017. The general helps entrepreneurs and new layout and major design and plan- from Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill “The first-ever energy-positive of housing will be built in EXPO Nazarbayev University will allow businesses in Aksai and Uralsk ning solutions were then presented Architecture, the winner of the city will appear in Kazakhstan. City. them to merge and complement through training, business tours, to the government and municipal EXPO 2017 design competition, On sunny or windy days, EXPO “All homes, as well as the hotels, each other. facilitating access to financing administration. In two or three took into account a number of con- City will produce energy, accu- fitness centres, shops and schools As for the pace of construc- and providing consultancy sup- months, the ambitious project will ditions important for Kazakhstan mulate its surplus and give it to in this city will be built on the prin- tion, Kulbayev stressed that about port. So far, more than 100 entre- be launched. in creating their design. EXPO Astana,” said Kapparov. He also ciple of sustainable development 10,000 builders will be involved in preneurs and startups have been “A feasibility study of the future structures were to have innovative revealed a new component of and with the application of green the work every year. At peak times, assisted through the programme, architectural complex is ready and designs, blend into the capital’s ar- the city’s smart grid: smart dust. technologies,” he said. that number could grow to 20,000. which recently won a EUROBAK currently geotechnical work is un- chitectural image, respond to the “This is a vacuum system that Answering questions about the At least 70 percent of the staff will Corporate Social Responsibility derway on the allocated land plot. exhibition’s topic and, therefore, sucks debris from each build- use of these facilities after EXPO be residents of Kazakhstan. Award for its contributions to the Construction will probably begin be energy efficient and economi- ing and then sends it to a central 2017, the minister said the housing Kapparov also noted that seri- local community. in May,” Kulbayev said. cally viable. Minister of Environ- processing plant. The unique en- will be sold and international pa- ous foreign companies with rele- The first phase of the programme According to Kulbayev, builders ment and Water Resources and terprise will also conduct water vilions will be used as offices or as vant experience will be attracted concludes this April; the second will first erect the main building of Chairman of the Board of the Asta- treatment,” the minister said. a scientific and technological clus- to the construction of architec- the Kazakhstan pavilion, a sphere will run for another 12 months and na EXPO 2017 Company Nurlan According to Kulbayev, in ad- ter, which could bring additional turally complex objects, particu- provide coaching and mentoring with an 80-metre diameter. Kapparov reported on construction dition to the exhibition’s facili- profit to the capital. In addition, larly the Kazakhstan pavilion’s As Kulbayev noted, specialists services to new businesses while work in detail at the briefing. ties, about 1 million square metres the proximity of EXPO City to sphere. supporting existing businesses with advisory projects. BG Ka- zakhstan, a member of internation- al energy exploration and produc- tion business BG Group, funded Craftsman Passes on National Traditions the pilot programme through its By Natalia Dvorianinova social investment programme. It should be done from school,” he has agreed to donate 210,000 eu- said. ros to the second project phase, an PAVLODAR – Melzhan Sydyk- In the early 2000s, his focus was ov is a senior teacher in the de- EBRD press release said. on “national utensils and crock- EBRD has been active in Ka- partment of vocational training ery,” and his students were re- zakhstan for 20 years and has been of the Pavlodar Pedagogical In- quired to make an asadal (national providing small business support stitute who says his vocation is cupboard for dishes), two round since 1998. According to an EBRD to teach young people to make tables and astabak (a big plate on press release, one-fifth of the near- national dishes and furniture, as which the national dish beshbar- ly 1,000 small enterprises assisted well as to pass Kazakh traditions, mak is served). by the EBRD in Kazakhstan have customs and way of life to his stu- “I wondered, what is asadal? I been owned or led by women. dents. heard this word for the first time in Its 2011 Business Advisory Ser- “We are training teachers of tech- my life. I turned to books, but there vices factsheet highlighted its im- nology. We are actively engaged in was nothing about it. There was no pact on a Taraz-based garment fac- making national utensils, dishes, description of the manufacturing tory run by Lyubov Popova, which furniture. Today, we understand technology for such things either. employs mostly women. clearly that it is necessary to revive I had to ask older people for help. Craftsman Melzhan Sydykov’s creation traditions of our ancestors and it Continued on Page B2 Continued on Page B5

Things to Watch Five Paralympians Represent march Kazakhstan at Sochi 2014 By Nadezhda Khamitova AStana Opera

SOCHI – Five physically-chal- March 19 at 19:30 An Shashu concert lenged athletes from Kazakhstan are competing for Paralympic medals at the March 7-16 11th congress hall Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi. March 14 at 19.00 Concert dedicated to 170 Sochi is the first time Kazakh- anniversary of Akan Seri stan has received six Paralympic bids for five athletes. In addition March 26 at 19.00 Folk music Saryarka ensemble concert to five bids for Nordic skiing, the country is competing in bi- athlon. Maxim Gorky state theatre “In less than a year, the Para- lympic team has demonstrated March 13 at 18.30 Master and Margarita outstanding development. With the support the team has received March 21 at 18.30 Sultan Beibars from the state, the Samruk Ka- zyna National Welfare Fund, and the Agency of the Republic of Schoolchildren’s Palace Kazakhstan on Sports and Physi- March 1 - 14 at 29.00 World Exhibition of Masks cal Training Affairs, our athletes have had the opportunity to com- pete and qualify at major interna- “Oboinaya Lavka” tional competitions,” said Galina Vanina, vice-president for sports March 4 – 18 The First Exhibition of the National Paralympic Com- at 10.00 – 19.00 of Non-Professional Artists mittee of Kazakhstan.

Continued on Page B7 Kazakhstan’s Paralympics team poses in Sochi ahead of the games. B2 Nation&Capital People

Wednesday, march 12, 2014 Craftsman Passes on Dedication, Love of Country National Traditions Lead Educator to Success our and customs. And, as it turns By Alexander Tarakov out, dishes brought with them a certain educational culture,” he AKMOLA REGION – Agro- said. technical College Director Valen- tina Bystrikskaya has worked hard for her success and is an example Sydykov is amazed of what a woman, or man, can achieve in newly independent Ka- by the skills of zakhstan. Growing up, Bystrikskaya, like Kazakhstan’s her four sisters and her mother ancestors and Anatassiya Zhukova, worked on a dairy farm. And she quickly suc- their comfortable, ceeded by yielding a record 4,327 kilogrammes of milk from a cow functional household annually. At the age of 23, she items. According to was awarded the “Badge of Hon- our” and purchased her first car Sydykov, they were while earning five hundred rubles a month, about five times what an maximally adapted average worker would work at that time. to the nomadic way During the Soviet era, she re- of life. ceived numerous medals for achievements in economic devel- opment and appreciation letters Sydykov is amazed by the from trade unions. She was elected skills of Kazakhstan’s ancestors a representative of multiple func- and their comfortable, functional tions in the Communist Party’s household items. According to Central Committee, served on Sydykov, they were maximally councils at multiple levels and was adapted to the nomadic way of even nominated for the title Hero life. of Socialist Labour, the highest Now, he is a skilled wood carver distinction for civilians. and makes his own original beds, In 1976, Bystritskaya was ap- dishes, boxes and other items in pointed a team leader of a dairy farm and in 1978 became a zoot- the national style. He gifts his best echnician. In 1986, she headed the works to the regional Potanin His- farm Uryupinsky. It was a big step tory Museum. in her career and carried great re- Many of Sydykov’s students sponsibility. But she did well and in are talented young people who Agro-technical College Director Valentina Bystrikskaya gives a tour of the 1989 was appointed deputy director college campus in February. have followed in his footsteps and of the neighbouring state farm Tru- Melzhan Sydykov works on an astabak, the traditional serving plate for opened their own shops. dovoy in the Alekseevsk district. considered a leading educational rural areas, has expanded its line beshbarmak. “I often see the works of my Over the next 10 years, howev- specialist and was instructed to of professional training courses Continued from Page B1 rieties and purposes. I was very former students at exhibitions and er, the Soviet Union collapsed and restore one of the local vocational and has secured stable funding to interested in it. It turned out that I am happy for them. And also for many of the then collective farms schools. improve its material and technical Thereby, I learned that the as- with this cookware [we had] im- myself. It means that I am on the were broken up. Trudovoy went Now Agrotechnical College base. tabak, for example, has many va- perceptibly lost our national col- right path,” Sydykov said. bankrupt and after a life of suc- Director, Bystrikskaya recently Bystritskaya credits a lot of the cessful work, Bystritskaya became showed this reporter around the success of the college to President unemployed. campus. Nursultan Nazarbayev and the In order to survive and support “Last year, we invested eleven funding programmes he has initi- her family, she opened a roadside million tenge (US$60,155) of our ated in Kazakhstan. snack house called Valentina’s own funds to build two kilome- “At first, we were supported Pancakes. Around the same time, tres of heating pipelines. We grow by the ‘Road Map.’ Within it, we an associate of Bystritskaya’s vegetables and even drilled seven provided training to 508 people. named Vladimir Hartmann who wells to remove the problem of Now, it is the Employment 2020 was the former director of the watering. Recently, we opened a programme, on which we organise state farm Uryupinsk and was then branch in the Yegindikol district. retraining courses. Having earned serving as a senior official in the There are comfortable classrooms, a million tenge (US$5,468), we region, thought she would do well showers and laboratories for future bought building materials and in education. So he proposed giv- cooks,” she said. “We even have made repairs,” she said. ing her a job in one of the region’s a beauty salon. And we are close Bystritskaya has held the title of most difficult education systems. to the capital, only 130 kilometers “Honourary Worker of Education As she had done before, Bys- from Astana.” of the Republic of Kazakhstan” for tritskaya excelled. So when the Under Bystritskaya’s leader- more than 10 years and says the region began restoring its voca- ship, the college, which prepares secret to her success is dedication tional training system, she was individuals to find employment in and a desire to help her country. Woman-Owned Printing Business Grows with State Support The craftsman transmits culture by teaching traditional woodworking skills. By Olga Zolotykh

AKTAU – Thanks to a 60 mil- lion tenge (about US$329,000) loan, young entrepreneur Yevgenia Tamozhnikova has the opportunity to develop her business, create ad- ditional jobs in her printing centre and contribute more to the national budget. “We acquired a large space of 372 square metres and increased the number of jobs. Of course, it would be impossible to implement this project without state support. Business initiatives are the most important factor of economic growth, especially today, when approaches to doing business are changing across the world. Today, only companies that are involved Entrepreneur Yevgenia Tamozhnikova’s printing business has grown with state in high-tech industries, offer in- support. novative solutions and create new materials are often intended to pro- ginning. I have long been engaged brands can expect a breakthrough. mote their own business. in business and I can say that the The state support I got was a good Amangeldi Babassov has been state always helps those who really chance for me to further develop working in the construction indus- want to work,” he said. my business,” Tamozhnikova said. try for many years. As a new entre- Tamozhnikova intends to fur- Until recently, the printing in- dustry was mostly a man’s busi- preneur, he had to understand how ther develop her business and open ness. Now, things are changing to advertise, and Tamozhnikova branches in all district centres of and more and more business wom- came to help him. the region, meaning dozens of citi- en occupy executive positions. “I started my business in cooper- zens may find new jobs. Tamozh- She says the printing business ation with her printing office. They nikova is not only a business wom- is not just about taking orders and carried out orders for business an, but a mother of two children. executing them. A customer order- cards, banners, billboards. It only Her older son is gaining experi- ing souvenir print products wants seems easy to start a new business; ence by helping his mother run her an interesting design, as their cal- entrepreneurs face a number of business and may in the future take endars, leaflets, booklets and other organisational problems in the be- over the family business himself. B3 Nation&Capital Culture

Wednesday, march 12, 2014 Astana Art Exhibition Celebrates 110th Birthday of Kasteyev

A visitor views works by Kazakh artist Abylkhan Kasteyev at Astana’s Museum of Modern Art on March 9. By Natalia Allyanova Kasteyev was the first Peo- heritage. Over his career, the art- of nature painted at different times maty, among others, as well as in tion also includes 12 watercolours ple’s Artist of the Kazakh SSR ist created more than one thou- and reflecting different states of private collections and his family’s from the 1960s: portraits of Abai ASTANA – The capital’s Mu- and is considered the founder of sand paintings depicting histori- mind create an image of the moth- archives. and Birzhan-sal, landscapes and the Kazakh fine art movement. cal themes, the life of Kazakhs in erland. There are 14 works of the artist themed paintings “Summer pas- seum of Modern Art organised His works hold a special place in the pre-revolutionary period and Kasteyev’s works are exhibited in the capital’s museum: two can- ture Chalkude,” “Flock of sheep a March 9 exhibition dedicated the cultural history of the coun- the life of his contemporaries. His in the State Tretyakov Gallery and vases, “Mountain view from the on zhailau,” “The River Talas,” to the 110th anniversary of re- try. landscapes, experts say, are full of the State Museum of Oriental Art, park of culture” and “The view “Karatau. Ore mining,” “Shop on nowned Kazakh artist Abylkhan It’s difficult to overstate his tal- musical lyricism. Mountain rang- both in Moscow, and the the State of the park with the pond” cre- the wheel on the pasture land” and Kasteyev. ent, as well as his rich and diverse es, the steppe and other depictions Kasteyev Museum of Art in Al- ated in 1937. The small exhibi- others. Kazakh Sixth Female Artists Showcased Grader Wins at Nazarbayev Centre By Manshuk Bekentayeva ion of Artists member Sembigali invested with eternal mystery and arbayev Centre exhibition, which Smagulov. hides a complex world of feelings ends March 18, allows visitors to ASTANA – The Nazarbayev Female beauty has long been an and emotions. view more than 50 works from 19 Paris Violin Centre held an exhibition titled inspiration for artists and a moti- Works created by women often artists to get a sense of the diver- “Picturesque Spring” on March vator for great acts and achieve- reflect emotional complexity and sity of Astana’s female artists and 5 showcasing the works of well- ments of men. The female image is a unique view of beauty. The Naz- modern art trends. known female artists from Astana. Competition The exhibition honoured Interna- stan on the world’s best stages,” tional Women’s Day. By Asset Kalymov Bekturova said. “I am very pleased to open an Bekturova first appeared on exhibition of female art in antici- Almaty sixth-grade music stu- stage at the age of seven and has pation of spring. I would like to dent and violinist Malika Bek- since won numerous international congratulate all women with the turova recently won the eighth competitions in Astana and Al- spring holiday coming on March Alexander Glazunov International maty. Since the start of her per- 8. It is very pleasant to see au- Competition of Violinists and Cel- forming career, she has amazed thors of works, colleagues, artists lists in Paris. violin masters, such as Moscow and just friends who came to sup- The competition was held in the Tchaikovsky Conservatory Profes- port the art. I am also very happy concert hall of the Paris Conserva- sor Vladislav Igolinsky. to see all of you at the exhibition toire and attracted about 50 par- “This time, she amazed French of women artists. I congratulate ticipants from England, Belgium, maestros from the higher music the Picturesque Spring exhibi- Georgia, Kazakhstan, China, Latvia, schools of Paris. Malika so im- tion,” said Leyla Mahat, deputy Uzbekistan, France and South Korea. maculately performed a large director for scientific and human- Kazakh musicians participated programme of plays, exercises itarian activity of the Nazarbayev in the competition for the first time and solo concerts that the audi- Centre. this year. The competition’s jury ence gave her a standing ovation, “I was waiting for this ex- awarded Bekturova, a student at shouting ‘Bravo’,” said her violin hibition as [I would wait] for a the National Kulyash Baisseitova teacher Kuralai Akhmetova. holiday. Indeed, the concept of a Music School, first place and Nar- Akhmetova added that Bek- holiday is very closely connected gis Mamedova, a student at the turova represented Kazakhstan with women. I see that today the same school, third place. well and demonstrated the virtuos- works of masters and young art- “It was a real celebration of mu- ity of Kazakh musicians is on par ists are presented. This exhibi- sic with a magical atmosphere! with recognised European violin tion is held at a very high level. I I’ve got a lot of memories and schools. congratulate everyone [connect- Member of Kazakhstan’s Union of Artists Sembigali Smagulov and Deputy Director at the Nazarbayev Centre made friends with people from As a reward for her virtuosity, ed] with its opening,” said Un- Leyla Mahat cut the ribbon at an exhibition of Kazakhstan’s women artists on March 5. different countries. In the future, I the competition’s organisers in- dream of becoming a professional vited Bekturova to an international artist, such as violin virtuosos summer seminar, during which vi- Marat Bisengaliyev and Maxim olin masters will give lessons and Vengerov, and to glorify Kazakh- the young musicians will perform.

Almaty sixth-grader Malika Bekturova, winner of the Alexander Glazunov International Competition of Violinists and Cellists, poses with her violin. B4 Nation&Capital Country

Wednesday, march 12, 2014 Chamber of Entrepreneurs Launches Site to Help Businesses By Karla Zhussupbekova information about the business climate as a whole,” Deputy ASTANA – The National Chair of the Board of the Cham- Chamber of Entrepreneurs has ber Gulnar Kurbanbayeva said. received about 1,625 complaints However, she stressed that the from businesses this year. registry is intended to include Despite a wide range of gov- only systemic issues; in particu- ernment programmes focused on lar, issues related to improving reducing administrative barriers current legislation. and addressing entrepreneurs’ “According to analysis of re- problems, domestic business- ceived applications for assistance men in different sectors of the and complaints, most problems economy in different regions are related to the need to improve of the country face many of the legislation. This should be carried same problems and ultimately out step by step, either in work- end up wasting significant fi- ing groups and on interactive nancial resources and time on platforms with ministry heads, mitigating them. However, in or though submission of certain practice, they get help in ex- documents to Parliament,” Kur- treme cases, for example, when banbayeva explained. business is being lost. In most As the deputy chair added, cases, domestic businessmen more that 230 amendments were are left with little help in coping introduced in the normative le- with difficulties arising at work. gal acts at the interdepartmental From now on, their problems committee meeting on address- will be recorded and categorised ing business and legislation au- and a solution will arise thanks diting problems. According to to the project “Registry of Entre- statistics, the greatest number of preneurial Problems,” which was problems arises in the construc- recently launched by the National tion and manufacturing indus- Chamber of Entrepreneurs on its tries and in public procurement. website (www.palata.kz). Illegal checks and inspections of “The Registry will efficiently business and complicated access interact with government agen- to financial resources also create cies to promptly solve business- difficulties and obstacles for do- men’s problems and receive mestic entrepreneurs. Falconry Tournament Tests Carpet Factory Opens in Ancient Skills Southern Kazakhstan By Asset Kalymov By Lyubov Dobrota The carpet patterns were created a hundred staff. Currently, carpets by fabric designers who won their are made of materials imported ALMATY REGION – The So- SHYMKENT – A first-of- positions through a competition for from Turkey; in the second half nar 2014 national falconry tour- its-kind carpet factory recently graduates of the Kasteyev South of the year with the launch of the nament was held recently in the opened in Shymkent. Kazakhstan Art College. They are spinning factory, it will begin us- Yenbekshikazakh district of the “I like working here; it feels now working under the guidance ing domestic material. Belgian Almaty region. as if you are in a carpet gallery. of guest designers from Turkey. equipment will be used in the fac- More than 40 berkutchi (fal- At lunchtime, I sometimes walk Soon, they will all be working on tory. coners) from seven regions of the around amid these gorgeous col- their own, venting their imagina- Ball Textiles is a Kazakh-Turk- country, Astana and Almaty took ours and think about which car- tions, which carpet designing pro- ish Joint Venture and is a part of part in the exciting hunting com- pet I would bring home,” carpet vides ample opportunity to do. the Industrialisation Map pro- petition. Thousands of fans and maker Aizhan Kuzabayeva said. The factory, which is located in gramme; it is not financed by the spectators enthusiastically greet- Although she is 25 years old and the Ontustyk FEZ (free economic national budget, but entirely with ed the participants near the vil- has completed her higher educa- zone), cost 8.450 billion tenge private funds. The factory is profit- lage of Rakhat and camera crews tion, she could not find work cor- (US$45.8 million) to build. Over from as far away as Iran and Tur- responding to her education else- the next three years, 610 jobs are able thanks to its quality and price. key came to shoot the event. De- where, so she came to Ball Textiles expected to be created. The plant’s This year, another carpet factory, spite foul weather, the hunt was after hearing that extra hands were design allows for the production of Esenzhol Nazar, is to be launched successful. needed and that on-the-job training 10 million square metres of carpets in the Ontustyk FEZ. The cost of The tournament was held in sev- is provided. per year. It is a four-phased project the project is 900 million tenge eral stages, during which the fal- Falconers from around the country take part in the Sonar 2014 National She learned the craft quickly and that entails the commissioning of (US$4.9 million). It will employ coners demonstrated their skills in Falconry Tournament in the Almaty region in February. is now helping beginners get their 26 lines. up to 60 people. The two carpet different exercises, such as “chas- bearings. The factory is expanding The first phase cost 1.7 billion businesses will be able to export the bird. It is noteworthy that the or camels. Centuries have passed, ing the hare and fox” and having and continually bringing on more tenge (US$9.3 million), it is de- 3-4 million square metres of car- eagle never kills its prey, just waits but the ancient and difficult hunts “the birds hop onto their master’s help. It started with six assembly signed to create 2.3 square million pets per year, according to Sapar- for its master. of nomads have not been forgot- hand.” To catch prey, the eagle lines making Turan and Alatau metres of carpet. The factory cur- bek Tuyakbaev, the region’s depu- Three thousand years ago, the ten. Now, there are schools in sev- must accurately calculate the tra- brand carpets. rently employs a little more than ty governor. jectory of its flight.A t the start, the ancestors of these berkutchi also en regions of the country that train hunter removes a special leather went hunting with their birds and in eagle, hawk and falcon taming. case from over the bird’s eyes, chased not only hairs and foxes, The competition hosts had the gives the command and throws it but also saiga and bears. Then, es- largest team. However, the win- up in the direction of the game. pecially skilled and experienced ner in total points was Arman Then, there are a few seconds of berkutchi provided whole villages Koshkarov from Atyrau, silver flight and the defeated prey weakly with food and one well-trained was taken by Ayan Seitzhan from struggles in the powerful claws of bird used to cost a herd of horses the Almaty region and the bronze medal was awarded to Bayrak Tas- tanbekov from the Akmola region. Among junior falconers, the entire podium was occupied by repre- sentatives of the Zhambyl region – Bagdaulet Babazhan, Abylai Usen and Serikbol Zhalgasuly. As executive director of the Kyra Federation Executive Direc- tor and chief tournament referee Bagdad Muptekekyzy noted, the Sonar Tournament, held for the eighth time, showed that the an- cestral tradition of hunting with birds is gaining popularity among young people. This ancient and difficult skill has survived due to the enthusiasm of experienced hunters who once enjoyed a great reputation among the people. A decade ago, there were only 17 professional falconers in the coun- try. Today there are more than one hundred. The federation plans to hold its next falconry tournament this fall. It will be dedicated to the memory of famous berkutchis Aben Tok- tasynuly and Seitzhan Kodekov whose efforts in the early 1990s Winners of the Sonar 2014 National Falconry Tournament pose with their birds helped revive this Kazakh tradi- and certificates. tion. A worker operates carpet making machinery at the Ball Textiles carpet factory in Shymkent. B5 Nation&Capital Society

Wednesday, march 12, 2014 EBRD Highlights U.S. Senator Introduces $100 Billion Nuclear Support for Weapons Reduction Bill, As ATOM Project Women in Is Presented in Senate Business Continued from Page A3 tive, not only in our country, but resulting from Soviet-era nuclear internationally. But we can and weapons testing. Continued from Page B1 Companion legislation has been must achieve greater results. That Kuyukov told the crowd that introduced in the U.S. House by is why we call on all people of doctors were so horrified at the After helping the company in- Representative Earl Blumenauer. goodwill to support The АТОМ sight of him at birth that they sug- troduce a new financial informa- The SANE Act is similar to Project and make the realisation gested to his parents that he be giv- tion management system, Popova the one Markey introduced in the of a nuclear weapons free world en a lethal injection to end his life. reported that quality improved, House of Representatives in 2012, our primary purpose for a better He said he was grateful to his par- sales increased, and she was able before he was elected to the U.S. tomorrow,” he said. ents to this day for giving him that to double her staff. Senate. The ATOM Project’s immediate second chance to live when they EBRD’s International Women’s “America faces a real choice: mission is to galvanise global pub- decided to keep him as a baby. He Day press release quoted Alma spend billions on nuclear weap- lic opinion against nuclear weap- also told of the premature deaths Arkhabayeva, president of the ons we no longer need or fund ons testing in order to achieve the of his siblings and of the suffering Shymkent-based Asyl Arman die- programmes that educate our entry into force of the Compre- of others in villages around theirs tary supplement producer and dis- children and help find cures to hensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty as a result of nuclear weapons test- tributor, which is woman-owned deadly diseases,” Markey said as (CTBT). As of early March 2014, ing. and primarily woman-staffed. he announced the bill in his Feb. Senator Markey announces the SANE bill at a Feb. 27 reception in Washington. the 1996 treaty was signed by 183 He has since gone on to become Through the EBRD programme, 27 speech at the reception in the and missile defence programmes – were harmed by these tests. That is countries and ratified by 162 na- a renowned visual artist and trav- an expert from the United States Russell Building’s historic Ken- saving $37 billion. why our people know the cost of tions, yet its entry into force de- els the globe on behalf of The worked with the company on its nedy Caucus Room. “We need to Programmes to modernise vari- nuclear testing. And our country, pends on its signature and ratifi- ATOM Project sharing his story. cation by eight specific countries He said he had travelled to the expansion. stop pouring billions into the nu- ous nuclear warheads would be having firsthand knowledge of the clear weapons programmes of the – China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, United States in the hope that his “We knew that to keep growing done away with under the bill, and impact of nuclear tests and having past and instead prioritise our na- North Korea, Pakistan and the story will lead him to be the last we needed to look at expanding work would be delayed on a new waived the right to a vast arsenal tion’s pressing needs. The SANE United States. person to suffer as a result of nu- our exports,” said Arkhabayeva. class of intercontinental ballistic of nuclear weapons inherited from Act will cut spending on outdated, As of March 10, more than clear weapons testing. “But there are challenges to this. missiles, resulting in an estimated the Soviet Union has the moral au- wasteful nuclear weapons and re- 80,000 people from more than 100 “It is my mission to be one of the Before starting, the EBRD helped thority to call for a world free from lated programmes over the next $15 billion in U.S. taxpayer dol- countries signed the ATOM Pro- last to suffer from nuclear testing,” us improve our internal communi- ten years and will strengthen our lars. The legislation would axe nuclear weapons,” Umarov told ject’s online petition calling on the Kuyukov said of his desire to spare cations and procedures. Now we long-term economic and national all missile-defence activities, and the gathering which also included global leaders to make an impor- future generations from the horrors are more efficient, management is security,” said Markey. cancel plans to build new facili- staffers from both Democratic and tant step towards nuclear disarma- of nuclear weapons use such as easier.” According to Markey and his ties for fissile-material processing Republican parties, non-prolifera- ment. birth defects, physical deformity, According to Charlotte Ruhe, supporters, the SANE Act will: in order to cut an additional $37 tion and security experts as well as The evening at the U.S. Senate and premature death. He presented director of the EBRD’s Small reduce deployed strategic subma- billion. parliamentarians from around 15 concluded with a short documenta- a collection of his artwork which Business Support team, the goal rines from 14 to 8 and reduce the In his remarks at the reception, countries who attended the PNND ry film by The ATOM Project and he paints with his mouth and feet of the project is to give women- purchase of replacement subma- Kairat Umarov also told the gath- 2014 assembly which took place an inspiring speech by Karipbek and through which he tries to en- led businesses the know-how they rines from 12 to 8 – saving $16 ering of Kazakhstan’s efforts to prior to the event. Kuyukov. courage people to be more resolute need to succeed and grow. EBRD billion; cut warhead life extension be a leader in global nuclear non- Umarov also expressed support He was born less than 100 kilo- in their efforts to build a world announced a new strategy for programmes and defer the devel- proliferation and reminded par- for The ATOM Project, an initia- metres away from the so called without nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan in December 2013. opment of new ICBMs – saving ticipants that his country unilater- tive launched by President Nursul- “ground zero” of the Semipalat- “I am on a mission and I have a Priorities include promoting non- $15 billion; remove the nuclear ally disarmed what was then the tan Nazarbayev to permanently insk nuclear test site, a place where vision,” Kuyukov said in English resource sectors of the economy, mission from F-35s and delay the world’s fourth largest nuclear and end nuclear weapons testing and more than 100 above ground nu- as he concluded his speech, draw- balancing the role of the state and new long range bomber – sav- missile arsenal. rid the world of nuclear arsenals. clear tests were conducted. He was ing prolonged applause from the the market and promoting energy ing over $32 billion; and cancel “One and half million people “We have seen unwavering sup- born without arms as a result of audience which could not help but efficiency. nuclear weapon making facilities and a large area in Kazakhstan port for the [ATOM Project] initia- his parents’ exposure to radiation be moved. B6 Nation&Capital Tourism

Wednesday, march 12, 2014 Kazakh Pavilion Wins Third Place at Berlin Tourism Fair

ABOVE: Kazakhstan’s award-winning pavilion at the Berlin Tourism Fair. RIGHT: Workers in traditional clothes at Kazakhstan’s third-place winning pavilion at the Berlin Tourism Fair. BELOW: Kazakh traditional crafts were a particular draw at the pavilion.

By Rufiya Ospanova Kazakhstan’s pavilion and sponsored by the Committee of facilitate tourism growth and help craftsmen, as well as its chocolates Tourism Industry of the Ministry develop infrastructure along the Kazakhstan introduced its pavil- and baursaks, a traditional form of of Industry and New Technolo- Great Silk Road, UNESCO and ion on March 5 at ITB Berlin 2014, gies of Kazakhstan also attended the World Tourism Organisation the world’s largest international the event to find new industry are working to simplify the visa tourism fair and the pavilion went Kazakhstan’s partners. According to Committee regime for tourists. The visa issue on to win the third place among all pavilion took third Chairman Marat Igali, tourism can was also addressed at a round table participating states. become one of the country’s most discussion held on the first day of This year, the exhibition centre place out of 180 important economic sectors. To the ITB. Messe Berlin is hosting stands from more than 180 countries, competing countries firms and organisations. at ITB Berlin 2014, Kazakhstan traditionally pre- sents its pavilion at the ITB. This the world’s largest year, the exhibition is of special tourism fair. importance because it comes in the wake of the signing of a memoran- puffy bread, attracted lots of atten- dum with the World Tourism As- tion during the event. sociation related to Kazakhstan’s A delegation of tourist compa- hosting of EXPO 2017. nies and regional representatives B7 Nation&Capital Sports

Wednesday, march 12, 2014 Kazakhstan, Lithuania Tie 1:1 in Exhibition Game; U-21 Team Beats Iceland 3:2 By Jan Furst Karaganda, scored the first goal in own, one by Holmbert Fridjons- the fourth minute. son in the 60th minute and another ASTANA – The Kazakh nation- In the second half, forward Nur- seven minutes later by Hjörtur al football team faced Lithuania in bol Zhumaskaliyev scored the ty- Hermannsson. The home team an exhibition game in Turkey on ing goal in minute 69. took another blow when a red card March 5 and tied the game after “We did gather a lot of informa- was flashed in the 86th minute and letting the Lithuanians score first tion, but we could have done more. Lunin, who scored the first goal, in the first half. Earlier, the nation- Lithuania lost the initiative and we was asked to leave the field. With al under-21 team (U-21) beat Ice- controlled the game,” Krasnozhan the game up for grabs, Islambek land 3:2 in qualifications for Euro said. “And when we tied the game, Kuat scored a final goal for Ka- 2015 in their game in Astana. we needed to push more to get the zakhstan just one minute before New national team head coach initiative, but we didn’t quite man- the final whistle, taking home the Yury Krasnozhan wasn’t pleased age to do so.” win for the Kazakhs, 3:2. with the tie, though. The national U-21 football team “Maybe we relaxed a little in “On the one hand, yes, the re- managed to break the game and the second half,” said Murtazayev, sult is fair. On the other hand, this take the initiative in their match who scored the second goal for game told us a lot about what we against Iceland on their home turf, Kazakhstan. “We thought we had need to work on. But most impor- the capital’s Astana Arena. already won, but thank God, we tantly, we can’t be happy with a Stanislav Lunin scored in the got back, focused and scored the tie,” he said in an interview after seventh minute to give Kazakhstan third goal and won it.” his debut match. the lead and Roman Murtazayev Despite the win, Iceland remains Lithuanian midfielder Ged- doubled it five minutes later. ahead of Kazakhstan in the stand- iminas Vičius, who plays for top After intermission, the visiting ings with 12 points to Kazakh- The new national team coach Yury Krasnozhan was not quite happy with a draw against Lithuania and promised to work Kazakh football club Shaktyor in team scored two goals of their stan’s nine. on the team’s performance. Five Paralympians Represent Barys Takes Commanding Kazakhstan at Sochi 2014 2-0 Lead in Playoffs Continued from Page B1 tre and 10 kilometre distances. representatives of international By Ilyas Omarov With more than solid play mobilist have already proven Kanafin, who is visually impaired, federations were fascinated by the throughout the season, Barys nev- that their rapid rise to the top Athletes Alexander Kolya- will also compete in the 7.5 kilo- performance of our athletes at the ASTANA - Barys has finished er had to worry about making it eight was not a free ride in their din (Kostanai, Nordic skiing), metre biathlon. Kanafin has been World Cup stages. They captured the regular Kontinental Hockey into the top eight, the teams that go first two games against Barys Kairat Kanafin (Petropavlovsk, a Kazakh national champion in the hearts of many fans abroad League (KHL) season in the through to the playoffs. The team’s in Astana’s Kazakhstan Sport Nordic skiing and biathlon), Nordic skiing among athletes with with their dedication, persever- highest place in history despite performance all season makes it Complex. Zhanyl Baltabayeva (Almaty, visual impairments. ance, courage and willingness to losing a few of their last games. the most formidable playoff con- Barys had to play at the top of Nordic skiing), Yelena Ma- Omarov is also an accom- go all the way,” said a representa- Barys, who ended the season tender. their game to take a 2-0 series lead. zurenko (Petropavlovsk, Nor- plished table tennis and arm- tive of the National Paralympic with records for most points, In their sixth playoff outing, Both matches have gone into over- dic skiing) and Yerlan Omarov wrestling athlete among those Committee of Kazakhstan. most goals scored and fewest [M Barys starts by facing Automo- time (3:2, 5:4), with the first match (Almaty, nordic skiing) were with physical challenges. He has The Winter Paralympics Open- W1] goals allowed, are also the bilist, a squad from Yekaterin- only ending after double overtime. awarded Paralympic licenses also been a national champion of ing Ceremony took place at Fisht favourites in the first round of burg that finished the season The next two games are to be playoffs after claiming the top based on their results at Nordic Kazakhstan in Paralympic Nordic Stadium on March 7, 2014 at in eighth place despite being played in Yekaterinburg on March spot in the division. skiing and biathlon World Cup skiing among athletes with physi- 20:14. The time symbolises the the outsider last season. Auto- 11-12. events. cal challenges. year of the Games. The youngest member of the One of Kazakhstan’s best hopes A total of 547 athletes from 45 team, 23-year-old Baltabayeva, for a medal is Alexander Kolya- countries are set to compete in will compete in the sitting class din, 41, who will compete in the 72 medals events across five dis- in the 1 kilometre and 5 kilometre 1 kilometre and 20 kilometre dis- distances. tances. Kolyadin has been com- ciplines: alpine skiing, biathlon, Mazurenko, 47, will com- peting since he was 12 years old cross country skiing, ice sledge pete in the same distances in the and was a member of the 1985-86 hockey and wheelchair curl- standing class. Mazurenko is also Kazakh Junior National Nordic ing. Snowboarding will make an 18-time national table tennis Ski Team. its Games debut with two medal champion among athletes with “This is the first time Kazakh- events included in the alpine ski- physical challenges. In 2012, she stan’s Paralympians have re- ing programme. was awarded with title “Master ceived such close attention and The Kazakh Paralympic team of Sports of the Republic of Ka- completed proper training and is sponsored by the Samruk Ka- zakhstan in Nordic skiing amid have demonstrated high results. zyna National Welfare Fund, athletes with physical challeng- It would have been even better if Kazakhmys, Kaspi Bank, Ka- es.” local and regional sport depart- zTransGasAymak and Maten Pe- Omarov, 52, and Kanafin, 39, ments would have paid more at- troleum. Kcell is the team’s offi- will compete in the 1 kilome- tention to the issue. Recently, cial mobile partner. Zarina Diyas Wins Tournament in China By Alex Lee Diyas beat 22-year-old Thai who has previously played for Ka- player Noppawan Lertcheewa- zakhstan. Pervak resigned with an Almaty-born rising professional karn in 52 minutes to take the fi- injury after the first set. tennis star Zarina Diyas (World Tennis Association ranking 118) nal, 6:1, 6:1. Diyas won $50,000 in prize won a tournament in Quanzhou, In the semifinal, Diyas faced money and the fourth title of her China, on March 8. Ksenia Pervak, a Russian player career. Barys took early lead in its playoff series against Avtomobilist, raising its fans’ expectations. Shvedova Wins WTA Doubles Tournament in Brazil By Almir Iskakov which lasted till the 10th winning really like playing together and game, finishing the final set 10:3. off the court we are good friends Kazakh professional ten- “It’s our second time in Flori- as well.” nis player Yaroslava Shvedova, paired with Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues, won the “It’s our second time in Florianopolis World Tennis Association (WTA) doubles tournament in Brazil on and second time we’re leaving with the March 2. Shvedova and Garrigues beat trophy. It’s really cool,” Shvedova said. Francesca Schiavone and Silvia Soler-Espinosa in the final of the Brazil Open in Florianopolis City. anopolis and second time we’re The 26-year-old Astana resi- Shvedova and Garrigues won leaving with the trophy. It’s really dent Shvedova, a former Russian the first set of the match 7:6, but cool,” Shvedova said. “Last year, citizen, assumed Kazakh citizen- lost the second set 2:6. In the end, this tournament helped us decide ship in 2008. Her highest WTA the Spanish-Kazakh duo snatched to team up this year because we ranking was 25 in 2012. She is Yaroslava Shvedova enjoyed the second win at the same tournament in Brazil. victory in the third decisive set, agreed to play the whole year. We currently ranked 64th. B8 Nation&Capital Capital

Wednesday, march 12, 2014 Women, Mothers Receive Financial Assistance for International Women’s Day

By Alina Usmanova financial assistance from the ASTANA – About 7,700 women local budget for International in the capital shared more than Women’s Day to large families 23 million tenge (US$126,086) in … mothers of large families, and non-recurrent financial assistance women awarded with pendants distributed by the Office of Em- ‘Kumis Alqa’ (Kazakh for silver ployment and Social Programmes pendant), ‘Altyn Alqa’ (Kazakh in honour of International Wom- for golden pendant) and to mem- en’s Day, according to astana.kz. bers of permanent commissions “For several years, the office of the Veterans Council. It is has been providing non-recurrent planned to cover 7,700 people,”

the office said. the struggle for equal rights. Ac- March 19, 1911, International ing all women in which love, beau- According to the Kazakh law cording to a United Nations reso- Women’s Day was celebrated in ty and kindness are extolled. “On State Awards in the Republic lution, western countries celebrate Germany, Austria, Denmark and Every year, on the eve of the holi- of Kazakhstan,” a holder of the this day as International Day of Switzerland. From 1910 to 1920, day, President Nursultan Nazarbayev honorary pendant “Kumis Alqa” is Struggle for Women’s Rights and this holiday was also celebrated meets with the prominent women a mother who gave birth to and has International Peace. on different days of March. After from throughout the country in the raised six living children above the The holiday’s history began at the that, the popularity of the holiday Akorda presidential palace and con- age of one. The “Altyn Alqa” pen- end of the 19th century when wom- in these countries declined except gratulates them on the holiday. dant signifies a mother of seven en in the West began their struggle for the USSR. In 1966, this day The President also signed a de- children above the age of one. for equal rights. On March 8, 1908, was approved as a holiday and March 8 is International Wom- more than 15,000 women marched day off in the territory of the So- cree on March 1, 2013 establishing en’s Day in many countries and is through New York City demanding viet Union. a separate holiday, Family Day, to widely celebrated in Kazakhstan. a shorter work day, salaries equal to Nowadays, March 8 is observed be held on the second Sunday of Many organisations hold events men and the right to vote. in all post-Soviet countries, includ- September. “We must strengthen devoted to women. Historically, But March 8 was not immedi- ing Kazakhstan. But it no longer the value of the family. This is an- this day has been celebrated in rec- ately recognised everywhere as carries a significant political con- other important step that will unite ognition of women’s solidarity in International Women’s Day. On text. It has become a day honour- our families,” he said. There’s always a way to have fun in wintry Astana

Enthusiasts use the remaining few days.... ahem, weeks of windy Astana winter to enjoy snowkiting as on this day of March 10.