All Over the Globe

QUOTATION OF THE YEAR:

�Each top functionary violated democracy either making falsifications or ignoring infringements.�

Lira Baiseitova

Baikonur is not only harmful, but also useful

Gulbanu ABENOVA

ALMATY, Dec 14

(THE GLOBE)

�Saying that Baikonur is harmful, we should not forget about positive aspects,� the director of the Kazakhstani Space Agency announced on December 14 in Almaty.

Meirbek Moldabekov said that after the recent accidents with Proton rockets, people often demand to close Baikonur. In particular, recently representatives of Nevada-Semipalatinsk movement, the Union of people liquidated consequences of the Chernobyl accident, Orleu movement and other public organizations of the Kzylorda oblast demanded to ban rocket launches.

In response the Baikonur administration and the Kazakhstani Space Agency talked about �positive aspects� of the space-vehicle launching site. According to Moldabekov, annually Russia invests tens of millions dollars to maintain different objects in Baikonur, US$ 25 to 40 million to maintain the town. Russia spends US$ 17 million for power and foodstuff from Kzylorda, Shymkent, Karaganda oblasts. In his opinion, the annual rent payment for Baikonur is also significant (US$ 115 million).

�In fact, even ordinary launches from Baikonur do harm to the environment,� Moldabekov stated. Answering to journalists� questions regarding the possibility of future accidents, he used to refer to God. He said different Kazakh sayings, such as �God cares for cautious people�. It seems that scientists are neither confident in space technique nor safety of modern technologies any more, as they hope for God.

As far as accidents happened in summer in Karagandy oblast are concerned, in Moldabekov�s opinion, �as nobody suffered or died, we should not overestimate the fact.�

The press secretary of the Baikonur administration Sara Nurgalieva said that she was entitled to express opinion of the town�s society and old people, who are against of closing Baikonur. She states that Kazakh media often touch this topic. In particular, Kazakh Tili newspaper recently published an article �Either Baikonur or Kazakhs�. She thinks it was a wrong interpretation of the problem. During the press conference it was found out that she is the wife of the special representative of President Nazarbaev in Baikonur.

OSCE chief presses for ceasefire as Russians pound Grozny

MAKHACHKALA, Russia, Dec 14 (AFP)

Russian troops entered the last major rebel-held settlement in Chechnya apart from the besieged capital on Tuesday, as they continued to pound Grozny despite a ceasefire call from the head of the OSCE.

Moscow�s relentless offensive flew in the face of an appeal from the chief of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Knut Vollebaek, for a 24-hour halt to hostilities to allow Grozny�s civilians to flee.

�It�s important that a ceasefire is accepted and I will continue to call for that,� said Vollebaek as he arrived in the Dagestani capital Makhachkala on a three-day Caucasus crisis peace tour that will take in Chechnya.

In the breakaway capital Grozny, where thousands of civilians are trapped, Russian forces attacked rebel-held positions on the eastern outskirts of Grozny, ITAR-TASS reported.

Moscow, which on Monday seized the northwestern Grozny suburb Staropromyslovskaya, controls a key airbase and a railway station in Khankala, 10 kilometres east of downtown Grozny, Interfax cited a source in the defence ministry as saying.

Russian Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday he planned to try and contact Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov on Wednesday to discuss the plight of civilians in Grozny.

THE GLOBE has Coped with the Problem

ALMATY, Dec 14

(THE GLOBE)

Everybody anticipates the New Year. People say that from 2000 the computer era will start. They have even prepared US$ 100 million for installation of the new computer Blue, that will do an immense number of operations per minute. It will easily defeat not only Gary Kasparov, but also a group of chess genius.

For THE GLOBE the Blue era has come. Yesterday THE GLOBE having taken tincture of valerian watched the celebration by computer viruses Halloween, on Monday, December 13, a holy day for them.

The entertainment was interrupted by Almaty musketeers � Ardak Namazbaev, Michael Skachkov (who sharpen their swords in Bulak company) and Sergei Haraman. Due to them viruses unreservedly capitulated. Musketeers successfully banished the evil from computers of THE GLOBE.

Now our computers obediently fulfill all tasks at a proper rate. Thus, THE GLOBE has coped with the problem 2000, that Kazakhstani people will have to face later.

THE GLOBE makes excuses for the delayed issue and once again thanks staff members of the company Bulak.

French premier heads to Japan in search of partner for tri-polar world

TOKYO, Dec 14 (AFP)

French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin heads for Japan this week in search of an elusive goal � a partner to help build a tri-polar world balancing the �hyperpower� of the United States.

The December 16-18 visit precedes a year in which each country plays key roles; Japan as host of the Group of Eight summit in July and France as president of the European Union in the second half of 2000.

The higher profile comes just as their own economic relations enjoy a spectacular expansion, with France�s Renault SA having taken a controlling stake in Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. in March.

Renault and other French companies played the main role in helping foreign direct investment in Japan more than double year-on-year to a record 1,329.7 billion yen (12.7 billion dollars) in the first half of 1999.