All Over the Globe

�Azamat� does not accept the proposal of the Almaty Election Commission

Michail SERGEEV

ALMATY, July 15

(THE GLOBE)

�We consider it impossible to accept proposals of the Almaty Election Commission,� the chairman of the democratic party �Azamat� announced at the press-conference in Almaty.

Galym Abilsiitov said that in that week according to the initiative of the authorities, in the result of a casting lot, different parties had received only one vacancy each in 21 circuit election commissions out of 37 ones for the election to the city maslikhat.

According to the announcement of �Azamat� party, the main reason for their rejection was that these commissions being an intermediate link between the district and city election commissions, do not play any practical role even in the election of city deputies. As far as the participation of party�s representatives in the first and the most significant link of the election process (district election commissions) is concerned, Mr. Abilsiitov believes that �the access to these commissions is still unavailable for �outsiders�, and this is the main urgent problem impeding the honest election in Kazakhstan.� Electors come to these places namely and that is the place where votes are calculated and results of the elections to both maslikhat and the Parliament are summed up.

The chairman of the party reminded that the recently renewed law on elections saved akims� right to appoint members of election commissions.

Thus, akims under protection and patronage of the Central Election Commission apply to the right to form absolutely obedient and closed for objective control structures. The typical rule due to which election commissions are regulated is very simple.

�The first head of an organisation completely dependent on the authorities in both administrative and financial way, is appointed the chairman of an election commission. Secretary is a person connected with the chairman by their work, common members are people subordinate to them,� Mr. Abilsiitov emphasised.

The chairman of �Azamat� especially emphasised that election commissions are administratively engaged in favour of akims, and politically � in favour of the authorities� party �Otan�.

�The authorities openly acknowledge that deputies of akims were appointed as regional leaders of �Otan�,� Mr. Abilsiitove stated.

These actions are a serious infringement of the legislation current in force.

According to the chairman, the fact that akims thoroughly guard district commissions against representatives of different parties as well as independent observers, proves the possibility of total falsifications of the Parliamentary election.

In connection with this, the chairman said that �we announce our principal rejection to delegate our representatives to insignificant circuit commissions on the elections to the city maslikhat.�

Simultaneously, members of the party persist on their proposals formulated by them in the detailed note (see p. 5).

Mr. Abilsiitov promised that if during the next election any falsifications of the voting results are revealed, �the party is going to make a global scandal attracting international legal organisations and applying to the Constitutional Court.�

Kazakhstan-Canadian training

Pipeline companies signed an agreement

ALMATY, July 15

(THE GLOBE)

�The biggest Canadian private pipeline company �Enbridge� and �Kaztransoil� company concluded the agreement on the joint personnel�s training,� the Canadian Ambassador to Kazakhstan announced to THE GLOBE on July 15 in Almaty.

According to Richard Mann, the initial stage of the long-term project was financed by the government of Canada in the amount of US$ 1.5 million. The representative of �Enbridge�, which owns 40 thousand km of Canadian pipelines stated that this project would be started in September, 1999.

�During two months we were working both in Almaty and in western Kazakhstan and learnt many interesting things about the republic,� Doctor Judite Lentin remarked.

Askar Smankulov, the managing director of �Kaztransoil� said that company�s different specialist dealing with oil transportation would be trained in Canada.

�The parties were preparing the project for more than a year. We are optimistically looking forward,� Mr. Smankulov emphasised.

The Vice-President of �Kaztransoil� Yerlan Upushev on behalf of the President of the company Timur Kulibaev, who at present is in Peking, expressed sincere gratefulness to the Canadian Ambassador to RK, as the ambassador contributed a lot to this wonderful project.

It is known that on July 23 the ambassador will complete his work in Kazakhstan and leave for Kuwait. Possibly, we will hear about new interesting oil projects.