Out of all materials of the Kazakh Service of Radio �Liberty� of the last week, THE GLOBE proposes the Reader to get acquaintance with two ones. Both materials are connected with the western Kazakhstan, a region of extremely strategic importance for the republic.
The first material is devoted to the start of the drilling works in the Caspian shelf. Is innumerable oil wealth really hidden in the water of the Kazakhstan part of the Caspian Sea? Is the complete ecological safety of drilling works guaranteed really? The correspondent of KSRL is not sure in this.
In the second material you can read about the pre-election fight in Atyrau, which is mainly connected with the chairman of the Executive Committee of the Republican Party Gaziz Aldamzharov. It is obviously difficult for this person to fight for a deputy� s chair.
Is it a new victim?
On August 12 the drilling works were started on the Caspian shelf. We had to wait for this historical moment for 7 years. According to the latest prognosis, about 10 to 12 billion tons of oil are in the Kazakhstan part of the Caspian Sea, but it is just a prognosis. In fact, there may be either 2 to 3 times less of oil or it may be unsuitable for industrial use at all. The drilling works will show this.
In the Eastern Kashagan at the drilling device �Sunkar� an official ceremony was held. The Prime Minister Nurlan Balgimbaev, who is a professional oil worker, originated from Atyrau region and a son of honourable oil workers, took part in this ceremony. When 2 years ago he headed the government, it was announced that from that time onwards the Cabinet of Ministers was to be governed only by a oil professional. This was supposed to help the country to overcome the crisis.
However, taking into consideration the importance of the event, the ceremony was to be opened by the President Nazarbaev, who in that time visited the neighbouring Aktyubinsk region. The absence of the leader of the state at the event having a historical importance for the country proves either that this event is losing its importance or that the President decided to make the Prime Minister responsible in case if once they would have to answer for a legend of innumerable oil resources in this region.
The President considered the start of the drilling works of the consortium OKIOC less important than his other issues. Heads of the companies included in the consortium, also were absent at the ceremony. Oil is a big policy. Foreign companies managing at the Caspian Sea, press the Kazakhstan government lobbying conditions profitable for them. Till the present time there are some discords between them. The fact that this event was not transformed to an ordinary banquet proves that there is a great ecological danger of the works. The heads of the consortium are trying to persuade the Kazakhstan population that they are applying to the most up-to-date technologies and will not do any harm to the environment and the population�s health. But the non-governmental organisation �Caspy Tabigaty� affirms the opposite thing. These doubts may be confirmed with the following facts.
According to the KSRL correspondent�s own investigation, the consortium does not guarantee the complete safety of the works, there are no anti-explosive units. The consortium chose an American company to fulfil works. This company does not have all obligatory licenses to fulfil the works. The advocate of the consortium affirms that organisations which granted the license officially asked several thousands of dollars. Cannot the company dealing with millions of dollars buy a document at a price of several thousand?
We tried to interview representatives of OKIC regarding this issue, but due to different reasons we had not received any sensible answer.
The chairman of �Caspy Tabigaty� Ibragim Kushenov said in his interview to the KSRL that he had already bade farewell to the Caspian Sea. According to Mr. Kushenov, the heads of the country deceiving the people with fairy tales about the second Kuwait, are sacrificing the sea. The saddest thing is that there is no people who wish to protect the sea, as even the local population working for foreign companies and receiving some money, are ready for everything for the sake of money.
14.08.99
Pre-election passions
Recently the chairman of the Executive Committee of the Republican People�s Party of Kazakhstan (RPPK) Gaziz Aldamzharov visited Atyrau to be nominated to the Parliament Mazhilis in the 16th election circuit. Today the leader of the group of support of the candidate, Kurylys Suleimenov narrates about this tour to the KSRL correspondent.
The condition of the population in this region is very difficult, as everywhere. The population does not believe either the government or the authorities. Possibly, that is why several persons came to Almaty on behalf of people living in the town. They requested Gaziz Aldamzharov to be nominated to the deputies from their circuit. The population is in despair due to its semi-hunger existence and is ready for everything, as it is not satisfied with the actions of the present government.
Despite this, its is notable that the local akimat does its best to impede Aldamzharov to be elected in this election circuit. According to our information, Nazarbaev ordered the regional akim Imangali Tasmagambetov that if that time Aldamzharov was elected to the Mazhilis, he (the akim) would be dismissed. As you know, during the Presidential election more than 57% of elections of the region voted against his candidature. Probably, due to this reason the former akim was dismissed. The government and state functionaries consider Aldamzharov to be a strong opposition figure, as he is dealing with the big policy for a long time and states the most rigid things regarding the fact that the heads of the country do not take care of the people, but think only about their private interests. If this man is elected to the Parliament, using a deputy�s mandate, he will criticize the authorities more seriously. Maybe, that is why he is dangerous for the authorities.
As far as the rumours about the pre-election fight are concerned, the regional akimat has indeed invited Fariza Ongarsynova. She was elected to the Parliament in this circuit herself, and she was asked to ballot here once again, as a counterbalance to Aldamzharov. Having visited the region and met the population, Ongarsynova changes her opinion and rejected. Probably, now she will be nominated in the other curcuit.
But there are some other candidates such as the deputy of the former regional akim, as well as the manager of a subsidiary of Kazcommertsbank, who has not submitted an aplication yet, but is completely ready, as he was specially directed by the President�s administration. According to the available information, all akims, beginning from the regional one and to the aul one, are occupied with the same thing � they are taking measures to impede Aldamzharov to enter the Parliament. Otherwise these akims will be dismissed.
As far as the pre-election headquarter of Gaziz Aldamzharov is concerned, it is known that there are a lot of people who will support him. These are the union of veterans, �Caspy Tabigaty� and other several non-governmental organisations of the region. The concrete information about establishment of the headquarter will be available after the constitutive congress of RPPK is held on August 18. Obviously, there are a lot of candidates in this circuit and most probably, the struggle will be difficult.
To my mind, if the election are objective, the majority of the population who does not trust to the country� s administration, will vote for the opposition.
15.08.99
THE GLOBE basing on materials of the Kazakh Service of Radio �Liberty�
All Over the Globe is published by IPA House.
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