Nazira YESENBAEVA
ALMATY, March 17
(THE GLOBE)
�During 1998 about 11 tons of narcotic substances were seized in the republic. Since the beginning of this year 10 tons of narcotics have already been detained in Kazakhstan territory�, declared a representative of the state commission on control for narcotics of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
During last years the abuse of narcotics by minors has been growing rapidly. This year the number of 15 to 18-years old users increased by 40%, reaching approximately 3500 persons. In 1997, 26 000 drug addicts were registered at narco-dispensers. In 1998 this figure had risen to 33 000 people. The transit of narcotics through our country remains a difficult problem. According to Mr. Abdyrov, 80% of people who transport the drugs are not, as a rule, citizens of Kazakhstan. Approximately 50% of the traffickers are from Central Asia and 25% are Russian citizens.
The main danger for the Central Asian countries and Kazakhstan comes from Afghanistan, which currently manufactures about 2800 tons of opium and heroine annually. The country supplies 65% of these narcotics to Europe through the territories of Central Asia. Afghanistan supplies 58% of the total world market for opium and heroine. The republic has been able to achieve this dubious honour by devoting 63 000 hectares to growing poppies. However, in Kazakhstan there are 850 thousand hectares suitable for poppy cultivation. Thus, country has a great potential for manufacturing and transit of narcotics.
Gulnur ORAZYMBETOVA
ALMATY, March 18 (THE GLOBE)
According to the last information of Almaty press-service, the special operative-investigation groups of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan arrested seven persons suspected of a terrorist act at Mustakillik square on February 16, 1999.
Officers of the Almaty Department of Internal Affairs checked about 50 flats where the suspects and their friends were thought to live. About 30 persons were questioned as the eyewitnesses. It has been asserted that the representatives of reactionary movement �Wahhabism� chose Almaty as a refuge for their criminals and as a staging post for transit of their followers to the foreign countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, OAE, Turkey, Chechnya, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan). In our city the Wahhabis were trained to conduct diversions and terrorist acts. The objective of the Wahhabis movement is the establishment of an Islamic state by means of �dzhihad�, a sacred war against infidels.
According to information from Almaty�s Department of Internal Affairs, an investigation is being continued in order to determine and arrest other persons who may have participated in Tashkent tragedy.
The Uzbek leader expressed his gratefulness, personally to Nursultan Nazarbaev for effective operation of Kazakhstan�s special groups and the right enforcement organizations.
�Reuters� news agency in turn, mentioned, that in March the special services of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan arrested several persons suspected of participating in the planting of bombs in Tashkent last month. An unnamed source provided information that 10 people were arrested.
On March 12 �Commersant� published information about a secret meeting of the Uzbek president Islam Karimov with the Ingush president Ruslan Aushev. The presidents agreed to jointly fight the activities of the Wahhabis, as it was found out that the suspected Uzbek criminals had been trained in Chechnya.
It is obvious that the CIS republics headed by Karimov, have begun to search for the criminals together.
ALMATY, March 18
(THE GLOBE)
The President of the national oil company �Kazakoil� and the American Ambassador to Kazakhstan signed an agreement for a grant allotted by the American government. The money is supposed to guarantee the requirements of �Kazakoil� for to update the information systems of the oil-gas branch.
�Kazakoil� press-service revealed that the value of the grant is US$ 550 000. This amount equals two thirds of the amount required to explore the feasibility of the project to modernize Kazakhstan�s computer software.
Contracted to work out of the technical-economical feasibility is Sarkeys Energy Centre of Oklahoma University. This institution will prepare decisions on software and technical equipment.
�This agreement will allow us to significantly modernize the technologies being used by Kazakstan�s oil industry workers. When the project is completed, we will have created a unique modern software on both prospect data and on volumes of oil and gas mined in the territory of our republic,� stated Kazakhoil�s press release.
All Over the Globe is published by IPA House.
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