ALMATY, Dec 28
(THE GLOBE)
December 1
The Kazakhstani Association of Jewelry Business (KAJB) and the Almaty City Center Protecting Consumers� Rights (CCPCR) attested and handed certificates of quality to 11 companies of the gold and jewelry industry and to 31 retail shops selling jewelry and watches. It is almost 90% of subjects of the legal jewelry business in the country. The period of validity of the certificate is one year. Attestation and certification were conducted at KAJB�s expense.
December 2
Kazakhstan withdrew the ban on launches of all types of rockets, except the rocket-carrier Proton, from Baikonur. The decision to withdraw the ban was taken according to the results of the joint meeting of the Russian and Kazakhstani governmental commissions on investigation of reasons and consequences of the accident of Proton happened on October 28 over Kazakhstan. The National Bank of Kazakhstan admitted Temirbank complying with a group of banks observing all rules to shift to international accountancy standards. Before ABN AMRO Kazakhstan, City Bank Kazakhstan and Halykh saving bank were included in the group.
December 3
The Kazakhstani government and the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) signed a credit agreement for the amount of US$ 50 million, that will be allotted to support the Kazakhstani national telecommunication operator the JSC Kazakhtelecom.
In Almaty President Nursultan Nazarbaev and the head of the American oil company Chevron Overseas Richard Matzke discussed the sale of a part of state share in the JV Tengizchevroil (TCO). According to Richard Matzke, Nazarbaev said that at present �due to growing oil prices the conditions (of the sale of a part of TCO) seems more attractive than 6 years ago.� However, Richard Matzke said nothing of possible concrete agreements achieved at the meeting.
December 6
The Minister of Economy Zhaksybek Tulekeev, who returned from his tour to the USA announced, that within the next 2 years the county would enter the World Trade Organization (WTO). Kazakhstan declared its intention to join the WTO in 1996, but before it had to sign a number of agreements and discuss all conditions. Presently Kazakhstan has submitted its proposals on Customs tariffs to the WTO, and has stated that Kazakhstan�s membership in the WTO will require a reduction of Customs tariffs.
December 7
A closed tender for privatization of a part of the shareholding in the biggest JSC Halykh Saving Bank of Kazakhstan held in Astana. Asia-Invest consortium won the tender. The consortium consists of the JSC Komirbank, the Almaty Commercial Bank and Asia-Invest company.
The consortium paid1,387,283,180 tenge for the state shareholding, that is 16.7% of the Share Capital.
December 9
Three members of the opposition Republican People�s Party of Kazakhstan (RPPK) arrested in Almaty. Former officers of the security of the former Prime Minister Akezhan Kazhegeldin are accused of illegal keeping of weapons and ammunitions. The law-reinforcement organizations withdrew 8 units of weapons from Pyotr Afanasenko, Satzhan Ibraev and Vladimir Ruchkin, including two rewarded hunting rifles belonging to Akezhan Kazhegeldin. The RPPK leaders consider the arrest of three members as a political provocation and an effort to compromise the party.
December 10
The syndicate of biggest foreign banks allotted a loan in the amount of US$ 20 million to Kazcommertsbank. The syndicate consisted of Citibank, ABN AMRO Bank, Commerzbank AG, ING Bank, Bank of New York and Raiffeisen Zentralbank Oesteterreich AG. According to the Kazcommertsbank executive director Oleg Kononenko, the loan is allotted for 6 months with the right to prolong it for 6 months more. The rate of interest is LIBOR+6%.
December 14
Kazakhstani President Nazarbaev appointed Bolat Iskakov the commander of the National Guard, by his order. Recently Iskakov worked as the head of the Almaty college of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan.
December 15
Kazakhstan transferred 50% of stocks in the Ekibastuz Electric Power Statin-2 to EES Rossii. The EES Rossii chairman Anatoly Chubais said the signing of such a document is a real step to establish the Joint Russian-Kazakhstani Coal Venture �Ural TEK�, that will unite coal mines of Kazakhstan and electric power stations in the Russian Ural region.
In Almaty the meeting of shareholders of the JSC Bank CenterCredit decided to increase the bank�s Share Capital by 1 billion tenge. It is planned to increase the Share Capital by means of issuing nominal shares worth 200 tenge. As of today, the CenterCredit Share Capital is 1.063 billion tenge.
December 16
The French Bank Credit Leone will allot a credit of US$ 100 million to the Kazakhstani biggest copper producer Kazakhmys, the Kazakhmys President Vladimir Kim said at the meeting of shareholders of the corporation. Today the famous South Korean company Samsung, that possesses 40% of stocks, controls the corporation. It is expected that in June Samsung will receive 35% of the corporation for trusty management in exchange to the credit of US$ 100 million to be allotted to the government.
December 17
Kazakhstani President arrived to the USA with an official visit. During his visit the Kazakhstani leader met the US President, the Vice-President, the UNO general secretary, the IMF managing director, congressmen, members of the US government, representatives of industrial and financial circles and media. Nazarbaev also participated in the 6th meeting of the joint American-Kazakhstani commission.
December 19
The Tourist and Sport Agency, the National Olympic Committee and the New Football Association signed an agreement on cooperation in Almaty. Before the Football Association was the Limited Company. FIFA standards and a professional approach will govern the new Association.
December 20
In Pavlodar the oblast court satisfied the claim against Razrez Severny by the General Office of Public Prosecutor in favor of Bogatyr Akses Komir (BAK, a subsidiary of the American Access Industries Inc.). This Kazakhstani-American JV is to receive property of the Razrez Severny (northern Kazakhstan).
December 21
In Washington the World Bank (WB) approved the credit of US$ 140 million to be allotted to Kazakhstan to finance the project on restoration of the national power transmission system. The WB representative in Kazakhstan Tanju Yurukoglu announced this. According to Yurukoglu, this loan is to be allotted to the Kazakhstani national power company KEGOC under the governmental guarantee. The main debt is to be paid off in 20 years with 5 years of a grace period.
At the Kazakhstan�s stock exchange a large deal on nominal stocks of the Shymkent refinery for the amount of US$ 6 million concluded. That was the most significant deal ever conducted at any exchange on corporate securities of Kazakhstani companies.
December 22
Kazakhstani biggest air companies united in the holding Air Kazakhstan Group, the President and the chairman of the Air Kazakhstan Group Board Alexander Krinichansky announced in Almaty. According to Krinichansky, the holding will consist of the biggest regional air companies and enterprises: the Air company Irtysh-AVIA, the Atyrau Airport, the Atyrau Aue Zholy, ATMA-airport Atyrau and transportation, as well as the national company Air Kazakhstan. Besides, a part of property of the national state enterprise Kazairnavigation is handed to Air Kazakhstan Group for leasing.
Today the Kazakhstani government and the Karachaganak integrated organization (KIO) announced that supplementation to the final agreement on exploitation of the Karachaganak oil and gas deposits had been signed. That permitted the construction of the 460-km pipeline from Bolshoi Chagan to Atyrau.
December 23
The Antimonopoly Agency of Kazakhstan announced that from January 1, 2000 prices of municipal services (electricity, heat, water supply) would grow in practically all big cities. The Antimonopoly Agency mentions the following reasons for the growth: reduced consumption volumes, growing rate of dollar and increasing prices of fuel.
In Kazakhstan practically all natural monopolists rendering municipal services are foreign companies that bought electric power stations, heating networks and water-supply systems.
December 24
The Russian JSC � Yakovlev OKB� and the Irkutsk Aviation manufacturing company signed a protocol with the Karagandy avia-repair plant for intentions to establish in Karagandy a JV to produce light civil planes Yak-112.
The JV will finally assemble planes based on gliders supplied by the Irkutsk plant.
The Russian oil company LUKoil offers the Kazakhstani government a project on exploitation of the oilfield Alibek Mola (Aktyubinsk oblast, western Kazakhstan) with the investment volume of about US$ 1.2 billion. If LUKoil is appointed the operator of the project, the company is going to offer Kazakhstan 40% share in the project.
ALMATY, Dec 27
(THE GLOBE)
On the last day of this millenium we will hold great celebrations in the hotel restaurants and the night club, Murat Uchan, the director of the Sales and Marketing Department of the Hotel Regent Almaty Ankara in Kazakhstan said to THE GLOBE.
�Citizens and guests of Almaty have bought all tickets to the New Year Program a week ago� Uchan stated.
If you know the program, you will understand people wishing to celebrate 2000 in Ankara hotel. So, the celebration will be held in the Ball Hall, in restaurants Asian Cafe and Belveder, and in Ksanadu night club for most active people. Each place will have its own program. The Millenium Party will be held in the Ball Hall.
During the celebration such starts as Vostok group and Parviz Nazarov will perform. Besides, over 30 dancers will participate in the show. Music will be everywhere and guests will see a lot of surprises.
�It is known that you will spend the new year, as you meet it. We think our hotel will be the best place too meet the new millenium,� Murat Uchan said.
750 to 850 people are expected to come to the celebration in Ankara.
Speaking the hotel staff�s slang, the second half of December is called the Festive season. It is the pre-New Year period, when a lot of events and show-programs are to be held. Traditionally the season begins with children�s celebrations. In this year 350 children participated in Ankara. Children liked masquerades with Santa Klaus and clowns. In the next year it is planed to hold charitable events, where orphans from children�s homes will be invited.
Besides, traditional Christmas parties � the night at the eve of the Christmas and Christmas were also successful. A lot of families came to these parties.
In conclusion, Murat Uchan said that on December 31 the Ankara staff will fulfill its duty. They will celebrate the holiday in the first week 2000.
All Over the Globe is published by IPA House.
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