All Over the Globe

Kazakh FM to visit Pakistan for talks on regional situation

ISLAMABAD

March 4

(AFP)

Kazakhstan�s Foreign Minister Kasymzhomart Tokaev will arrive in Pakistan Friday for talks on relations and regional issues including the Afghan conflict, officials said Thursday.

During his two-day visit he will hold talks with Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz and visit the historic city of Lahore, where he will open a consultate.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Kazakhstan last year.

Kazakhstan�s Workers of Culture and Art Protest

Mikhail Sergeyev

ALMATY, March 4 (THE GLOBE)

�We protest against the decision to cease budget financing of the state theatres, museums and concert organizations, and commercialize them�, renowned Kazakhstani workers of culture and art said a press-conference on March 4.

At the end of last year, the aforementioned organizations were transferred to �commercial status� and lost access to traditional forms of financing. This action left them completely dependent upon the State Order. The organizations are now expected to pay all taxes which is leading them to bankruptcy. As the leadership of the Lermotov theatre put it, �in one or two years all of them will cease their activity.�

The Cooperation Between Kazakhstan and Iran will Increase:

Kazakhstan�s Prime Minister�s visit to Iran is postponed for an indefinite period of time

ALMATY, March 4 (THE GLOBE)

�There is great potential for mutually beneficial cooperation between Kazakhstan and Iran in the ferrous and non-ferrous metal industries,� stated one of the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran on February 23, during the Kazakh delegation�s recent visit to Iran. The delegation was headed by Energy, Industry and Trade Minister, Mukhtar Ablyazov. Information agency IRNA announced that the Minister of Mines and the Metal Industry Iskhak Jangiri spoke in favor of broad cooperation with the Republic of Kazakhstan. Mr. Jangiri said that �the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to remove all existing obstacles barring this goal.�

The Kazakh delegation of 12 people consisted of the leaders of Kazakh enterprises, namely: joint stock company �Prodkooperatsiya�, the Pavlodar Tractor Works, �Ispatkarmet�, Hurricane Kumkol, and other companies. The visit lasted four days (in THE GLOBE #15 (333) 23.02.99).

Mukhtar Ablyazov was accepted by the Oil Minister of Iran, Nomdar Zangan and they discussed the issues of cooperation of the two countries in the oil sector. The Ministers of the two Republics also talked about the issues of technical cooperation and of Iran�s participation in the development of Kazakh oil and gas fields. The issues of producing equipment, oil swaps, as well as cooperation in the Caspian region were discussed.