News Roundup

News Roundup - May 8, 2008

By SRI ⋅ May 8, 2008 ⋅

Email This Post ⋅

Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

energy:

Russia clears plan to boost Kazakh oil transit

(Reuters) - Russia said on Wednesday it had lifted its opposition to a plan to double the capacity of a Kazakh transit oil pipeline in a move to allow Chevron and other energy majors to boost exports via its territory…

Russia, Kazakhstan agree to double pipeline capacity by 2012 (RIA Novosti)

S&P report on Central Asia’s commodity boom

(Reuters) - Soaring commodity prices are affording Central Asia a real opportunity to create lasting economic success, says a report titled “Will Central Asia’s Commodity Boom Help Pave The Way For A New Silk Road?,” published yesterday by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services…

BMB Munai, Inc. announces oil production increase (PR NEwswire)

Kazakhstan Jan-April oil production: 23.5 million tons (AHN)

Roxi Petroleum Announces Extension of BNG Contract Area in West Kazakhstan (OilVoice)

mineral resources:

Industry Ministry suggests increasing import duty for extractive companies

(Interfax) - The Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Trade has proposed to increase the import customs duty for goods used by mineral resource companies…

Mechel’s $1.5 bln loan set to wrap next week-banker

(Reuters) - Russian Mechel’s $1.5 billion, 12-month bridge loan that backs its acquisition of ferro-chrome producer Oriel Resources is expected to complete next week via bookrunners ABN AMRO and Merrill Lynch…

business and economy:

Chabahar; link between Kazakhstan and Int’l waters

(Tehran Times) - Iran’s Chabahar Free Trade–Industrial Zone(CFZ) can play an important role in connecting Kazakhstan to international waters, Kazakh Ambassador to Tehran Yerik Utembayev said on Tuesday…

Kazakhstan Kagazy announces the results of an independent valuation of Astana contract assets (Business Wire)

German business delegation to visit Kazakhstan (Kazinform)

National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates May 8, 2008 (Kazinform)

Indicators - May 7, 2008

(Reuters) - Kazakhstan’s economic indicators based on data provided by the State Statistics Agency, government institutions, the central bank and exchanges…

politics:

Nazarbaev signed set of constitutional amendments on referendum

(Interfax) - President Nursultan Nazarbaev of Kazakhstan has approved amendments to the constitutional law regarding a nationwide referendum, said press service of the Kazakh leader…

Nur Otan nominates Karibzhanov for parliament (Interfax)

Germany assigns high priority to cooperation with Kazakhstan (Kazinform)

PM met with Russian Minister (Kazinform)

New akim of East Kazakhstan oblast named (Kazinform)

society:

Kazakhtan seeks identity on the big screen

(Christian Science Monitor) - If the satirical movie “Borat” spoofed an entire nation, then “Mongol” was a decent counterpunch, casting back 800 years to the glory of a world conqueror, and earning Kazakhstan its first nomination for a foreign-language Academy Award earlier this year…