Archive for May 21st, 2008
Uranium and nuclear power in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan has been an important source of uranium for more than fifty years. Over 2001-2006 production rose from 2000 to 5279 tonnes U per year, and further mine development is under way with a view to annual production of 18,000 tU/yr by 2010 and 30,000 tU by 2018.
Oil exporters hit by new tax as slowdown bites
Kazakhstan has introduced an oil export duty as part of a strategy to extract more taxes from the country’s lucrative natural resource industries to compensate for a slowdown in other areas of the economy.
Kazakhstan banks will survive, says minister
Kazakhstan’s finance minister on Monday dismissed suggestions that some of the country’s banks might not weather the widespread difficulties generated by the global credit crunch.
News Roundup - May 21, 2008
energy:
Oil exporters hit by new tax as slowdown bites
(Financial Times) - Kazakhstan has introduced an oil export duty as part of a strategy to extract more taxes from the country’s lucrative natural resource industries to compensate for a slowdown in other areas of the economy.
Higher oil price could spur Kashagan talks - Eni
(Reuters) - Soaring oil prices could be a factor in talks on a new accord to develop Kazakhstan’s huge Kashagan oilfield, Eni SpA Chief Executive Officer Paolo Scaroni said on Tuesday.
KazMunaiGas to appoint banks to lead $2.5 bln loan - source
(Reuters) - Kazakhstan oil and gas company KazMunaiGas is expected to appoint eight banks next week to arrange a $2.5 billion, three-year unsecured syndicated loan, a banking source said on Tuesday.
Ban on oil product exports imposed until September 1
(Interfax) - A ban on exports of oil products will be in effect until September 1, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sauat Mynbaev.
(World Nuclear News) - Kazakhstan’s new sulfuric acid plant is expected to start production in June, easing pressure on the country’s uranium producers who have been battling supply problems.
Polish company seals oil-prospecting deal with Kazakhstan (PAP/redOrbit)
Caspian Holdings FY pretax loss narrows to 1.6 million pounds (Thomson Financial/Hemscott)
mineral resources:
ENRC to develop $900 mln railway line between Kazakhstan and China
(Thomson Financial/Hemscott) - Eurasian Natural Resources Corp Plc. said it won a tender to develop and operate the Zhetigen-Khorgos railway line between Kazakhstan and China.
business and economy:
Kazakhstan banks will survive, says minister
(Financial Times) - Kazakhstan’s finance minister on Monday dismissed suggestions that some of the country’s banks might not weather the widespread difficulties generated by the global credit crunch.
Jordanians may invest in Kazakh resort
(Bloomberg/The Moscow Times) - Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said Sunday that Jordanian businessmen were planning to invest $1.5 billion to build a resort on the Caspian Sea coast as the country seeks to diversify its energy-based economy.
Ithmaar Bank launches $1b energy fund jointly with Kazyna (Gulf News)
Export of French goods to Kazakhstan may rise 15% in 2008 - French State Secretary (Interfax)
World Bank to allot USD 149.6 mln to Kazakhstan (Kazinform)
National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates May 21, 2008 (Kazinform)
(Reuters) - Kazakhstan’s economic indicators based on data provided by the State Statistics Agency, government institutions, the central bank and exchanges.
politics:
Kazakhstan emerging as an arms exporter
(Eurasia Daily Monitor) - Kazakhstan has announced ambitious plans to become the leading regional exporter of arms in Central Asia, transforming its defense industry capabilities within the next two years in order to export mainly artillery systems.
EU sure in long term relations with Kazakhstan: press conference in Almaty (Kazinform)
society:
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty accuses Kazakhstan of blocking website
(RFE/RL) - In a “very disturbing” case that smacks of “deliberate interference” by the Kazakh government, Internet users in Kazakhstan have been prevented for more than five weeks from accessing the Kazakh-language website of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, RFE/RL President Jeffrey Gedmin has said in a statement.
Editor of Kazakh anti-corruption newspaper arrested for bribery
(AP/Yahoo! News) - Kazakhstan’s anti-corruption watchdog says Tokbergen Abiyev was charged Tuesday for offering a US$2,000 bribe to one of its employees.
regional news:
Outside view: Russia pipeline reach grows
(UPI) - On May 14 Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ordered the construction of the second stage of the Baltic Pipeline System (BPS-2), an offshoot of the Druzhba pipeline built in Soviet times to pump oil to Europe through Belarus and terminals in the Baltic countries.
Russia’s new leader goes east on maiden foreign trip
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will travel to Kazakhstan and China this week on a maiden foreign trip intended to serve as a reminder that the troublesome West is not the only place Russia can find partners.
Regional News Roundup - May 21, 2008
Outside view: Russia pipeline reach grows
(UPI) - On May 14 Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ordered the construction of the second stage of the Baltic Pipeline System (BPS-2), an offshoot of the Druzhba pipeline built in Soviet times to pump oil to Europe through Belarus and terminals in the Baltic countries.
Russia’s new leader goes east on maiden foreign trip
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will travel to Kazakhstan and China this week on a maiden foreign trip intended to serve as a reminder that the troublesome West is not the only place Russia can find partners.
Society Roundup - May 21, 2008
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty accuses Kazakhstan of blocking website
(RFE/RL) - In a “very disturbing” case that smacks of “deliberate interference” by the Kazakh government, Internet users in Kazakhstan have been prevented for more than five weeks from accessing the Kazakh-language website of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, RFE/RL President Jeffrey Gedmin has said in a statement.
Editor of Kazakh anti-corruption newspaper arrested for bribery
(AP/Yahoo! News) - Kazakhstan’s anti-corruption watchdog says Tokbergen Abiyev was charged Tuesday for offering a US$2,000 bribe to one of its employees.
Politics Roundup - May 21, 2008
Kazakhstan emerging as an arms exporter
(Eurasia Daily Monitor) - Kazakhstan has announced ambitious plans to become the leading regional exporter of arms in Central Asia, transforming its defense industry capabilities within the next two years in order to export mainly artillery systems.
EU sure in long term relations with Kazakhstan: press conference in Almaty (Kazinform)
Business and Economy Roundup - May 21, 2008
Jordanians may invest in Kazakh resort
(Bloomberg/The Moscow Times) - Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said Sunday that Jordanian businessmen were planning to invest $1.5 billion to build a resort on the Caspian Sea coast as the country seeks to diversify its energy-based economy.
Ithmaar Bank launches $1b energy fund jointly with Kazyna (Gulf News)
Export of French goods to Kazakhstan may rise 15% in 2008 - French State Secretary (Interfax)
World Bank to allot USD 149.6 mln to Kazakhstan (Kazinform)
National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates May 21, 2008 (Kazinform)
Indicators - May 20, 2008
(Reuters) - Kazakhstan’s economic indicators based on data provided by the State Statistics Agency, government institutions, the central bank and exchanges.
Mineral Resources Roundup - May 21, 2008
ENRC to develop $900 mln railway line between Kazakhstan and China
(Thomson Financial/Hemscott) - Eurasian Natural Resources Corp Plc. said it won a tender to develop and operate the Zhetigen-Khorgos railway line between Kazakhstan and China.
Energy Roundup - May 21, 2008
Higher oil price could spur Kashagan talks - Eni
(Reuters) - Soaring oil prices could be a factor in talks on a new accord to develop Kazakhstan’s huge Kashagan oilfield, Eni SpA Chief Executive Officer Paolo Scaroni said on Tuesday.
KazMunaiGas to appoint banks to lead $2.5 bln loan - source
(Reuters) - Kazakhstan oil and gas company KazMunaiGas is expected to appoint eight banks next week to arrange a $2.5 billion, three-year unsecured syndicated loan, a banking source said on Tuesday.
Ban on oil product exports imposed until September 1
(Interfax) - A ban on exports of oil products will be in effect until September 1, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sauat Mynbaev.
Kazakh acid plant to start up
(World Nuclear News) - Kazakhstan’s new sulfuric acid plant is expected to start production in June, easing pressure on the country’s uranium producers who have been battling supply problems.
Polish company seals oil-prospecting deal with Kazakhstan (PAP/redOrbit)
Caspian Holdings FY pretax loss narrows to 1.6 million pounds (Thomson Financial/Hemscott)
