News Roundup - June 5, 2008

energy:

Cameco and Kazakhstan push ahead on fuel plant

(Reuters) - Cameco Corp and Kazakh government-owned uranium company Kazatomprom are pushing ahead with a plan to build a 12,000-tonne nuclear fuel conversion plant in Kazakhstan, part of the Canadian company’s strategy to increase its presence in the uranium-rich Central Asian country.

Kazakhstan not planning uranium export duty - Kazatomprom

(Interfax) - Kazakhstan’s government is not thinking of imposing an export duty on uranium, Mukhtar Dzhakishev, chief of national nuclear corporation Kazatomprom, one of the world’s top-three uranium miners, told reporters.

Petrolinvest in financing talks with foreign funds

(Reuters) - Polish upstream company Petrolinvest is in talks with foreign investment funds about financing its growth as it moves forward with developing Kazakh oil fields, its chief executive told Reuters.

Caspian Energy says drilling of Baktygaryn 703 well continues (Thomson Financial/Forbes)

business and economy:

Kazakhstan cuts 2009 economic growth forecast to 6% from 9.2%

(Kazinform) - Kazakhstan, the biggest energy producer in Central Asia, reduced its 2009 economic growth forecast to 6 percent as the global credit crunch hinders expansion of construction and other key industries.

EBRD President visits Kazakhstan

(The FINANCIAL) - EBRD President Jean Lemierre is starting a visit to Kazakhstan on June 4 for the last time in his position as head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development after servicing two full terms.

EBRD and Kazyna set up Kazakhstan Growth Fund

(The FINANCIAL) - The EBRD Board of Directors has approved the establishment of the new Kazakhstan Growth Fund to strengthen private companies in non-extractive industries in the country.

Kazakhstan may control, weaken tenge into 2009, UniCredit says

(Kazinform) - Kazakhstan’s central bank may retain control of the tenge until the first quarter of next year and may push it 0.5 percent lower to help industries hurt by the turmoil in credit markets, UniCredit MIB said.

Raiffeisen Intl open for acquisitions in Central Asia

(Thomson Financial/Forbes) - Asked about the market in Kazakhstan, where Raiffeisen recently sold its minority stake JSC Bank TuranAlem (BTA), the bank stressed that the Austrian institute remains interested and is generally prepared to making acquisitions there if prices drop to an attractive level.

Kazakhstan, Jordan discussed cooperation issues on tourism (Kazinform)

The Hague hosted “Kazakhstan – advanced market for investments and trade” Forum (Kazinform)

Kazyna Capital Management JSC, CITIC Capital Holdings Limited signed protocol of intent (Kazinform)

National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates June 5, 2008 (Kazinform)

politics:

Did Kazakhstan give the election to Obama?

(Registan) - The Kazakhstan connection here is that infamous handshake Clinton arranged for Canadian mining magnate Frank Giustra with Nusultan Nazarbayev in exchange for a large donation to his NGO.

Defense Minister wins the most public trust - public survey

(Interfax) - Kazakhstan Defense Minister Daniyal Akhmetov tops the rating of public trust and confidents in the government, according to the survey conducted by the Association of Political and Social Scientists (APSS).

Kazakh deputy proposes naming capital city after president

(AP/IHT) - A lawmaker in Kazakhstan has proposed renaming the capital to Nursultan after the president who has ruled the country since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

society:

The cultural teachings of Ambassador Borat

(TIME) - You’d think that a movie portraying their dynamic, increasingly prosperous Central Asian nation as a bunch of anti-Semitic, incestuous, pimping backwoods peasants would annoy the people of Kazakhstan.

Brother of Kazakhstan dictator buys epic Plaza spread

(New York Observer) - According to a February deed filed in New York City records just this week, Bolat Nazarbayev and his wife have paid around $20 million for a corner unit facing Central Park at the Plaza.

Re-repatriant wave coming?

(neweurasia.net) - Lately the local newspapers started publishing articles on the ethnic emigrants - especially Russians and Germans - who are coming back to Kazakhstan after failing to find a proper living standards in the blessed lands of ancestors.

regional news:

Baku summit ends decade-long feud, creating energy opportunities

(World Politics Review) - The recent improvement in relations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan could help remove a major obstacle to the exploitation of Caspian Sea energy reserves.

Regional News Roundup - June 5, 2008

Baku summit ends decade-long feud, creating energy opportunities

(World Politics Review) - The recent improvement in relations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan could help remove a major obstacle to the exploitation of Caspian Sea energy reserves.

Society Roundup - June 5, 2008

The cultural teachings of Ambassador Borat

(TIME) - You’d think that a movie portraying their dynamic, increasingly prosperous Central Asian nation as a bunch of anti-Semitic, incestuous, pimping backwoods peasants would annoy the people of Kazakhstan.

Brother of Kazakhstan dictator buys epic Plaza spread

(New York Observer) - According to a February deed filed in New York City records just this week, Bolat Nazarbayev and his wife have paid around $20 million for a corner unit facing Central Park at the Plaza.

Re-repatriant wave coming?

(neweurasia.net) - Lately the local newspapers started publishing articles on the ethnic emigrants - especially Russians and Germans - who are coming back to Kazakhstan after failing to find a proper living standards in the blessed lands of ancestors.

Politics Roundup - June 5, 2008

Did Kazakhstan give the election to Obama?

(Registan) - The Kazakhstan connection here is that infamous handshake Clinton arranged for Canadian mining magnate Frank Giustra with Nusultan Nazarbayev in exchange for a large donation to his NGO.

Defense Minister wins the most public trust - public survey

(Interfax) - Kazakhstan Defense Minister Daniyal Akhmetov tops the rating of public trust and confidents in the government, according to the survey conducted by the Association of Political and Social Scientists (APSS).

Kazakh deputy proposes naming capital city after president

(AP/IHT) - A lawmaker in Kazakhstan has proposed renaming the capital to Nursultan after the president who has ruled the country since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Despite world credit crunch, social project financing remains a priority – president (Interfax)

Business and Economy Roundup - June 5, 2008

Kazakhstan cuts 2009 economic growth forecast to 6% from 9.2%

(Kazinform) - Kazakhstan, the biggest energy producer in Central Asia, reduced its 2009 economic growth forecast to 6 percent as the global credit crunch hinders expansion of construction and other key industries.

EBRD President visits Kazakhstan

(The FINANCIAL) - EBRD President Jean Lemierre is starting a visit to Kazakhstan on June 4 for the last time in his position as head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development after servicing two full terms.

EBRD and Kazyna set up Kazakhstan Growth Fund

(The FINANCIAL) - The EBRD Board of Directors has approved the establishment of the new Kazakhstan Growth Fund to strengthen private companies in non-extractive industries in the country.

Kazakhstan may control, weaken tenge into 2009, UniCredit says

(Kazinform) - Kazakhstan’s central bank may retain control of the tenge until the first quarter of next year and may push it 0.5 percent lower to help industries hurt by the turmoil in credit markets, UniCredit MIB said.

Raiffeisen Intl open for acquisitions in Central Asia

(Thomson Financial/Forbes) - Asked about the market in Kazakhstan, where Raiffeisen recently sold its minority stake JSC Bank TuranAlem (BTA), the bank stressed that the Austrian institute remains interested and is generally prepared to making acquisitions there if prices drop to an attractive level.

Kazakhstan, Jordan discussed cooperation issues on tourism (Kazinform)

The Hague hosted “Kazakhstan – advanced market for investments and trade” Forum (Kazinform)

Kazyna Capital Management JSC, CITIC Capital Holdings Limited signed protocol of intent (Kazinform)

National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates June 5, 2008 (Kazinform)

Energy Roundup - June 5, 2008

Cameco and Kazakhstan push ahead on fuel plant

(Reuters) - Cameco Corp and Kazakh government-owned uranium company Kazatomprom are pushing ahead with a plan to build a 12,000-tonne nuclear fuel conversion plant in Kazakhstan, part of the Canadian company’s strategy to increase its presence in the uranium-rich Central Asian country.

Kazakhstan not planning uranium export duty - Kazatomprom

(Interfax) - Kazakhstan’s government is not thinking of imposing an export duty on uranium, Mukhtar Dzhakishev, chief of national nuclear corporation Kazatomprom, one of the world’s top-three uranium miners, told reporters.

Petrolinvest in financing talks with foreign funds

(Reuters) - Polish upstream company Petrolinvest is in talks with foreign investment funds about financing its growth as it moves forward with developing Kazakh oil fields, its chief executive told Reuters.

Caspian Energy says drilling of Baktygaryn 703 well continues (Thomson Financial/Forbes)