Kazakhstan News Roundup - September 4, 2008

news roundup

Kazakhstan News Roundup - September 4, 2008

By SRI ⋅ September 4, 2008 ⋅

ENERGY:

Kazakhstan drafts new rates for oil tax
(SRI) - According to a draft law, Kazakhstan has proposed to set mineral extraction tax rates for oil producers at 5-18 percent of crude’s market value in 2009, with higher rates applied to larger producers.

Kazatomprom ups uranium output forecast
(Reuters) - Kazakh state nuclear power company Kazatomprom expects to produce 8,800 tonnes of uranium this year, rising to 11,000 tonnes in 2009 and by 2010 it forecasts 15,000 tonnes.

Kazakhstan and Germany to expand energy cooperation - joint statement (Interfax)

Astana to host 3rd Eurasian Energy Forum KazEnergy (Kazinform)

MINERAL RESOURCES:

Kazakh takeover talk lifts miners’ gloom
(Telegraph) - Rumours that rival Kazakh copper group Kazakhmys is planning to launch a formal offer for its local competitor made ENRC one of the few blue-chip risers for most of the trading session.

ENRC aims to remain low-cost ferroalloys producer
(Dow Jones - NASDAQ) - Kazakh mining company Eurasian Natural Resources Corp. PLC’s increased capital-expenditure program will help the company stay a low-cost miner compared to its competitors in the ferroalloys market.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Air Astana goes green
(Bangkok Post) - Air Astana, the national carrier of Kazakhstan, has joined the green bandwagon by going for fuel efficient aircraft and embracing best management practices, as advocated by the International Air Transport Association (Iata).

Air Astana expands fleet, network (Aircargo)

Kazakhstan: wheat export prices decrease (AgriMarket.Info)

Food Corporation plans to purchase up to 2 mln tons of milling wheat (Kazinform)

Press release: Research and Markets: New legislation adopted in 2004 opened the floodgates for the liberalisation of the Kazakhstan telecom sector (Business Wire)

National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates September 4, 2008 (Kazinform)

Indicators - September 3, 2008 (Reuters)

POLITICS:

Swiss embassy to open in Astana (Kazinform)

Kazakhstan to play mediator in Caucasus crisis – Nazarbaev (Interfax)

Kazakh leader content with cooperation with Germany (Interfax)

Nazarbayev: Kazakhstan interested in developing cooperation with European Union (Regnum)

REGIONAL:

Russia and the Shanghai cooperation: Lonely road from Bishkek to Dushanbe
(EurasiaNet) - Up through the August 2007 SCO summit in Bishkek, Putin had good reason to be pleased with the SCO, as the SCO appeared to be a useful mechanism for advancing Moscow’s priorities.