Kazakhstan Daily News Roundup - March 2, 2009

RECENT ANALYSIS:

Creating a high-tech sector in Kazakhstan (bne)

Real estate: Frozen Kazakh market starts to thaw (bne)

Almaty launches new commodity exchange into the gloom (bne)

ENERGY:

Oil exports unaffected by CPC pipeline leak
(SRI) - The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) suspended the Tengiz-Novorossiisk pipeline on Friday after an oil leak was discovered. CPC claims that Kazakh crude shipments to Russia have not been affected.

StatoilHydro, KMG discussing joint venture
(SRI) - Norwegian oil major StatoilHydro is in discussions with KazMunaiGas (KMG), Kazakh national oil company, over forming a joint venture to develop the Abai block in the Caspian Sea.

Astana opts for life off the grid until April
(EurasiaNet) - Kazakhstan will remain unplugged from the Central Asian energy grid until April 15. Officials in Astana justify their action in part by accusing Tajikistan of pilfering electricity.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Kazakhstan invests USD4.76 billion to stabilize banking system
(Bloomberg) - (Bloomberg) — The Kazakh government has invested KZT716 billion (USD4.76 billion) to prop up the banking system, two-thirds of a planned bailout, leaving USD27 million in reserve.

Nazarbayev instructs head of financial police to take under control use of state funds allocated for anti-crisis program (Interfax)

Kazakhstan spends USD296 million to reform healthcare system (Interfax)

Devaluation of tenge has beneficial effect on the growth of competitiveness of Kazakh products (AgriMarket.Info)

National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates February 28, March 1-2, 2009 (Kazinform)

Indicators - February 27, 2009 (Reuters)

POLITICS:

Vice Minister arrested on apparent corruption charges (EurasiaNet)

Opposition suggests current Cabinet be replaced with a national unity cabinet and new parliament elected (Interfax)

SOCIETY:

Astana rules ethnic Kazakhs migrants with financial incentives
(EurasiaNet) - In spite of the current gloom-and-doom economic atmosphere in Kazakhstan, Astana is pushing ahead with costly plans to lure migrants with cultural links to the country, mainly ethnic Kazakhs.

Kazakhstan Society Roundup - March 2, 2009

Astana rules ethnic Kazakhs migrants with financial incentives
(EurasiaNet) - In spite of the current gloom-and-doom economic atmosphere in Kazakhstan, Astana is pushing ahead with costly plans to lure migrants with cultural links to the country, mainly ethnic Kazakhs.

Kazakhstan Politics Roundup - March 2, 2009

Vice Minister arrested on apparent corruption charges (EurasiaNet)

Opposition suggests current Cabinet be replaced with a national unity cabinet and new parliament elected (Interfax)

Kazakhstan Business and Economy Roundup - March 2, 2009

Kazakhstan invests USD4.76 billion to stabilize banking system
(Bloomberg) - (Bloomberg) — The Kazakh government has invested KZT716 billion (USD4.76 billion) to prop up the banking system, two-thirds of a planned bailout, leaving USD27 million in reserve.

Nazarbayev instructs head of financial police to take under control use of state funds allocated for anti-crisis program (Interfax)

Kazakhstan spends USD296 million to reform healthcare system (Interfax)

Devaluation of tenge has beneficial effect on the growth of competitiveness of Kazakh products (AgriMarket.Info)

National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates February 28, March 1-2, 2009 (Kazinform)

Indicators - February 27, 2009 (Reuters)

Kazakhstan Energy Roundup - March 2, 2009

Oil exports unaffected by CPC pipeline leak
(SRI) - The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) suspended the Tengiz-Novorossiisk pipeline on Friday after an oil leak was discovered. CPC claims that Kazakh crude shipments to Russia have not been affected.

StatoilHydro, KMG discussing joint venture
(SRI) - Norwegian oil major StatoilHydro is in discussions with KazMunaiGas (KMG), Kazakh national oil company, over forming a joint venture to develop the Abai block in the Caspian Sea.

Astana opts for life off the grid until April
(EurasiaNet) - Kazakhstan will remain unplugged from the Central Asian energy grid until April 15. Officials in Astana justify their action in part by accusing Tajikistan of pilfering electricity.

Oil exports unaffected by CPC pipeline leak

(SRI) - The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) suspended the Tengiz-Novorossiisk pipeline on Friday after an oil leak was discovered. CPC claims that Kazakh crude shipments to Russia have not been affected.

(more…)

StatoilHydro, KMG discussing joint venture

(SRI) - Norwegian oil major StatoilHydro is in discussions with KazMunaiGas (KMG), Kazakh national oil company, over forming a joint venture to develop the Abai block in the Caspian Sea, Interfax reported.

(more…)

Tranneft and KazTransOil discuss cooperation

(SRI) - Nikolay Tokarev, president of Russia’s Transneft, and Nurbol Sultan, head of Kazakh KazTransOil, met in Moscow last week to discuss cooperation in infrastructure projects, Interfax reported.

(more…)