KAZAKHSTAN ENVIRONMENT UPDATE, JUNE 30, 2006

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ALMATY 002604

SIPDIS

TASHKENT FOR EPUTNAM

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SENV ENRG EPET KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN ENVIRONMENT UPDATE, JUNE 30, 2006



1. Summary: This information is drawn primarily from the
Kazakhstani press and has not yet been verified. The
opinions expressed in this report, therefore, should not be
interpreted as official positions and/or policy of the U.S.
Government.

-- Avian Flu Priorities Discussed in Almaty
-- Ust-Kamenogorsk Ranks First in Oncological Disease
-- Lake Alakol Expansion Eroding Shoreline
-- Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Kills Four in SKO
-- TCO Fined $2M for Violation of Environmental Norms
-- President Signs Law on Protection of Natural Areas
-- Over 1.8 Million Sturgeon Fry Released into the Caspian
-- Governor Calls Koshkar-Ata Waste an Imminent Threat
-- ECO Environmental Ministers Meet in Almaty

End Summary.

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Avian Flu Priorities Discussed in Almaty
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2. On June 12-13, Almaty hosted a regional conference on
Avian Flu Control and Response. Participants discussed
strategies to mitigate the potential impact of avian
influenza and human flu pandemics in Central Asia. The
participants voiced the need to enhance regional cooperation
across the board, and recommended a multi-sector
coordination effort to strengthen the capacity of veterinary
and human health experts to respond to avian influenza.
They noted that from 2003 through 2005, fifteen countries
had reported outbreaks of the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus,
including China, Russia, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan,
and Azerbaijan. Most countries in the region have stepped
up their efforts to contain the spread of the virus, but
their detection capabilities remain limited, and are
complicated by the fact that the region serves as a crossing
point of four major flyways of migratory birds. Diagnostic
equipment is also lacking in Central Asia. Only Kazakhstan
has a laboratory that can diagnose the human form of the
H5N1 virus.

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Ust-Kamenogorsk Ranks First in Oncological Disease
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3. Ust-Kamenogorsk ranks first among Kazakhstani cities in
the number of people suffering from oncological diseases
(nearly 6000 cases). Health experts attribute this to the
high levels of hazardous emissions in the air around the
city. According to an expert from the regional Center for
Environmental Monitoring, the amounts of benzopyrene,
nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide exceed safe levels by
2-4 times, 1.5-2 times, and 1-2 times respectively. The
region in which Ust-Kamenogorsk is located has consistently
seen the highest national levels of oncological disease for
the past 20 years.

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Lake Alakol Expansion Eroding Shoreline
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4. Lake Alakol's medicinal properties make it a popular
tourist destination. However, the lake's continued
expansion is eroding away 40-50 meters of shoreline per
year. Already, destruction of shoreline property has made
investors wary of establishing new or maintaining existing
facilities. The government has allocated $85,000 from the
state budget to study this problem.





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Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Kills Four in SKO
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5. Two more residents of the Southern Kazakhstan Oblast
(SKO) died from Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHV)
during the week of June 26. That brings the annual total of
SKO residents lost to the disease to four. Thus far in
2006, there have been eight cases of CCHV in SKO, with four
of them proving fatal.

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TCO Fined $2M for Violation of Environmental Norms
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6. Atyrau's Regional Procurator's Office ruled that

ALMATY 00002604 002 OF 002


Tengizchevroil (TCO),a Kazakh-Russian-American partnership,
must pay a $2 million fine for violation of ecological
norms. Over the last six months, the Tengiz oil field has
had 31 accidents, from which 232 cubic meters of hydrogen
sulphide and other poisonous substances were released into
the atmosphere. According to Environment Minister Nurlan
Iskakov, TCO has no intention of living up to its
commitments regarding the injection of sewage water into the
wells. For this and other reasons, the Minister believes it
is necessary to impose harsher punishments on such
violations, and even suggested the government might
reconsider the terms of the contract.

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President Signs Law on Protection of Natural Areas
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7. President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed into law "On
Natural Areas of Preferential Protection," along with
several related amendments on specially-protected natural
reserves and forests. The law stresses the importance of
"ecological networks" and "ecological corridors," and
establishes performance principles for specially-protected
natural reserves and forest, steppe, desert, and underwater
ecosystems. The law also introduces a new preservation
scheme for natural monuments, wildlife sanctuaries and
preserved areas. Furthermore, the law specifies procedures
and restrictions regarding industrial development in areas
of preferential protection.


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Over 1.8 Million Sturgeon Fry Released into the Caspian Sea
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8. The Atyrau Sturgeon Fish Breeding Plant (Atyrau Region)
released red fish fry into the Caspian Sea: 1.3 million
young sturgeons, 505,000 young belugas and 34,000 young
starlets. According to Svetlana Surgutskaya, the plant's
production manager, a second release of the fry of valuable
fish, including plain and starred sturgeon, is due in early
July. "The annual plan for the release of red fish fry
amounts to 3.5 million fish," she said. She added that
special chips would be installed into the bodies of 10,000
young fish to keep track of their movement and growth.

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Governor Calls Koshkar-Ata Waste an Imminent Threat
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9. The Akim (governor) of the Mangystau Region, Krymbek
Kusherbayev, is concerned about mass quantities of
radioactive uranium mill tailings stored in Koshkar-Ata,
located only 5 km from Aktau. According to experts, the
site accumulated over 400 million tons of waste from 1964-
1996, 105 million of which are uranium mill tailings.
Kusherbayev warned that the radioactive waste is gradually
spreading into the ground waters and has been detected up to
4 km away. He stressed, "The problem has been repeatedly
discussed by various agencies but it has not been solved
yet. It cannot be put off any longer."

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ECO Environment Ministers Meet in Almaty
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10. On June 28-30, Almaty hosted the third international
meeting of ECO environment ministers (Afghanistan,
Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan,
Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan). They
assessed their implementation of the previously-adopted
Action Plan, discussed newly-developed environment
protection measures within the ECO community, and launched
several new projects aimed at strengthening international
financial support. They also considered the possibility of
joint measures in ecological tourism. Meeting participants
briefed their colleagues on national developments in
environment protection. Kazakhstan described two
limitations placed on oil producers - a ban on associated
emissions into the atmosphere, and a ban on waste disposal
in water reservoirs.

ORDWAY