KAZAKHSTAN ENVIRONMENT UPDATE, OCTOBER 31

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000508 SIPDIS SIPDIS TASHKENT FOR EPUTNAM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON SENV ENRG EPET KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN ENVIRONMENT UPDATE, OCTOBER 31 ASTANA 00000508 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. Summary: This information is drawn primarily from the Kazakhstani press and has not been verified. The opinions expressed in this report, therefore, should not be interpreted as official positions and/or policy of the U.S. Government. -- Khrunichev Center Wins Tender for Creation of Kazsat-2 -- Spread of HIV quickens in Kazakhstan in 2006 -- Memorandum on Conservation of Saiga Signed -- EC to Help Kazakhstan Develop National Environmental Programs -- Nazarbayev Calls for Science Reforms in Kazakhstan -- Chinese-Kazakh Commission Discusses Border River Protection -- New Complex for Storing Dangerous Waste Will Be Opened -- Students from India Sick with Enteric Fever -- Ecological Code Has Been Approved by Mazhilis -- Buarbai-Schuchye Resort Area To Be Developed Khrunichev Center Wins Tender for Creation of Kazsat-2 ¶2. Russia's state-owned Khrunichev Space Center has won a tender for a second communication satellite Kazsat-2, worth $115 million, which is planned to be launched between June and August 2009. According to Gabdullatif Murzakulov, deputy director of Kazakhstan's Center for Space Communications and Electromagnetic Compatibility of Electronic Devices, the technical characteristics of the Kazsat-2 are similar to those of the Kazsat-1. Kazsat-2 will be sent into an orbit of 32-33,000 kilometers over the equator and oriented for providing television and telecommunication services (Interfax-Kazakhstan, September 25, 2006). Spread of HIV quickens in Kazakhstan in 2006 ¶3. Minister of Health Care Anatoly Dernovoy announced that as of October 1, Kazakhstan has registered a total of 6,943 HIV infected individuals, including 426 AIDS cases. The number of new HIV-cases in 2006 almost doubled from 2005 and totaled 1,266, including 86 children under 14. In terms of HIV, Kazakhstan ranks fifth in CIS, keeping behind Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Belarus. (Interfax-Kazakhstan October 10, 2006) Memorandum on Conservation of Saiga Signed ¶4. On September 25 in Almaty, representatives from the Agriculture Ministries of Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and experts from international environmental protection agencies met to discuss the conservation of the saiga antelope, which has decreased in number from 1.2 million in the 1990s to 21,000 at present. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan signed a memorandum which obliges them to take measures to protect the saiga antelope. Russia refrained from signing the memorandum. Poaching and uncontrolled mass shooting are the main reasons for the decrease of saiga population. An intergovernmental agreement on saiga protection is to be developed within the framework of the international meeting (Interfax-Kazakhstan, September 29, 2006). EC to Help with National Environmental Programs ¶5. The European Commission intends to help three Central Asian states to develop national environmental strategies. On October 11 in Almaty it presented the project "Development of National Ecostrategies for Sustainable Development of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan." The EC will help Kazakhstan to identify and address its environmental problems. (TV News, October 11, 2006; Channel 31, October 11, 2006; Panorama, October 13, 2005). Nazarbayev Calls for Science Reform ¶6. On October 13, President Nazarbayev congratulated the National Academy of Sciences on its 60th anniversary. In his address he announced that a special state program would be adopted to strengthen Kazakhstani science programs. Science financing will be increased 25 times. A science foundation will be established. The foundation will be engaged in selection, expert evaluation, financing and monitoring of engineering development. Two billion tenge ($16 million) will be allocated for scientific and technical activity in 2007 through the Science Foundation, which is equal to 10% of all funds allocated to science in the country. A university focused on science will be opened in Astana. Priority directions of scientific and technical development will be nanotechnology, biotechnology, nuclear technology, space activity, information-and-communication technology and new technology for hydrocarbon and mining-and-metallurgical industry (Liter, October 14, 2006; Express K, October 14, 2006). Chinese-Kazakh Commission on Border River Protection ¶7. The fourth meeting of the Kazakhstani-Chinese commission on the ASTANA 00000508 002.2 OF 002 use and protection of cross-border rivers opened in Almaty on October 16. The commission discussed the use and protection of cross-border water resources. The Kazakhstani-Chinese commission was set up in 2003. (Interfax-Kazakhstan, October 16, 2006). Top of Form New Complex for Dangerous Waste Will Be Opened in Atyrau ¶8. A new complex for storage of dangerous waste will soon be opened in Atyrau. The complex will allow companies involved in development and processing of hydrocarbon raw materials to store waste without harming the environment. (Express K, October 17, 2006). Students from India Sick with Enteric Fever ¶9. KTK announced that three students from India who had returned to Karaganda to continue studies at the Karaganda Medical Academy have enteric fever. This disease has not recently been registered in Kazakhstan. Preventive measures were taken at hostels and at the Academy. (KTK, October 26, 2006) Ecological Code Has Been Approved by Mazhilis ¶10. A new ecological code was approved by Mazhilis on October 26. The code determines basic ecological requirements for many types of economic activity. The code does away with provisions that had permitted selling part of quotas of some natural users to others, and reduces the types of activities allowed in the sphere of environment. It also adopts a norm according to which the payment rate for emissions into environment should be established by the Government. (Interfax-Kazakhstan ,October 26). The Buarbai-Schuchye Resort Area Being Developed ¶11. A Burabai-Schuchye health resort zone is being designed in the Akmola Oblast. The program will be implemented in 2007-2010. The program is intended to reconstruct the Kokshetau airport, build entertainment complexes, casinos and golf clubs and health resort facilities and a center for primary health care in the Burabai settlement. Construction of an international level skiing complex has started. Extending the route of fast electric trains from Almaty to Astana and Burabai and from Omsk to Petropavlovsk and Burabai is under consideration. A new water supply system will also be provided (Kazakhstanskaya Pravda, October 28, 2006). ORDWAY