Kazakhstan Former Capital
Kazakhstan (04/05)
Administrative subdivisions: 17; 14 oblasts plus 3 cities--Almaty, the former capital; Astana, the current capital; and the territory of Baykonur, which contains the space launch center that the Russians built and now lease. Political parties: As of August 2004, there were twelve political parties registered by the Ministry of Justice. They are the Agrarian Party, Ak Zhol (Bright Path), Asar (All Together), Ayul (Farmers), the Civil Party, the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, the Communist People’s Party, DVK (Democratic Choice), the Democratic Party of Kazakhstan, Otan (Fatherland), The Party of Patriots, and Rukhaniyat (Spirituality) ... [Read More]
Joint Press Conference with President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan
[Read More]
Kazakhstan
In the summer of 2002, the Government tried and convicted two founding members of the Democratic Choice for Kazakhstan (DVK) movement, Mukhtar Ablyazov, former Minister of Energy, and Galymzhan Zhakiyanov, former Akim (Governor) of Pavlodar Oblast (see Sections 1.e. and 3). Their arrests came years after the alleged crimes (abuse of power and corruption) were committed, but only months after Ablyazov and Zhakiyanov founded an opposition political movement. The Government maintained that their prosecutions were simply an effort to punish corrupt officials. However, on May 17, the Supreme Court found former Minister of Transport and Communications, Ablay Myrzakhmetov, guilty of stealing approximately $8.2 million (1.15 billion Tenge) of state funds. Although the monetary value of the alleged crime was far higher than in either Zhakiyanov's or Ablyazov's case, Myrzakhmetov received a 5-year suspended sentence and 3 years' probation. ... [Read More]
2004 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Kazakhstan
On August 16, former Governor and opposition party Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DCK) leader Galymzhan Zhakiyanov was transferred to a minimum security settlement colony, the first administrative step toward parole. In 2002, Zhakiyanov had been tried and convicted of alleged abuse of power and corruption along with Mukhtar Ablyazov, former Minister of Energy. The arrests occurred years after the crimes were allegedly committed, but only months after Ablyazov and Zhakiyanov founded an opposition political movement. Authorities reportedly tried to convince Zhakiyanov to discontinue his political activities in exchange for release, and threatened to impose new criminal charges. ... [Read More]
Kazakhstan
On September 6, former prime minister Akezhan Kazhegeldin was tried, convicted, and sentenced in absentia on corruption-related charges. While international human rights organizations and local monitors were not in a position to determine the veracity of charges against the former prime minister, they stated that the procedures followed in the case were not in line with international commitments. On September 7, the OSCE noted in a press release that "the principle of equal rights of both sides involved may have been jeopardized because the trial was held in absentia...It was questionable whether the presumption of innocence was fully observed by mass media and government structures throughout the process." The case against the former Prime Minister appeared to consist primarily of the statement of approximately 80 witnesses, the overwhelming majority of whom were government officials. In an August 23 press article, a KIBHR representative said that the "legality ... [Read More]
Kazakhstan
The Constitution and the Labor Code provide for basic worker rights, including the right to organize; however, the Government at times infringed on these rights. The largest trade union association, the Federation of Trade Unions, contained the vestiges of formerly state-sponsored trade unions established during the Soviet period. It claimed a membership of 2.3 million workers. The Confederation of Free Trade Unions (CFTUK), formerly the Independent Trade Union center of Kazakhstan, claimed a membership of approximately 320,000 persons. Observers estimated the actual number of members in both associations to be lower and agreed that the Government exercised considerable influence over both. ... [Read More]
US Department Of State Post Report
The Kazakh word for Almaty, Alma Ata, means "Grandfather Apple"—most of the land outside the city center was once an apple orchard. During the Soviet era, Almaty was the capital of the Kazakh S.S.R. and remained the capital of independent Kazakhstan until October 20, 1997. Almost all government offices completed their relocation to the new capital, Astana, in 2000. ... On October 20, 1997, President Nursultan Nazarbayev decreed that the capital be moved from Almaty to Akmola, and in 1998, changed the city's name to Astana, meaning "Capital" in Kazakh. Since 1991, out-migration by Russians and in-migration by Kazakhs changed the ethnic mix of the city to 40% Kazakh, 40% Russian, and some Ukrainian, Polish, and others. Since the government left Almaty and moved to Astana, the city has doubled in size to approximately 322,000 inhabitants. ... [Read More]
Kazakhstan
Authorities used the 1999 Law on State Secrets to justify confiscating the passport of Amirzhan Kosanov, an official of the opposition RNPK, as he tried to fly to the United Kingdom on November 25 (see Section 3). Kosanov, who had traveled abroad during the 3 years between his departure from government service and full implementation of the state secrets law, said that he had a valid exit visa and U.K. entry visa for the November trip. Almaty migration police in October had tried to seize Kosanov's passport. The Government alleged that Kosanov had access to state secrets when he served as press secretary to former Prime Minister Akezhan Kazhegeldin, the leader of the RNPK; that Kosanov had refused to sign a standard non-disclosure agreement and follow other simple procedures prescribed by the law; and that other former officials with knowledge of sensitive information had been allowed to travel after complying with the procedures. The Government is not known to have used the Law on Sta ... [Read More]
Remarks by the former Deputy Secretary Richard L. Armitage
Bureaus/Offices Reporting Directly to the Secretary Deputy Secretary of State [Read More]
Richard Lugar, "Taking Legislative Aim at Weapons of Mass Destruction" , eJournal USA: Foreign Policy Agenda, March 2005
In 2003, President Bush signed the Nunn-Lugar Expansion Act, which authorized Nunn-Lugar to operate outside the former Soviet Union. My new bill will provide more flexibility to pursue Nunn-Lugar projects outside the former Soviet Union, and it will eliminate congressionally imposed conditions on legislation that have impeded time-sensitive projects. We need to cut the red tape and friction within the U.S. government that hinder speedy responses to nonproliferation opportunities. ... [Read More]
|