An American task force funded by the government of Kazakhstan to prepare a series of reports about the Central Asian country's upcoming OSCE chairmanship has completed its final report, which puts forth a generally positive interpretation of the country's controversial human rights record.
Kazakhstan's uranium output growth is set to moderate in 2010 after a leap in recent years that has made it the world's largest producer, analysts said, citing technological and economic considerations.
Its chimneys towering high above the steppe of central Kazakhstan, the Temirtau steel plant spews enough smoke to cloak the entire city with a cloud of toxic emissions.
Its chimneys towering high above the steppe of central Kazakhstan, the Temirtau steel plant spews enough smoke to cloak the entire city with a cloud of toxic emissions.
Fielding questions from viewers on state-controlled television channels on November 13 Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced that on November 27 the leaders of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan would gather in Minsk to sign final agreements on a Customs Union.
Russia wants to turn a newly minted Customs Union with Belarus and Kazakhstan into its major vehicle for post-Soviet economic integration in Central Eurasia.
President Nursultan Nazarbayev told global oil and metals majors working in Kazakhstan on Friday he would force them to help diversify the economy as the government pledged $67 billion to modernise industries.
Less than a month left until Kazakhstan's entrance into Customs Union with Russia and Belarus, but there are more questions than answers on present moment. Objectively, a big economical alliance would help our home economy. However, the tradition to turn inside out every good beginning gives a clue that different things might happen.
Kazakhstan will celebrate the New Year by fulfilling a cherished ambition: on January 1 it assumes the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. But an OSCE Ministerial Council meeting, held in Athens December 1-2, offered a stark reminder that doubts remain over Kazakhstan's suitability for the job, due to its controversial record on political and democratic freedoms.
A top OSCE official says Kazakhstan's human rights record is a challenge to its forthcoming presidency of the group.
