5 June 2002
PRESIDENT NAZARBAYEV HOLDS BILATERAL MEETINGS AFTER CBMA SUMMIT
Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev met in Almaty on 5 June with his Mongolian counterpart Natsagiin Bagabandi, who has reportedly invited Nazarbayev to take part in Foreign Investors Forum to be held in Ulan-Bator this fall. The two presidents also discussed the construction of a new highway connecting East Kazakhstan Oblast with west ern Mongolia. The Mongolian leader suggested that the highway could later be extended to Chinese territory. President Bagabandi arrived in Almaty earlier this week to take part in the First Summit of Organization on Confidence Building Measures in Asia.
Nazarbayev also held talks with the Undersecretary of the Arab League, Abdel Adil and behind closed doors with Chinese President Jiang Zemin.
COMMITTEES FOR RELEASE OF ABLIYAZOV AND ZHAQIYANOV GATHER SIGNATURES
Several Committees for the Release of Mukhtar Abliyazov and Ghalymzhan Zhaqiyanov have recently been founded in several cities. Both men are founding members of the opposition movement Democratic Choice for Kazakhstan and are in custody awaiting trial on charges of financial malpractice.
Elnur Zhashimova of the Semey (Semipalatinsk) based committee lobbying for the two men's release told RFE/RL on 5 June that the committe has collected over 800 signatures to a petition demanding the immediate release of the two politicians. She also said that investigations into Zhaqiyanov's case have been completed and Zhaqiyanov is familiarizing himself with details of the charges he faces.