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Kazakh Report: February 1, 2000


1 February 2000

KAZAKHSTAN AND UZBEKISTAN EXCHANGE OFFICIAL NOTES ON BORDER INCIDENT;
Spokesman of the Kazakh Foreign Minister, Rasul Zhumaliyev, said in his interview to an RFE/RL correspondent in Astana that Kazakh and Uzbek sides have exchanged official notes on the border issue.

Last week Uzbekistan started setting up border signs between the two states on their own. Kazakhstan protested to Uzbekistan for moving the border signs into Kazakh territory in the Sary-Aghash District of Southern Kazakhstan Oblast.

PARTICIPANTS OF MASS GATHERING IN ALMATY HELD BY PENSIONERS BEING SUMMONED TO COURT.
RFE/RL correspondents in Almaty report that some participants of the mass gathering on Republic Square in the former capital that had been held by pensioners and supported by some opposition parties are being summoned to court. The elderly citizens of Almaty traditionally gather in this spot on the 30th of every month. According to RFE/RL correspondents, a participant who gave a speech at the Ismailov received an summons from the court. Some of the participants like two members of the People's Republican Party of Kazakhstan were who fined up to 4,000 Tenges each for participating in an unsanctioned public gathering.

The same kind of gatherings took place in eight cities all over Kazakhstan, RFE/RL correspondents report. In Qaraghandy, Central Kazakhstan two men were detained. In Qostanay, North Kazakhstan 1,500 people took part in a meeting. At all the meetings pensioners demanded better life conditions.

Elderly citizens plan their next gathering on February 29.

NEW AGRARIAN PARTY TO BE FOUND.
RFE/RL correspondents in Almaty report that a new political party is to be founded by agrarians. The Organizing Committee of the new party, lead by member of the Kazakh Parliament and director of the Agrarian Center of Kazakhstan Gani Qaliyev, held its first meeting on 31 January. Eight Oblasts of Kazakhstan were represented at the founding meeting of the new political party.

MEN WITH 65,000 FORGED US DOLLARS DETAINED IN ALMATY.
RFE/RL correspondents quote police sources that several men with 65,000 forged US dollars were detained in Almaty. They had been detained while buying a Mercedes car for $45,000. Police are trying to find he source of the forged money. Investigations are underway.

KAZAKH VICE-PREMIER HAS MEETINGS WITH SEVERAL FOREIGN OFFICIALS.
RFE/RL correspondents in Astana report that Vice Premier Danial Akhmetov is had several meetings with foreign officials on 1 February. He met with visiting Latvian delegation, representatives of Tatarstan and the Ambassador of Denmark.

KAZAKH ARMY TO BE REORGANIZED.
RFE/RL correspondents in Almaty are quoting Defense Minister Sat Toqpaqbayev as saying that the structure of the Kazakh Army is to be reorganized soon. Quick respond forces will have superiority in this new structure.

A new single anti-terrorist center is to be set up by all CIS countries, in accordance with President Nazarbayev's proposal made at the Moscow summit of CIS leaders last week. President Nazarbayev expressed his opinion that this kind of center is a necessity for Kazakhstan, since according to latest reports, drugs from Afghanistan being trafficked to the West through Kazakh territory. President Nazarbayev also expressed his concern that the situation in Chechnya could affect Central Asia, and now according to the President's decree, the southern borders of Kazakhstan are being strengthened. Defense Minister Sat Toqpaqbayev said that several new military bases are to be set in Southern Kazakhstan this spring.

FOUR PEOPLE TO FACE COURT CHARGES FOR STEALING LENIN MONUMENT.
RFE/RL correspondents in Almaty quote independent KTK telestation as reporting that foeu people who stole a Lenin monument in Moscow village of Qostanay Oblast and sold it as scrap iron will face court charges soon. They are being accused of stealing something of historical value and could be sentenced from 8 to 15 years in prison. The person who bought the Lenin monument as a scrap iron was already fined 7,000 Tenges.

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