16 October 1999
PRESIDENT AKAYEV IN DENMARK.
President Askar Akayev met in Copenhagen on 15 November with Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen of Denmark and discussed bilateral relations between Denmark and Kyrgyzstan. It was agreed to strengthen relations and widen cooperation in agriculture, energetics, tourism and to support small and medium business. According to Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Muratbek Imanaliev, Denmark is among a group of 10 European countries that support Kyrgyzstan the most.
President Akayev also visited the Confederation of Danish Producers and gave a news conference afterwards. Akayev said that Kyrgyzstan would try to turn cooperation with Denmark into a two-way road. According to him, Kyrgyzstan has only received help from Denmark before. Also, Akayev supported the Russian military campaign in Chachnya, naming Chechnya as a source of terrorism.
In the evening, Danish Queen Margrethe II received President Akayev and the Kyrgyz delegation. Akayev was accompanied by Foreign Minister Muratbek Imanaliev, Ambassador Apas Jumagulov, MP Gany Asnalaiev, Governor of the Issyk-Kul region Toichubek Kasymov and other officials.
Diplomatic relations between Denmark and Kyrgyzstan were established on 8 May 1992. On 17 November, Akayev will leave Denmark for Turkey to take part in the OSCE summit to be held in Istanbul on 18-19 November.
DRFAT BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR IS NOT APPROVED.
The parliamentary People's Assembly rejected on 15 November to approve the draft law on the state budget for the year 2000, prepared by the government. According to the deputies, the draft is unreal and the government does not want to increase the current minimal salary rate and wages to teachers and doctors. The Assembly has been discussing the draft since 11 November. The minimal salary in the country is 100 soms per month (about $2.2), average monthly salary is about 700 soms (about $15) and monthly minimal subsistence level is about 1,100 soms (about $24).
However, the government has prepared the draft budget for 2000 with a surplus: it expects 10,079-million-soms(about $225 million) in revenues and 10,022 million soms of expenditures next year. According to the first version of the draft, announced by the government early in September, state revenues should have been 9,897,469,000 soms and expenditures expected to have been 9,716,900,000 in the year 2000. The government had easily amended the draft recently due to a decision by President Askar Akayev to form a new province in the country.
IMF MISSION LEAVES KYRGYZSTAN.
An International Monetary Fund delegation will leave Kyrgyzstan on 16 November. Head of the delegation Henry Kirens told RFE/RL correspondents in Bishkek on 15 November that a decision to give Kyrgyzstan the second loan in the framework of the Economic Structural Adjustment Facility (ESAF-2) has not been taken yet. According to him, Kyrgyzstan has not met some demands of the IMF, but he rejected to name the demands.
The IMF Delegation has been in Kyrgyzstan for 10 days and met with officials in the government and the National Bank. The negotiations will continue in February 2000.
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS ESTABLISHED WITH AFGHANISTAN.
The Foreign Ministry announced in Bishkek on 15 November that Kyrgyz Ambassador to Russia Akmatbek Nanaev had met in Moscow with Aghan Ambassador to Russia Abdul Wahif Assifi and the two signed a protocol on establishing diplomatic relations between Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan.
PRIME MINISTER RECEIVES FOREIGN DELEGATIONS.
The governmental press service announced in Bishkek that Prime Minister Amangeldi MurAliyev received on 15 November a delegation of the Canadian Saskachevan province, led by Jennies McCiney. It was agreed at the meeting to establish direct economic relations between Kyrgyzstan and Saskachevan.
The same day, MurAliyev received a delegation from the Chinese Xinjiang province, led by Mambetasan Toktaly. The delegation represented the Kyzyl-Suu district of Xinjiang, mostly populated by ethnic Kyrgyz. It was agreed at the meeting to broad cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Xinjiang in energetics and oil producing.
NEW KYRGYZ CITIZENS ACCUSED OF TREASON.
The Interior Ministry announced in Bishkek on 15 November that three more people have been accused of treason. They are suspected of helping Islamic rebels during their invasion of southern Kyrgyzstan in August-October. Four other Kyrgyz citizens have been accused of treason before and they are stated as traitors to Kyrgyzstan.
NEW HOMELESS PEOPLE RECEIVE PLOTS OF LAND.
Chairmam of the Kydyr-Ata youth organization Bakyt BotAliyev told RFE/RL correspondent in Bishkek on 13 November that the Bishkek City administration had decided to give a large group of homeless young people plots of land. After receiving all the necessary documents, the administration will distribute plots in the Uchkun, Kok Jar, Ak Orgo and Archa Beshik suburbs of Bishkek to members of the Kydyr-Ata, Beikuttuk, Kosh-Kanat and El Jeri youth organizations to construct their private houses.
Tens of thousands of young people come to Bishkek from the countryside, live at their relatives or friends and try to construct their own houses. The government allots them plots of land from time to time. About 60 people held a demonstration in front of the governmental building in Bishkek on 3 November. They were members of the "El Jeri", Kosh Kanat" and "Kydyr Ata" societies and demanded that they be permitted to construct houses the Bishkek suburbs. Members of the "Dyikan Ordo" and "Ak Ordo" societies had also planned to hold demonstration in Bishkek on 7 November and Mayor of Bishkek Medet Kerimkulov met with their representatives on 6 November, promising to help.