Kazakhstan: Nazarbayev Meets U.S. Delegates

Almaty, 20 November 1996 (RFE/RL) - Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has held talks in Almaty with participants of the third Session of the Joint U.S.-Kazakhstan Commission, which started working yesterday in Almaty.

Nazarbayev and U.S. delegation leader, James Collins, an adviser to the Secretary of State, discussed widening bilateral cooperation.

The U.S. delegation was given the floor during a session of the Kazakh parlament's lower house, the Majilis. They acquainted Kazakh lawmakers with the U.S. defense system.

The Secretary of Kazakhstan's Security Council, General Bekbolat Sarsekov, explained his country's defense system to the U.S. delegation.

Iranian Speaker To Visit Capital



The speaker of Iran's parliament, Ali Akbar Nateq-Nouri, is due in the Kazakh capital today. He is scheduled to meet Kazakh President Nazarbayev tommorrow before travelling on to Turkmenistan.

Cabinet Sworn In



Some 18 members of Kazakhstan's government were sworn in before President Nursultan Nazarbayev yesterday. They include several Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers, and heads of State Committees. Nazarbayev stressed the importance of taking the oath of office and announced that in future every newly appointed member of the government will be sworn within 10 days of being appointed. The president also issued a decree requiring all members of the government to report their monthly and annually income to the president's office.

Ex-Governor Freed



Kazakh authorities have fully exonerated and released from prison the former governor of Lenin Region of Kokshetau Oblast in Northern Part of Kazakhstan, Qayirgeldi Akimbekov. The former governor was jailed for two years on charges of corruption. He was appointed Deputy Chief of the Kokshetau Oblast Agricultural Sector. Akimbekov called RFE/RL's Almaty bureau today to express his gratitude to the Kazakh service for covering his case last year.