Официальный сайт ЮКО новости

Tourism profits increased in Kazakhstan

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:13:32 +0600

Profits from tourism increased in Kazakhstan, Tengrinews.kz reports citing the information announced during the board meeting of Kazakhstan Agency on Sport and Physical Culture on February 1.

“According to the Statistics Agency, the income from tourism made 82.3 billion tenge ($556 million) in 9 months of 2011. Compared to the same period of 2010, this value grew by 5.2 percent,” head of the Agency Talgat Yermegiyayev said. He stressed that tourism had notably developed in Kazakhstan. “A huge work was done. Several memorandums were signed. Construction of the new ski resort is planned to be launched in Borovoye area this April,” former Minister of Tourism and Sport said.

“I would like to note the active work of local executive bodies on development of sport infrastructure in the regions, in particular, in South Kazakhstan, Karaganda, Kostanai, Mangistau and Atyrau oblasts. 1 sports palace, 2 physical training complexes, 100 gyms, 40 tennis courts, 12 swimming pools, 10 ski resorts were opened in 2011. The total number of sport facilities increased by 1,550 units and made 32,816 units in 2011,” Yermegiyayev said.

“We have hosted 2 world champions, won 7 silver medals and 6 bronze medals in the end of 2011. Kazakhstan is ranked 22nd by the number of gold medals and 14th by the overall number of medals in the world. Our objective is to win over 100 spots for the 2012 London Olympics by the end of qualifications games (early July 2012). Our sportsmen have all the prerequisites to achieve all the set goals and objectives and to perform at least as well as they did at the Beijing Olympics,” the Ministry’s press-service said.

For more information see: Tengrinews.kz

Kazakhstan to prepare detailed anti-crisis plan

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:09:33 +0600

Kazakhstan Ministry of Economic Development and Trade has been instructed to prepare a detailed anti-crisis plan, Tengrinews.kz reports. The instructions were made by deputy Prime-Minister during an extended board meeting of the Ministry of January 31.

“Unfortunately what we see today shows a possibility of deterioration of the situation at the global markets. That’s why we have to be ready for different scenarios,” Kairat Kelimbetov warned Minister of Economic Development and Trade and gave the instructions. “As soon as possible, i.e. by March 1, the Ministry has to finish preparing a detailed anti-crisis plan and Plan B, that has been discussed a lot and that will include different scenarios of the global economy and the necessary reaction measures.”

”The situation in the global economy that is going through the period of uncertainty may change dramatically. We have to be ready to react to the situation very quickly and prevent the situation in our country from deteriorating. That’s why I am asking the Minister to enhance the operative monitoring of the situation in Kazakhstan, in the region and in the world and to daily update the government on the situation,” Vice-PM said.

Kairat Kelimbetov instructed the Economic Development Minister to keep a close watch of the inflation in Kazakhstan and prevent unreasonable growth of rates and prices of socially important goods and services.

For more information see: Tengrinews.kz

Vice-Ministers of Transport and Communications appointed in Kazakhstan

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:08:37 +0600

New Vice-Ministers of Transport and Communications were appointed, Tengrinews.kz reports citing Twitter blog of Kazakhstan Minister of Transport and Communications Askar Zhumagaliyev.

“Saken Sarsenov and Kairat Absattarov were appointed Vice-Ministers of Transport and Communications by a governmental decree,” Zhumagaliyev tweeted.

Kairat Absattarov, born in 1966, worked in Kazakhstan Agency of Strategic Planning and Reforming and the President’s Administration in 1998-2003.

In 2003-2006 he worked on managerial positions in Kazakhstan Agency on Informatization and Communications. In 2006-2010 he served as the administrative director of KazakhTelecom. From 2010 to January 2012 he worked as secretary of Kazakhstan Ministry of Communications and Information.

Saken Sarsenov, born in 1977, was appointed deputy chairman of National Informational Technologies in 2003. From April 2008 to October 2009 he worked as managing director on electronic services of KazakhTelecom.

Between October 2009 and March 2010 he served as chairman of the Commission on Legal Statistics and Special Calculations of the General Prosecutor’s Office. From 2010 to January 2012 he worked as Vice-Minister of Communications and Information.

Vice-Ministers of Transport and Communications Azat Bekturov and Roman Sklyar retained their positions in the Ministry.

Earlier Tengrinews.kz English reported that Kazakhstan Ministry of Communications and Information was eliminated and its functions were transferred: 1) to the Ministry of Culture in the area of information, archives and documentation; 2) to the Ministry of Transport and Communications in the area of telecommunications, informatization, control over automation of state services and coordination of the activities of people’s service centers.

Askar Zhumagaliyev was appointed Minister of Transport and Communications.

For more information see: Tengrinews.kz

Russia pours cold water on Syria text as deaths mount

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:07:14 +0600

Russia rejected on Friday the latest bid for UN action to end the political crisis in Syria, as at least 35 more people were killed, several in clashes between loyalist and rebel troops, AFP reports.

The violence came as thousands of people across Syria defied the government crackdown to remember a notorious 1982 massacre in the central city of Hama that killed thousands.

The commemorations took place as Western and Arab countries sought to reach agreement on a draft UN resolution to pressure Syria to end its nearly 11-month crackdown on anti-regime dissent.

A new text being considered by the UN Security Council does not explicitly call on President Bashar al-Assad to step down or mention an arms embargo or sanctions, but "fully supports" an Arab League plan to facilitate a democratic transition.

Diplomats said the new draft took into account concerns by Moscow, a staunch Damascus ally.

But Russia poured cold water on such hopes on Friday, saying it could not support the latest draft in its current form.

"Some of our concerns and the concerns of those who think the same as us have been taken into consideration but all the same this is not enough for us to be able to support it in this form," Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said.

"We still have a whole number of concerns over the content of this text and we will be ready to continue consultations on the draft resolution," he said.

"We are ready to continue work on modifying it, taking into consideration and based on our principled positions," he said, adding that no vote was expected on Saturday or Sunday.

However, officials said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held "constructive" talks with her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, over the draft.

The two agreed that teams from both countries would "continue to consult" on the draft in New York, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.

At least 35 people were reported killed across Syria on Friday, among them 16 civilians, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The Britain-based group said 14 soldiers were killed in clashes with the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) and that five army deserters also lost their lives.

In addition, one person died of wounds sustained on Thursday, and the bodies of three other people were either found or returned to their families.

Amid growing concern that Syria is sliding into all-out civil war, an officer with the FSA claimed the regular army "is in a pitiful state and getting close to collapsing."

Major Maher Nouaimi, based in Turkey, told AFP by telephone that "even though the army has huge military capabilities, soldiers no longer have the will to fight or are ready to do so."

He said there was growing discontent among officers and the rank and file against commanders, who are largely drawn from Assad's Alawite community, an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

Most conscripts in the military are from Syria's majority Sunni Muslim community.

In many instances, Nouaimi said, dissident soldiers have literally had to fight their way out, braving security forces checkpoints to escape.

Osama Shami, a spokesman for activists in the Damascus region, said several rallies took place in the capital, with security forces opening fire on demonstrators.

"Government troops deployed heavily around mosques but protesters managed to evade them by leaving Friday prayers quietly and then holding spontaneous protests in alleyways," he told AFP.

"Hafez is dead, Hama is not! Bashar will die and Syria will not!" read placards brandished by protesters in the Al-Kidam district of Damascus, according to an Internet video posted by militants.

Hafez al-Assad was the father and predecessor of the current president. According to various estimates, between 10,000 and 40,000 people died during the 27-day 1982 onslaught he ordered against an Islamist uprising in Hama.

The current violence has killed at least 6,000 people since it erupted last March, rights groups estimate.

Human Rights Watch said in a report released on Friday that children as young as 13 are a particular target in the "rampant" use of torture by government forces battling opposition protests.

While the United Nations says hundreds of children have been killed in the crackdown, HRW highlighted cases of children shot in their homes or on the street, or grabbed from schools and then tortured.

"Children, some as young as 13, reported to Human Rights Watch that officers kept them in solitary confinement, severely beat and electrocuted them, burned them with cigarettes, and left them to dangle from metal handcuffs for hours at a time, centimetres above the floor," said the report.

For more information see: Tengrinews.kz

Australia flood crisis deepens

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:05:36 +0600

Australia's flood crisis deepened Saturday as authorities braced for waters to peak in Queensland where one woman is missing after being swept away while elsewhere thousands remain stranded by the surge, AFP reports.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said eight military helicopters would help in search, evacuation and resupply missions in the eastern state, where days of heavy rainfall have prompted hundreds of evacuations and dozens of rescues.

"The helicopters will be available to assist in rescue operations as required until the immediate crisis has passed," Gillard said in a statement.

In the inland Queensland town of Charleville authorities are on alert amid fears a temporary levee will collapse as the Warrego River continues to rise, flooding the whole town.

The weather bureau's Paul Birch told the ABC the situation was "touch and go" as the water will be "rushing in quick over the levee".

"If it does that you find it tends to erode out part of the levee fairly quickly. So then it will just open up the river into town -- it's quite catastrophic," Birch said.

Mayor Mark O'Brien said hundreds of people had been evacuated from their homes but so far Charleville itself was "high and dry".

"We've just got an enormous body of water going down the river, but if this thing passes quickly people can just go straight back to the way they were before," he told the ABC.

In the town of Roma to the east, police were continuing their search for a woman missing since Friday after her vehicle was swept off the side of a road.

"A boy was rescued from the car and a woman got out of the vehicle but rescuers could not keep hold of her," police said in a statement. "The woman was swept away in fast flowing flood waters."

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, who just over a year ago was dealing with epic floods that swamped the state, sweeping away entire hamlets and flooding thousands of homes, has warned the community faced dangerous new territory.

In New South Wales, the State Emergency Service said 16,550 people were stranded with the worst affected areas around Moree in the state's far north where floodwaters are expected to remain at their peak for one or two days.

"At this height the properties on the north side of the Mehi River in Moree will remain isolated with many properties surrounded by floodwater and some, possibly in excess of three hundred, inundated," the service said.

SES assistant commissioner Andrew Edwards said while the rain was easing, the amount of flooding in the region and to the north meant that "we can expect these floods to be going on for months" in some pockets.

Australia suffered epic floods late 2010 and in the January 2011 which swamped a huge area of Queensland, inundating thousands of homes and businesses, sweeping away small villages and leaving more than 30 people dead.

By Madeleine Coorey

For more information see: Tengrinews.kz

Iran denies planning attacks on US

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:03:46 +0600

Iran on Friday rejected allegations by the US director of national intelligence James Clapper that the Islamic republic was more willing now to carry out attacks on American soil, AFP reports.

"Iran categorically denies James Clapper's unfounded allegations," foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said.

"Those who are themselves accused of supporting the assassination of Iranian scientists in Tehran cannot allow themselves to make such false and inexact allegations," he said.

In written remarks on Tuesday to senators, Clapper said an alleged plot last year to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States showed Tehran might be more willing now to carry out attacks on US soil.

"Iran's willingness to sponsor future attacks in the United States or against our interests abroad probably will be shaped by Tehran's evaluation of the costs it bears for the plot against (Saudi Arabia's) ambassador as well as Iranian leaders' perceptions of US threats against the regime," he said.

The United States made its allegations early last October and claimed it traced the supposed plot back to the Quds Force, a special operations unit of Iran's Revolutionary Guards.

Iran has repeatedly denied any involvement in the plot, which have strained its already frayed relations with Saudi Arabia.

A key US Senate panel on Thursday adopted a sweeping package of tough new sanctions aimed at forcing Iran to freeze its controversial nuclear programme amid escalating worries of a military confrontation.

The Senate Banking Committee approved the harsh new measures by voice vote, without dissent, as part of a mounting campaign in the US Congress to tighten the economic screws on defiant Iran.

Tehran denies Western charges that it seeks the ability to build a nuclear weapon, insisting its atomic activities are an effort to develop a civilian power-production capability.

Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, a 32-year-old deputy director of Iran's main uranium enrichment plant, was murdered on January 11 along with his driver/bodyguard when assassins on a motorbike fixed a magnetic bomb to their car.

For more information see: Tengrinews.kz

Protesters attack Russian embassy, tear down Russian flag in Tripoli

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:00:05 +0600

Protesters have attacked the Russian embassy in Tripoli and tore down the Russian flag, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday.

According to Al Jazeera, the riots staged by the Syria opposition involved Libyans as well.

No further details are available so far.

None of the Russian diplomats has been hurt in an rally stage by the Syrian opposition in front of the Russian embassy in Tripoli on Sunday, an officer from the Russian embassy told Itar-Tass over the phone.

"No one has managed to break into the territory of the Russian diplomatic mission, no one of the personnel has been hurt. All are safe and sound. Although the protesters have managed to tear down the Russian flag," the diplomat said.

Source: KAZINFORM

Sauli Niinisto wins Finnish presidential polls

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:59:01 +0600

Sauli Niinisto, a candidate of Finland's moderate conservative National Coalition Party won Sunday's presidential elections, ending the 30-year-long period of Social Democratic Party presidents, RAI Novosti said.

Niinisto won the runoff with 62.6 percent of the vote, the country's justice ministry said. He claimed victory in 14 out of the country's 15 constituencies.

Niinisto's opponent, Green League candidate Pekka Haavisto, garnered 37.4 percent of the vote. He conceded defeat when about 80 percent of ballots had been counted and it was clear that Niinisto scored more than 60 percent, Finland's national broadcaster YLE said.

The turnout was 68.9 percent, the lowest in a presidential election since 1950.

Outgoing President Tarja Halonen phoned Niinisto on Sunday evening to congratulate him on election victory.

Official election results will be announced on February 8. Niinisto will be sworn in as Finland's 12th president on March 1.

Source: KAZINFORM

Nazarbayev attended 2012 Bandy World Championship semi-final match

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:58:24 +0600

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev attended the semi-final match of the 2012 Bandy World Championship between Kazakhstan and Sweden on Saturday, February 4, according to the Presidential press service.

The tournament was won by Sweden, beating Kazakhstan with 6-5.

The Championship was held between January 29 and February 5, 2012, in Almaty. 15 countries participated in the Championship.

Source: KAZINFORM

Greece crisis talks over EU bailout to resume

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:56:56 +0600

Party leaders in Greece's governing coalition are to resume crisis talks on backing a 130bn-euro European Union rescue plan, BBC reported.

The meeting between PM Lucas Papademos and the leaders of three parties ended on Sunday without any deal.

The premier is seeking support for tough reforms as a condition for the bailout. Athens needs the money by mid-March to avoid a debt default.

Meanwhile, the German and French leaders are due to hold talks in Paris.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Nicolas Sarkozy - who have worked closely on resolving the eurozone debt crisis - will take part in a joint Franco-German cabinet session in the French capital.

'Unable to bear'

Mr Papademos had hoped to reach a deal with the leaders by Sunday night - but the talks ended without agreement on the painful reforms demanded by the EU and also the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

"Political leaders should give a response in principle tomorrow [Monday] afternoon," Socialist Party (Pasok) spokesman Panos Beglitis told Reuters news agency.

The leaders of the other two parties in the coalition said after the end of Sunday's talks that they were still opposed to further austerity measures.

"I am not going to contribute to a revolution that will humiliate us and that will burn Europe", said Giorgos Karatzaferis, leader of the far-right Laos party.

Antonis Samaras, leader of the conservative New Democracy party, said the country was "being asked for more austerity, which it is unable to bear," AFP reports.

However, the BBC's Mark Lowen in Athens reports that Mr Papademos's office has put out a statement saying some agreement was reached on the reduction of public spending by 1.5% of GDP, and on bank recapitalisation.

But there was no deal on cuts to the minimum wage or to holiday bonuses, he said.

If there is no agreement, then Greece's international loan will be blocked and the country would be staring default in the face - something that could send shockwaves through the global economy, our correspondent adds.

Athens faces loan repayments to private lenders of 14.4bn euros on 20 March.

Eurozone ministers had hoped to meet on Monday to finalise the bailout - Greece's second - but that meeting had already been cancelled.

Source: KAZINFORM

Kazakh President signed law amending forestry and wildlife legislation

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:03:15 +0600

Head of State Nursultan Nazarbayev signed the Law of Kazakhstan "On amendments to some legislative acts of Kazakhstan on forestry and wildlife and specially protected natural areas".

The text of the law is published in press, the President's press service reports.

Source: KAZINFORM

Japanese FM: Kazakhstan located in strategically important region of Eurasia - significant partner for Japan

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:02:22 +0600

In connection with the 20^th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Kazakhstan Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Kōichirō Gemba has sent a congratulatory letter to Kazakh counterpart Yerzhan Kazykhanov; the press service of the Japanese Embassy in Kazakhstan reports.

"During a destructive earthquake in eastern Japan occurred in March last year, we heard warm words of condolence and support, as well as received assistance President N.Nazarbayev, Your Excellency and many other Kazakhstani people. On this occasion, I want to express my gratitude," the letter reads.

"Kazakhstan, which is located in a strategically important region of the Eurasian continent with rich natural resources and energy, is a significant partner for Japan. I am pleased to outline that in past years Kazakhstan achieves rapid economic growth and there is dynamical development in the economic and other various fields of cooperation in the relations of our countries," the Minister noted.

The Japanese Minister expressed hope that the 20^th anniversary of diplomatic relations establishment will be an impetus for further deepening and development of the relations with Kazakhstan and the Kazakhstani people.

He noted that he expects Y.Kazykhanov's participation in the fourth meeting of foreign ministers within the Central Asia+Japan dialogue, which is scheduled to be held in Japan in September, 2012.

"Wish you and your people health and happiness," he said.

The diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Japan were established on January 26, 1992.

Source: KAZINFORM

Japanese PM congratulates Nazarbayev on 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations establishment

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:00:42 +0600

In connection with the 20^th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Kazakhstan Prime Minister of Japan Yoshihiko Noda has sent a congratulatory letter to President Nursultan Nazarbayev; the press service of the Japanese Embassy in Kazakhstan reports.

The diplomatic relations were established between the two countries on January 26, 1992. Kazinform publishes the text of he message.

"Dear Mr. President!

Please accept my sincere congratulations on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Japan!

Since Kazakhstan gained independence the best relations formed between our countries.

The fact that recently during a destructive earthquake in eastern Japan occurred in March last year, we heard warm words of condolence and support, as well as received assistance on behalf of Your Excellency and many other Kazakhstani people. On this occasion, I want to express my gratitude again.

The significance of cooperation with Kazakhstan, which rapidly achieves momentum of economic growth, increases progressively. Besides, efforts on implementation of the initiative "A world without nuclear weapons", to which you pay great significance, receive positive responses of the people of Japan - the only state affected by a nuclear bombardment during the war. In turn, I intend to continue cooperation with Your Excellency, which is aimed at implementation of this initiative.

I would like to express hope that the 20^th anniversary of diplomatic relations establishment will be an impetus for further deepening and development of the relations with Kazakhstan and the Kazakhstani people.

I look forward to an opportunity of further active interaction with you in various fields, including cooperation within the Central Asia+Japan dialogue.

Wish you and your people health and happiness," the letter reads.

Source: KAZINFORM

Progress ship reaches designated orbit

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:59:08 +0600

This year's first Russian Progress transport ship that blasted off from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, January 26 has reached the designated orbit; Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.

A Soyuz-U carrier rocket with the Progress M-14M ship was launched as planned at 03:15 Moscow time, the Mission Control Centre told Itar-Tass.

At an altitude of about 200 kilometres, Progress M-14M separated from the carrier rocket and continued to fly towards the ISS along the preset trajectory.

The orbit has the following parameters: apogee - 254 kilometres, perigee - 193 kilometres, inclination - 51.66 degrees, orbiting period - 88.59 minutes.

The transport ship will bring more than 2.6 tonnes of supplies to the ISS in two days.

Progress M-14M is scheduled to dock with the ISS's Pirs module automatically at 04:09 Moscow time January 28; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass.

To learn more go to www.itar-tass.com/en/

Source: KAZINFORM

Medvedev says he may run for president again

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:58:22 +0600

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday he did not rule out the possibility of running for president again in future; Kazinform refers to China Daily.

Speaking to students at Moscow State University, Medvedev said he could run for president "some time in future" and would not leave the political life regardless of the results of the presidential elections in March.

"I have never said that I would not stand again. I recall that I am only 46," he said, "But this time I have definitely decided no to stand."

Medvedev noted that power has always been secondary for him. "But this does not mean power is not interesting for me." he said.

Still, he added, he is not going to abandon politics; Kazinform cites China Daily.

To learn more go to www.chinadaily.com.cn

Source: KAZINFORM