WEEKLY REVIEW. Real effect of Customs Union - trade turnover in Kazakhstan increased by 47.2% due to export growth

Massimov held a regular session of the Single Coordination Council on solution of problems of shared construction. The issues of completion of facilities of housing construction with share participation were discussed at the session. Implementation of a plan of joint acts of the state bodies on return of assets of unscrupulous developers for compensation of damage caused by their actions to home investors was considered as well.

On the same day the Premier took part in a presentation of new technology - fourth generation WiMAX network (4G), commercial launch of which was put into operation by Alem Communication Holding LLC. The technology will be launched in other two cities till the end of 2010, and next year the WiMAX network will be available in other 18-20 cities of Kazakhstan. K.Massimov, in his turn, noted that WiMAX introduction is a step to promotion and development of the Kazakh society. The Premier urged Minister of Communication and Information A.Zhumagaliyev to study the issue of computer literacy of the population.

Karim Massimov held a working sitting on development of regions, in the course of which there was considered drat predictive scheme for territorial-spatial development of the country till 2020 - systems of rational distribution of productive forces, transport-communication, social and other infrastructure across regions.

On Monday, November 29, there was held a video conference with participation of members of the Commission of the Customs Union - First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Umirzak Shukeyev, First deputy Prime Minister of Russia Igor Shuvalov and Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Andrei Kobyakov as well as representatives of responsible state bodies of Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus. Within the conference agreements which form a contractual basis of the Single Economic Space. The conference participants noted that the sides' positions on majority of documents were defined. Following results of the sitting the texts of documents on uniform rules of state support of agriculture as well as principles and rules of competition and regulation of activity of natural monopoly entities were agreed.

On Wednesday, December 1, Prime Minister Karim Massimov met with President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Thomas Mirow. At the meeting there was announced provision of loan to Kazakhstan in the amount of USD 200 mln. The funds will be used for purchasing new freight wagons. The eight year loan is called on to realize the program on modernization of cargo cars of Kazakhstan. It is one of the goals of the program on transport infrastructure development for 2010-2014.

Within the framework of the OSCE Summit in Astana on December 1-2 there was held a joint briefing of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office-Minister of Foreign Affairs Kanat Saudabayev. H.Clinton noted that the people of Kazakhstan can be proud of what they have achieved and bilateral strategic partnership between the U.S.A. and Kazakhstan will continue. She thanked Kazakhstan for support of the international mission in Afghanistan.

H.Clinton reminded that recently with participation of the U.S.A., Great Britain, Russia and the IAEA the project on exportation of 10 tons of highly enriched uranium and 3 tons of weapons-grade plutonium from Aktau to the territory of the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site was completed.

"This material would be sufficient to produce 775 nuclear weapons, and now we are sure that these materials do not fall into the wrong hands. It is an important landmark of our cooperation", the U.S. Secretary of State noted.

On Friday, December 3, within the framework of a visit of Federal President of Austria Heinz Fischer to Kazakhstan there was signed a number of bilateral documents. They are memorandums of cooperation of ministries of transport and communications, industry and new technologies, healthcare with the corresponding state bodies of Austria.

In the course of a meeting of Heinz Fischer with Karim Massimov the issues regarding further expansion of cooperation in the trade-economic, investment, cultural-humanitarian spheres were discussed. The sides expressed interest in strengthening interaction in the field of energy, technologies transfer, healthcare, tourism and other sectors of economy.

The Kazakh Prime Minister met with Cardinal Secretary of State of the Holy See (Vatican) Tarcisio Bertone. The Head of the Government thanked T.Bertone for participation in the OSCE Summit and noted that his visit will make significant contribution to strengthening relation between the two countries.

On Friday, December 3, First Deputy Prime Minister U.Shukeyev participated in a roundtable "The Single Economic Space: new opportunities for Kazakhstan" in Astana. He said that within the framework of the Customs Union the volume of foreign trade of Kazakhstan with Russia and Belarus has increased.

According to his data, trade turnover in the republic increased by almost 50 percent due to export to these countries. U.Shukeyev estimated such tendency as landmark. "The volume of foreign trade with Russia and Belarus has increased. Over nine months of 2010 export of the Kazakh production to the Russian Federation increased. Trade turnover in the republic increased by 47.2 percent due to increase in export", the First Vice Premier said.

U.Shukeyev announced that since joining the Customs Union import to Kazakhstan from the third countries has significantly decreased. In his opinion, such situation will allow to create additional protection for the domestic business.