GOVERNMENT: Kazakhstan deepens cooperation with China, plans to support business and create more favorable conditions for business

Speaking at the government hour in the Majilis, Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Vladimir Shkolnik said cheap gasoline from Russia could cause a suspension of production at Kazakhstani oil refineries. For this reason, the ministry tries to reach a compromise and find a way out of the situation. "All reserves of the country have been filled with about 350 thousand tons of diesel fuel and 250 thousand tons of AI-92 gasoline. The supplies for the summer are presently renewed. It is yet difficult for find a mechanism, a formula that would automatically regulate the situation. As long as out neighbor - Russian Federation that exports 30% of AI-92 gasoline to our country - switched to manual operation until the process of modernization at our refineries is over," V.Shkolnik said adding that the price for AI-92 gasoline could decrease in February. The head of the ministry also informed that Kazakhstan considers expanding energy export potential by means of construction of direct-current lines connecting Ekibastuz and substations in Hami, Xinjiang. According to the minister, it will allow to export about six kilowatt of energy to China. V.Shkolnik specified that negotiations on this issue had already been started. Regarding the construction of the second atomic power station in Kazakhstan, the minister noted that the situation will be cleared up after 2019. Later on the day, talking to mass media in Akorda, Minister of Education and Science of Kazakhstan Aslan Sarinzhipov informed that Kazakhstan plans to launch two projects on the education system development jointly with the World Bank. "We plan to launch two new projects this year. One of them is aimed at development of the education system with the focus on informatization of education. We plan to apply the knowledge and experience of the World Bank's experts in penetration of the IT systems into our education," the minister told. The second project, according to the minister, is focused on the youth policy. "The world Bank will assist in the development of infrastructure for youth organizations. The financing for the project will be allocated in the form of a grant that will be used to render financial support to youth organizations functioning all over the country and in different spheres," A.Sarinzhipov said. The grants in the amount of 5 to 50 thousand U.S. dollars will be allocated on a competitive basis. The government of Kazakhstan has also developed an action plan aimed at support of industrial enterprises for 2015. It was announced during the 2nd Congress of the National Entrepreneurs Chamber. The National Entrepreneurs Chamber proposed to include several new measures in to the plan. At the presentation of the draft law on precious metals and stones in the Majilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, Deputy Minister of Investment and Development of Kazakhstan Albert Rau informed that the Government extended the prohibition on export of gold-bearing rock for another six months. The ban does not include Russia. Prime Minister K. Massimov and his Russian counterpart D. Medvedev discussed the agenda of the upcoming sitting of the Eurasian Interstate Council scheduled for early February in Moscow. At the plenary sitting of the Majilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, Deputy Minister of Investment and Development of Kazakhstan Albert Rau informed that the ministry was developing 15 joint projects in the sphere engineering sphere with Ukraine. On Thursday, Astana hosted the Kazakh-Chinese investment and development sitting and the investment forum organized by the Ministry of Investment and Development of Kazakhstan and the National Agency for Export and Investment "KAZNEX INVEST". It was announced at the forum that Kazakhstan and China were working on development of over 20 projects in the processing industry. For the first time in 14 years Kazakhstan increased the export of meat, the Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan Asylzhan Mamytbekov informed at the enlarged sitting of the board of the ministry. According to him, the livestock grew by 3.2% in Kazakhstan compared to 2013. At the end of the week, during the CCS media briefing Minister of Culture and Sport of Kazakhstan Arystanbek Mukhamediuly informed that the national council of literature and art under the President of Kazakhstan would be established in the country. The council will be the main body regulating the implementation of the cultural policy. First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Bakhytzhan Sagintayev held a meeting with the business community of Almaty, where he informed the Government proposed to allocate 200 million tenge for business support in 2015.