US embassy cable - 05ALMATY4057

UNCLAS  ALMATY 004057 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
TASHKENT FOR EPUTNAM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, SENV, ENRG, EPET, KZ, Environment 
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATE 
 
1.  Summary: This information is drawn primarily from the 
Kazakhstani local press, and has not been verified.  The 
opinions expressed in this report, therefore, should not be 
interpreted by readers as conveying positions and/or policy 
of the U.S. Government. 
 
--  Aral Sea to be Filled With Water in the Coming Years 
-- Kazakhstan to Tighten Environment Law, Increase Fines 
-- U.S. Bans Beluga Caviar 
-- Ecology Minister Slams Oil Companies 
-- Mazhilis Approves Draft Law on Kazakhstan's Joining a 
Convention on Wetlands 
-- Mazhilis Approves Draft Law on Kazakhstan's Joining a 
Convention on Protecting the Caspian Sea 
-- Kazakhstan Discusses Ratification of the Kyoto 
Protocol, UN Convention On Climate Change 
-- International Agreement on the Balkhash Basin to be 
Developed in Kazakhstan 
-- Institute of Nuclear Physics Proposes to Transfer Part of 
SNTG Territory for Economic Use 
-- Brucellosis Included in the List of Especially Dangerous 
Animal Diseases 
-- HIV/AIDS Disease Incidents in Kazakhstan Increase by 20% 
Annually 
 
Aral Sea To Be Filled With Water In The Coming Years 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
2. The Small Aral Sea separated from the Big Aral Sea by 
the Kok-Aral dam and will be filled with water in the next 
two to three years, Kazakhstan Vice-Premier Akhmetzhan 
Yesimov said at the second international forum "Balkhash- 
2005" in Almaty on September 30. The water would fill 360 
sq km of area and would stretch almost 120 km to reach the 
town of Aralsk. The vice-premier underlined that the 
filling of Small Aral will favorably affect the 
development of the fishing industry in the region.  The 
new dam is one of the main targets of the project on 
Regulation of the Syrdarya River and conservation of the 
northern part of Aral Sea implemented by Kazakhstan under 
the auspices of World Bank funding. The first stage of the 
project is estimated at $85.79 mn, including $64.5 mn from 
a loan extended by the Worlk Bank. The remaining funds 
were provided by Kazakhstan (October 3, 2005). 
 
Kazakhstan to Tighten Environment Law, Increase Fines 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
3. Kazakhstan's Ecology and Environment Ministry said 
Wednesday that in 2006 it plans to increase the fines to 
be paid by oil companies for environmental damage. Ecology 
and Environment Minister Aitkul Samakova said the new 
fines will be many times more than the current ones--about 
500 million tenge ($4 million)--and substantial enough to 
force companies to buy environmentally-friendly equipment. 
She said many large oil companies continue to illegally 
flare associate gas, despite fines (Dow Jones 
International News, October 5, 2005). 
 
U.S. Bans Beluga Caviar 
----------------------- 
 
4. The U.S. ban on the import of beluga and beluga caviar 
produced in the Caspian Sea will not negatively affect 
Kazakhstani fish producers' operations, according to the 
news service of the AtyrauBalyk JSC in the Atyrau oblast. On 
September 30, the U.S. introduced a prohibition of beluga 
caviar and all beluga product imports produced in the 
Caspian Sea. The U.S. Wildlife Service stressed that the 
prohibition was motivated by an attempt to save the beluga 
sturgeon species.  This species of fish has declined by 90% 
over the last 20 years, and is presently under the 
protection of a UN convention. The U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency asked Caspian littoral states to respond 
by September 6 with measures that they will take to preserve 
beluga sturgeon. However, it has not received a reply from 
any of the Caspian countries (Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, 
Turmenistan and Azerbaijan) as of yet (Interfax-Kazakhstan, 
October 10, 2005). 
 
Ecology Minister Slams Oil Companies 
------------------------------------ 
 
5. The RK Environment Protection Minister A. Samakova has 
criticized oil and gas companies operating in Kazakhstan for 
insufficient attention to ecological issues. She stressed 
that a "significant decrease" in the volume of investment 
for environmental protection has occurred at Tengizchevroil, 
KarakudukMunay, KarazhanbasMunay, KazakhTurkMunay and other 
companies.  Samakova said that "gross violations" related to 
the control of radioactive material were found at the Great 
Wall LLP as well as at the KazMunayGas oil and gas company. 
The latter does not control its level of radiation due to 
 
absence of monitoring equipment.  The Minister also pointed 
out that submerged oil and gas wells in the Caspian zone 
provoke great concern and can cause complicated ecological 
situations. There are 85 submerged wells, which require the 
adoption of "urgent measures," she said. In addition, the 
minister stressed that oil companies should develop and 
implement programs for the utilization of associated gas, 
sulfur and other production wastes, and re-cultivate the 
soil (Interfax-Kazakhstan, October 10, 2005). 
 
 
Mazhilis Approves Draft Law on Joining Wetlands Convention 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
6. On September 28, at the plenary session of the 
Mazhilis, deputies approved Kazakhstan's joining of the 
Convention on the Wetlands of International Importance 
Especially as Wildlife Habitat.  As the Mazhilis Committee 
on International Affairs, Defense and Security noted, 
three wetlands of Kazakhstan - Tengiz-Korgaldzhinskoye, 
Alakolskaya lake systems and at the juncture of the rivers 
Tengiz and Irgiz - are recognized as having international 
importance. The Convention on the Wetlands of 
International Importance Especially as Wildlife Habitat is 
an intergovernmental agreement signed in 1971 in Ramsar. 
It entered into force in 1975 (Gazeta, kz, September 28, 
2005). 
 
Mazhilis Approves Joining Caspian Sea Convention 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
7. On September 28, at the plenary session of the 
Mazhilis, deputies approved Kazakhstan's joining of the 
Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of 
the Caspian Sea.  According to the Committee on 
International Affairs, Defense and Security, the goal of 
signing this Convention is to develop cooperation in the 
protection of the marine environment of the Caspian Sea 
from pollution, including protection, conservation, 
restoration and sustainable and rational use of its 
bioresources. The Convention was adopted in November 2003 
in Tehran. It was signed by Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, 
Russia and Turkmenistan. The bill is pending the Senate's 
consideration (Gazeta. kz, September 28, 2005). 
 
Kyoto Protocol, UN Convention on Climate Change 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
8. Vice Environment Protection Minister Zh. Bekzhanov and 
Director of the Coordination Center on Climate Change, K. 
Baigarin, discussed the issue of ratification of the Kyoto 
Protocol by Kazakhstan on September 27. Along with the 
developed countries, Kazakhstan has announced its 
intention to take quantitative obligations on reducing 
greenhouse emissions.  An interagency commission 
determined that in the base year on greenhouse emissions, 
1992, emissions totaled 340 million tons of CO-2 
equivalent. Consequently, Kazakhstan informed Convention 
parties of its intention not to exceed 340 million tons of 
emissions during the first record session (Earthwire 
Kazakhstan, September 29, 2005). 
 
International Agreement on the Balkhash Basin 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
9. Minister of Environmental Protection A. Samakova 
announced on September 30 that the Ministry intends to 
develop an international Agreement on sustainable 
development and equal partnership of states located in the 
Lake Balkhash basin. The international agreement should be 
developed on the principles of the Helsinki Convention on 
Protection and Use of Tranboundary Water Streams and 
International Lakes. The main problem is the quality of the 
water and the task is not to damage the ecosystem of the 
region and not to create the Second Aral, she noted at the 
briefing. (Kazakhstan Today, Sept 30, 2005) 
 
INP Proposes Transfer of Part of SNTG Territory 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
10. The Institute of Nuclear Physics, National Nuclear 
Center, proposed to transfer part of the Semipalatinsk 
Nuclear Test Site territory for economic use, noting that 
the land is clean. This was announced by the Director of the 
Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kairat Kadyrzhanov, at the 
fifth international conference "Nuclear and Radiation 
Physics" held in Alatau settlement near Almaty on September 
26. He also noted that there were territories that would be 
prohibited for use for decades and even hundreds of years. 
He hopes that if clean territories are transferred for use, 
the border of the test site will decrease and it will become 
easier to control the territory.  However, U.S. scientists 
advised caution as economic activity may spread radioactive 
 
pollution both within the territory of the test site and 
beyond its borders (Interfax-Kazakhstan, September 26, 
2005). 
 
Brucellosis Listed as Especially Dangerous Animal Disease 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
11. the Government of Kazakhstan introduced amendments to 
April 28, 2003 GOK  Resolution No. 407 and added brucellosis 
to a list of especially dangerous diseases (Kazinform, 
September 26, 2005). 
 
 
HIV/AIDS Increases by 20% Annually 
---------------------------------- 
 
12. According to the Second Report on the Millennium 
Development Goals in Kazakhstan, presented in Astana, 
cases of HIV/AIDS in Kazakhstan are increasing by 20% 
annually.  According to the report, current legislation is 
rather controversial. On one hand, AIDS-infected people 
are protected, on the other hand they often face 
restrictions.  Most infected people in Kazakhstan are poor 
and do not receive extra aid beyond the standard social 
protection. They are discriminated against and isolated. 
The document also says that nongovernmental organizations 
and the diseased themselves are not engaged in the fight 
against HIV/AIDS properly (The Times of Central Asia, 
October 10, 2005). 
 
ORDWAY 
 
 
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