US embassy cable - 05ALMATY4347

UNCLAS  ALMATY 004347 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
TASHKENT FOR EPUTNAM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, SENV, ENRG, EPET, KZ, ECONOMIC, Environment 
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN ENVIRONMENT UPDATE 
November 11, 2005 
 
1. Summary:  This information is drawn primarily from the 
Kazakhstani 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. 
 
-- Kazakhstan and China to Increase Cooperation on 
Transboundary Rivers 
-- Experts Discuss Joint Management of Water Resources 
-- Kazakhstan's Water Supply in Danger 
-- Aral Sea Conservation 
-- Interstate Coordination Water Commission (ICWC) Meet in 
Almaty 
-- Karaozek River Hydro Structure to Relieve Flooding in 
Kzylorda Oblast 
-- UNGA Adopts Resolution on Rehabilitation and Development 
of Semipalatinsk 
--President Nazarbayev Promises Payment to Semipalatinsk 
Sufferers 
-- Hospital Department for Children from Environmentally 
Unfavorable Regions Opened 
-- Concern over Atyrau Oblast Reservoirs 
-- Pipeline Leak in Ust-Kamenogorsk 
 
Kazakhstan-China Cooperation on Transboundary Rivers 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
2. (U) On October 23, the Kazakhstani-Chinese Joint 
Commission on the Use and Protection of Transboundary Rivers 
met for the third time in Shanghai and approved a reporting 
procedure in the event of emergency floods and ice 
phenomena. The Commission also discussed drafts of three 
intergovernmental agreements proposed by the Kazakhstani 
side: mutual exchange of hydrological and hydrochemical 
information on transboundary river basins, joint scientific- 
research activity, and water quality and water pollution 
control. (Interfax-Kazakhstan, October 31, 2005) 
 
Experts Discuss Joint Management of Water Resources 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
3. (U) Central Asian specialists met in Almaty on October 31 
to develop a unified regional position on joint management 
of water resources to present at the 4th World Water Forum 
in March 2006 in Mexico.  (Interfax-Kazakhstan, October 31, 
2005) 
 
Kazakhstan's Water Supply in Danger 
----------------------------------- 
 
4. (U) According to water experts, in the near future 
Kazakhstan will have serious problems with water supply. 
Over 40% of Kazakhstan's water supply originates outside of 
its borders and water resources are not evenly distributed 
throughout the country.  Atyrau, Kyzylorda, and Mangystau 
Oblasts lack fresh water sources.  Working with neighboring 
countries on the joint use and protection of transboundary 
rivers will be an important issue for the government. 
(Kazinform, October 21, 2005) 
 
Aral Sea Conservation 
--------------------- 
 
5. (U) Kazakhstan is preparing for the second phase of the 
"Regulation of the Syr Darya River Bed and Conservation of 
the Aral Sea Project."  The second phase of the project will 
focus on construction and rehabilitation of protective dams 
and drainage systems to prevent flooding and erosion.  Other 
measures are also being planned.  The cost of the project, 
including the second phase, is estimated at $120 million. 
(AIF, No 44, November 2005) 
 
Interstate Coordination Water Commission (ICWC) Meets 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
6. (U) On November 2, the 42nd regular meeting of ICWC was 
held in Almaty.  Meeting participants reviewed the water 
intake limits and operational mode of reservoir cascades 
from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya river basins for the 
vegetation period of 2005, and approved water intake limits 
for the 2005-2006 non-vegetation period.  The meeting 
participants pointed out that during the vegetation period 
of 2005 there were violations of water intake limits at some 
gullies, instances of erratic water supply, and cases of 
water fluctuations in some hydro electric station pools.  To 
address these shortcomings, the Commission decided to 
establish a working commission to analyze water supply 
violations and their causes and make proposals on the 
prevent of such occurrences in the future.  (Received from 
USAID, November 10, 2005) 
 
 
Efforts to Relieve Flooding in Kzylorda Oblast 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
7. (U) Deputy Prime Minister Akhmetzhan Esimov visited the 
construction site of the Karaozek River hydro structure in 
Kzylorda Oblast.  Work on the hydro structure began last 
spring at an estimated cost of 400 million Tenge.  When 
completed, the hydro structure will direct flood waters to 
natural reservoirs in the Syr Darya river basin and 
alleviate flooding of nearby populated areas, Esimov said. 
(Kazakhstanskaya Pravda, November 8, 2005) 
 
UNGA Resolution on Semipalatinsk 
-------------------------------- 
 
8. (U) On November 1, the United Nations General Assembly 
unanimously adopted a Kazakhstani resolution on ecological 
rehabilitation and development of the Semipalatinsk region. 
The resolution stressed the need to provide advanced 
expertise to reduce and suppress radiological, 
socioeconomic, health, and environmental problems.  The 
United States and 78 other countries co-sponsored the 
resolution.  (Interfax-Kazakhstan, November 4, 2005; 
Kazakhstanskaya Pravda, November 5, 2005) 
 
Nazarbayev Promises Payment to Semipalatinsk Sufferers 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
9. (U) President Nursultan Nazarbayev said in his speech 
at the 21st Extraordinary Congress of Kazakhstan's 
Federation of Trade Unions in Astana that the payment of 
compensation to those who have suffered from the 
Semipalatinsk nuclear test range will start in 2007. 
Nearly 500 nuclear tests were carried out from 1949 to 
1989 at the Semipalatinsk nuclear test range.  In line 
with a decree by the President, the test range was closed 
in 1991.  (BBC Monitoring Central Asia, October 31, 2005) 
 
Hospital Department for Children from Environmentally 
Unfavorable Regions Opened 
-------------------------- 
 
10. (U) Kyzylorda Oblast opened Kazakhstan's first hospital 
department for children with diseases related to 
environmental damage.  Kyzylorda is one of Kazakhstan's most 
environmentally polluted areas.  (Rakhat, October 26, 2005) 
 
Concern over Atyrau Oblast Reservoirs 
------------------------------------- 
 
11. (U) Ecologists in Atyrau Oblast are concerned about the 
state of the reservoirs in the region. The ecologists 
contend that expansion in the number of steamers combined 
with intensive offshore oil and gas extraction is polluting 
the Yaik River.  The government, however, disagrees with the 
ecologists.  A governmental commission, which annually 
examines the environmental conditions in the region, stated 
that there is no environmental threat to the reservoirs. 
(Kazakhstan1, October 24-25, 2005) 
 
Pipeline Leak in Ust-Kamenogorsk 
-------------------------------- 
 
12. (U) A leak was discovered in a sewage and industrial 
waste pipeline that lies on the bottom of the Irtysh River. 
The pipeline was repaired, but the extent of environmental 
contamination was unknown.  A laboratory report on the level 
of contamination was to be submitted in a week.  (Eurasia, 
KTK, October 27, 2005) 
 
ORDWAY 
 
 
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