VZCZCXRO2858
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTA #2299/01 1790857
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280857Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ALMATY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5957
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1910

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ALMATY 002299 
 
SIPDIS 
 
TASHKENT FOR EPUTNAM 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON SENV ENRG EPET KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATE, APRIL 
 
¶1.   Summary:  This information is drawn primarily from the 
Kazakhstani press and has not been verified.  The opinions 
expressed in this report should not be interpreted as 
official positions and/or policy of the U.S. Government. 
 
-- Russia and Kazakhstan to Form Uranium-Related JV 
-- Smuggling of Radioactive Materials from Kazakhstan to 
   Iran and Tajikistan Detected 
-- KAZSAT Launch Postponed from June 8 to June 18 
-- Kazakhstani Scientists and Ecologists Favor Creation of 
   an Emergency Response Service in Case of Oil Spills 
-- Ecological Requirements for Subsurface Users Should Be 
   Toughened 
-- Prevalence of HIV/AIDS Growing in Kazakhstan 
-- Bone Marrow Transplant Center to Be Built in Almaty 
-- Ban on Import of Caviar Extended 
-- Scientists Propose New Method of Sewage Purification    - 
- Discord on Use of Cross-Border Water Resources Poses 
   Threat to Kazakhstan's Crops 
-- Mazhilis Debates Draft Law on Environmental Standards 
   for Automobiles 
-- "Kzylorda Steppe Could Save the Earth's Climate" 
-- CIS Bird Flu Monitoring Center Planned in Russia 
-- Fish Leave Northern Aral Sea 
-- Oil Producers Emit Pollutants at Night 
 
End Summary. 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
Russia and Kazakhstan to Form Uranium-Related JV 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶2. A bilateral working group on cooperation in the peaceful 
use of nuclear energy has drafted a report and an action 
plan on integrating the nuclear complexes of Russia and 
Kazakhstan.  According to Techsnabexport, which is in charge 
of implementing uranium projects with Kazakhstan, this plan 
would establish joint ventures in uranium mining and 
processing in Kazakhstan.  The action plan also provides for 
increased bilateral cooperation in designing and 
implementing innovative projects with regards to nuclear 
energy and the creation of a nuclear fuel cycle.  Work is 
scheduled to be completed by late 2006 or early 2007. 
(Interfax-Kazakhstan, May 15, 2006) 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
Smuggling of Radioactive Materials from Kazakhstan to Iran 
and Tajikistan Detected 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶3. Customs officers in Uzbekistan reported two incidents of 
smuggling of radioactive materials from Kazakhstan to Iran 
and Tajikistan.  The Uzbek Institute of Nuclear Physics 
determined that zinc waste en route to Iran had been 
contaminated by the radioactive nuclide Cesium-137. 
Radioactive materials were also detected during the 
inspection of a container en route to Tajikistan.  In this 
instance, samples of molybdenum contained such radioactive 
materials as Radium-226, Uranium-234, Uranium-238 and 
Thorium-234.  Legal proceedings have been initiated in both 
cases. (Interfax-Kazakhstan, May 11, 2006) 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
KAZSAT Launch Postponed from June 8 to June 18, 2006 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶4. The launch of the first Kazakstani communications 
satellite, KazSat, was postponed from June 8 to June 18, 
according to the Chairman of Kazakhstan's State Agency for 
Information and Communications, Askar Zhumagaliev. (Interfax- 
Kazakhstan, May 15, 2006) 
 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
Kazakhstani Scientists and Ecologists Favor Creation of 
Emergency Response Service in Case of Oil Spills 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶5. An international conference on ecological problems 
associated with development in the Caspian Sea shelf was 
held in Aktau on May 13.  At the event, Gulmira Ismagulova, 
an official from the Ministry of Education and Science, 
proposed the formation of an Emergency Response Service for 
oil spills.  This service would be subordinate to the 
Ministry of Environment and would be financed by companies 
engaged in the development of the Caspian Sea shelf. 
(Interfax-Kazakhstan, May 13, 2006) 
 
ALMATY 00002299  002 OF 004 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
Ecological Requirements for Subsurface Users Should Be 
Toughened 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶6. The Minister of Environment, Nurlan Iskakov, recommended 
tougher requirements for subsurface users of the Caspian at 
a May 15 meeting in Aktau.  Iskakov pointed to the recent 
deaths of large numbers of fish and seals, and said that it 
is necessary to prohibit oil blow-outs, associated gas 
flaring, and the disposal of waste on the sea floor. 
Ecologists and scientists believe that oil blow-outs, and 
probably hydrogen sulphide poisoning, were responsible for 
the animal deaths.  Experts suspect that oil leaked from a 
flooded 1960s-era oil well in the Pribrezhnoye oil field. 
(Khabar, May 15, 2006) 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Prevalence of HIV/AIDS Growing in Kazakhstan 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. 424 new cases of HIV infection were reported in 
Kazakhstan in January-March 2006.  This is up from 174 cases 
reported in the same period last year.  According to the 
National Statistics Agency, 159 people were diagnosed with 
HIV in Kazakhstan during March alone (versus 64 in March 
2005).  On January 1, 2005, 5,440 HIV-infected persons were 
officially registered in the country.  By April 2006, that 
number had risen to 6,081. (Interfax-Kazakhstan, May 17, 
2006) 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
Bone Marrow Transplant Center to Be Built in Almaty 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶8. A bone marrow transplant center will be built in Almaty, 
announced Kulan Omarova, a professor at the Scientific 
Center for Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery.  Construction 
is scheduled to be completed by year's end.  According to 
the Kazakh Scientific and Research Institute of Oncology and 
Radiology, the number of people suffering from leukemia has 
increased in recent years.  In 2000, leukemia was the 8th 
most prevalent form of cancer. In 2005, it ranked 6th. 
(Komsomolskaya Pravda, May 20, 2006; Interfax-Kazakhstan, 
May 18, 2006) 
 
-------------------------------- 
Ban on Export of Caviar Extended 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶9. According to Kazinform, the UN extended the ban on caviar 
exports from Caspian Sea littoral states, with the exception 
of Iran, for an indefinite period of time. UN 
representatives said that before extending the ban, they 
offered exporting countries the opportunity to submit plans 
to combat smuggling and to maintain a viable sturgeon 
population.  As no satisfactory plans were submitted, the UN 
determined that the ban should continue.  The ban affects 
90% of world caviar reserves. (Ecological Courier, May 15- 
June 1, 2006) 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
Scientists Propose New Method of Sewage Purification 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶10. On May 23, scientists from the Institute of Energy and 
Communications presented a new project for saving the 
largest sewage pond of Almaty, Sorbulak.  According to 
project manager Pak Lubov, contamination of the water in 
Sorbulak has reached critical levels and only the 
construction of biological ponds (water grass and bacteria) 
can help prevent ecological disaster.  The contaminated 
water, which is already killing large numbers of fish, is 
seeping into the ground and thus potentially represents a 
human health threat. The project aims to stop this seepage, 
as well as to reduce the amount of pollutants released into 
the atmosphere as pond water evaporates.  Project 
implementation will require 15 million KZT ($125,000). If 
the plan is fully implemented, 100% of the water would be 
purified and could be used for agriculture. (Interfax- 
Kazakhstan, May 23, 2006) 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
Discord on Use of Cross-Border Water Resources Poses Threat 
to Kazakhstan's Crops 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
¶11. A source from Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture told 
 
ALMATY 00002299  003 OF 004 
 
 
Interfax that the disparity among Central Asian states on 
the use of cross-border water resources threatens crops in 
southern Kazakhstan.  Discussions on this topic have been 
difficult due to disagreements over water intake from the 
Syrdariya River. According to the source, Uzbekistan refuses 
to sign a quadripartite agreement with Kazakhstan, 
Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan on limiting water intake.  As a 
result, cotton crops in southern Kazakhstan may be lost. 
While there are an estimated 70,000 hectares of arable rice 
plantations in southern Kazakhstan, there is only enough 
irrigation water for 60,000 hectares. The source was 
confident that neighboring states have enough irrigation 
water, and could easily meet Kazakhstan's needs.  However, 
he charged that they were intentionally limiting the amount 
of water flowing into the Syrdariya River.  According to the 
Ministry of Agriculture, water reserves held at the Toktogul 
reservoir totaled 14.205 ml cubic meters as of May 22, which 
is the same as last year.  Meanwhile, the Kairakkum 
reservoir has already exceeded its maximum limit of 3.4 ml 
cubic meters.  Water discharges this year have been reduced 
from 600-800 cubic meters/s to 450 cubic meters/s. (Interfax- 
Kazakhstan, May 24, 2006) 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
Mazhilis Debates Draft Law on Environmental Standards for 
Automobiles 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶12. The Mazhilis, the lower house of Kazakhstan's 
Parliament, accepted for consideration a draft law on 
tougher environmental standards for automobiles.  The draft 
law was initiated by a group of Mazhilis members, along with 
several deputy groups that support Almaty's bid to host the 
2014 Olympic Games. The draft law consists of a series of 
amendments (to the Motor Vehicle law and the Criminal Code, 
among others).  Proponents of the law insist that European 
fuel and emissions standards be introduced in Kazakhstan. 
(Interfax-Kazakhstan, May 24, 2006) 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
"Kzylorda Steppe Could Save the Earth's Climate" 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶13. Dutch environmental activist Elmer Base believes that 
the Kzylorda steppes could provide electric power for the 
whole planet.  Base identified 320 square kilometers in 
northern Kzylorda that are unfit for agriculture.  According 
to his calculations, if a solar power station were built at 
this location, it would be possible to produce 10,000 
gigawatts of electricity in the summer and 5,000 in winter. 
Annually, the world consumes about 15,000 gigawatts of 
energy (from oil, uranium, water energy, etc). Currently 
there are no power transmission lines to transport such a 
volume of electric power from the Kzylorda region.  However, 
Base predicts this will change as solar energy becomes a 
more attractive power source. (liter.kz, May 23, 2006) 
 
 
----------------------------- 
Fish Leave Northern Aral Sea 
----------------------------- 
 
¶14. The first phase of a project on the regulation of the 
Syrdarya riverbed is over.  The construction of the Kok-Aral 
dam has made it possible to fill the northern part of the 
Aral Sea ahead of schedule. Once it was full, sluices were 
opened to let spare water into the southern part of the sea. 
But a new problem arose: most of the fish went south too. 
The water in the southern part is salty and fish cannot 
survive there for long.  According to fishermen, the project 
envisaged a fish protection screen, but this task had been 
overlooked.  Soon the second phase of the project will be 
implemented and it is expected that a suitable fish 
protection system will be in place.  Until that time, the 
issue of saving the fish remains open. (Kazakhstan-1, May 
24, 2006) 
 
-------------------------------------- 
Oil Producers Emit Pollutants at Night 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶15. The Aktobe Regional Procurator's Office announced that 
oil producers were grossly violating environmental laws by 
secretly emitting pollutants into the atmosphere at night. 
 
SIPDIS 
A special commission investigated the air in three 
settlements at different times of day.  At night, emission 
levels exceeded daily indicators by 10 times.  There were 
also violations regarding the release of dangerous reagents 
during transportation and storage at local petroleum storage 
depots.  Additionally, investigators found several cases in 
 
ALMATY 00002299  004 OF 004 
 
 
populated areas and zones of economic agents where the 
concentrations of pollutants in the atmosphere exceeded 
allowable levels.  The Procurator's office is taking 
measures in response to these violations. (Channel 31, May 
24, 2006) 
 
ORDWAY