VZCZCXRO3248
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTA #2604/01 2001024
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191024Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY ALMATY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6262
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1944

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ALMATY 002604 
 
SIPDIS 
 
TASHKENT FOR EPUTNAM 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON SENV ENRG EPET KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN ENVIRONMENT UPDATE, JUNE 30, 2006 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  This information is drawn primarily from the 
Kazakhstani press and has not yet been verified.  The 
opinions expressed in this report, therefore, should not be 
interpreted as official positions and/or policy of the U.S. 
Government. 
 
-- Avian Flu Priorities Discussed in Almaty 
-- Ust-Kamenogorsk Ranks First in Oncological Disease 
-- Lake Alakol Expansion Eroding Shoreline 
-- Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Kills Four in SKO 
-- TCO Fined $2M for Violation of Environmental Norms 
-- President Signs Law on Protection of Natural Areas 
-- Over 1.8 Million Sturgeon Fry Released into the Caspian 
-- Governor Calls Koshkar-Ata Waste an Imminent Threat 
-- ECO Environmental Ministers Meet in Almaty 
 
End Summary. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
Avian Flu Priorities Discussed in Almaty 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. On June 12-13, Almaty hosted a regional conference on 
Avian Flu Control and Response.  Participants discussed 
strategies to mitigate the potential impact of avian 
influenza and human flu pandemics in Central Asia.  The 
participants voiced the need to enhance regional cooperation 
across the board, and recommended a multi-sector 
coordination effort to strengthen the capacity of veterinary 
and human health experts to respond to avian influenza. 
They noted that from 2003 through 2005, fifteen countries 
had reported outbreaks of the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus, 
including China, Russia, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, 
and Azerbaijan.  Most countries in the region have stepped 
up their efforts to contain the spread of the virus, but 
their detection capabilities remain limited, and are 
complicated by the fact that the region serves as a crossing 
point of four major flyways of migratory birds.  Diagnostic 
equipment is also lacking in Central Asia.  Only Kazakhstan 
has a laboratory that can diagnose the human form of the 
H5N1 virus. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
Ust-Kamenogorsk Ranks First in Oncological Disease 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶3. Ust-Kamenogorsk ranks first among Kazakhstani cities in 
the number of people suffering from oncological diseases 
(nearly 6000 cases).  Health experts attribute this to the 
high levels of hazardous emissions in the air around the 
city.  According to an expert from the regional Center for 
Environmental Monitoring, the amounts of benzopyrene, 
nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide exceed safe levels by 
2-4 times, 1.5-2 times, and 1-2 times respectively.  The 
region in which Ust-Kamenogorsk is located has consistently 
seen the highest national levels of oncological disease for 
the past 20 years. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Lake Alakol Expansion Eroding Shoreline 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. Lake Alakol's medicinal properties make it a popular 
tourist destination.  However, the lake's continued 
expansion is eroding away 40-50 meters of shoreline per 
year.  Already, destruction of shoreline property has made 
investors wary of establishing new or maintaining existing 
facilities.  The government has allocated $85,000 from the 
state budget to study this problem. 
 
 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Kills Four in SKO 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶5. Two more residents of the Southern Kazakhstan Oblast 
(SKO) died from Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHV) 
during the week of June 26.  That brings the annual total of 
SKO residents lost to the disease to four.  Thus far in 
2006, there have been eight cases of CCHV in SKO, with four 
of them proving fatal. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
TCO Fined $2M for Violation of Environmental Norms 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶6. Atyrau's Regional Procurator's Office ruled that 
 
ALMATY 00002604  002 OF 002 
 
 
Tengizchevroil (TCO), a Kazakh-Russian-American partnership, 
must pay a $2 million fine for violation of ecological 
norms.  Over the last six months, the Tengiz oil field has 
had 31 accidents, from which 232 cubic meters of hydrogen 
sulphide and other poisonous substances were released into 
the atmosphere.  According to Environment Minister Nurlan 
Iskakov, TCO has no intention of living up to its 
commitments regarding the injection of sewage water into the 
wells.  For this and other reasons, the Minister believes it 
is necessary to impose harsher punishments on such 
violations, and even suggested the government might 
reconsider the terms of the contract. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
President Signs Law on Protection of Natural Areas 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶7. President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed into law "On 
Natural Areas of Preferential Protection," along with 
several related amendments on specially-protected natural 
reserves and forests. The law stresses the importance of 
"ecological networks" and "ecological corridors," and 
establishes performance principles for specially-protected 
natural reserves and forest, steppe, desert, and underwater 
ecosystems.  The law also introduces a new preservation 
scheme for natural monuments, wildlife sanctuaries and 
preserved areas.  Furthermore, the law specifies procedures 
and restrictions regarding industrial development in areas 
of preferential protection. 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
Over 1.8 Million Sturgeon Fry Released into the Caspian Sea 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
¶8. The Atyrau Sturgeon Fish Breeding Plant (Atyrau Region) 
released red fish fry into the Caspian Sea: 1.3 million 
young sturgeons, 505,000 young belugas and 34,000 young 
starlets.  According to Svetlana Surgutskaya, the plant's 
production manager, a second release of the fry of valuable 
fish, including plain and starred sturgeon, is due in early 
July.  "The annual plan for the release of red fish fry 
amounts to 3.5 million fish," she said.  She added that 
special chips would be installed into the bodies of 10,000 
young fish to keep track of their movement and growth. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
Governor Calls Koshkar-Ata Waste an Imminent Threat 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶9. The Akim (governor) of the Mangystau Region, Krymbek 
Kusherbayev, is concerned about mass quantities of 
radioactive uranium mill tailings stored in Koshkar-Ata, 
located only 5 km from Aktau.  According to experts, the 
site accumulated over 400 million tons of waste from 1964- 
1996, 105 million of which are uranium mill tailings. 
Kusherbayev warned that the radioactive waste is gradually 
spreading into the ground waters and has been detected up to 
4 km away.  He stressed, "The problem has been repeatedly 
discussed by various agencies but it has not been solved 
yet. It cannot be put off any longer." 
 
---------------------------------------- 
ECO Environment Ministers Meet in Almaty 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶10. On June 28-30, Almaty hosted the third international 
meeting of ECO environment ministers (Afghanistan, 
Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, 
Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan).  They 
assessed their implementation of the previously-adopted 
Action Plan, discussed newly-developed environment 
protection measures within the ECO community, and launched 
several new projects aimed at strengthening international 
financial support.  They also considered the possibility of 
joint measures in ecological tourism. Meeting participants 
briefed their colleagues on national developments in 
environment protection.  Kazakhstan described two 
limitations placed on oil producers - a ban on associated 
emissions into the atmosphere, and a ban on waste disposal 
in water reservoirs. 
 
ORDWAY