Today III Astana Economic Forum started in the capital of Kazakhstan. This year it will be dedicated to the topic “Sustainable Economic Growth in post-Crisis Period”.

Eurasian Economic Club of Scientists Association (EECSA), The Ministry of Economy and Budget Planning, and The Institute of Economic Researches have become organizers of the Forum.

Annual economic forum will bring together above 2000 representatives of political and business circles from more than 50 countries of the world, as well as leading scientists, public and mass media representatives, in order to discuss key issues of global economic development.

Third Astana Economic Forum is aimed to elaborate mechanisms for shaping conditions for long-term sustainable development of world economy and states sector in, based on consolidation of state economic strategy, scientific achievements as well as initiatives of private sector post-recessionary period.

Heads of the biggest international financial institutions, notable economic scholars such as laureates of Nobel Prize in Economics, Finn Kydland, Robert Aumann, Secretary General of Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, Secretary General of UN Economic Commission for Europe, Jan Kubis, former Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Chretien, The President of European Investment Bank, Philippe Maystadt, The Vice-president of Asian Development Bank, Z. Xiaoyu, аs well as representatives of moneyed interest and the head of corporations will take part in the work of the Forum.

The President of Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr.Nazarbayev will deliver a welcoming speech to the participants on the opening ceremony of Forum.

During two days high guests will make reports and take part in discussions on actual issues of social-economic security providing in post-crisis period.

More than 4 000 local and foreign journalists obtained accreditation to cover the work of the Forum. Among them there are leading international mass media such as International Herald Tribune, Reuters, Dow Jones Newswires, Euronews, The New York Times Xinhua and many others.

Business Forum of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs with participation of above 300 delegates from different countries will become large event of Astana Economic Forum. The main goal of the Forum is creation of Eurasian Business Congress directed on expansion of mutually beneficial trade-economic connections and investment cooperation on Eurasian space and interaction in development of perspective and high-technology economic spheres.

Conference entitled “Conference of State-private Partnership of Pease Centers” will be held on the first day of Forum. Representatives of State-private Partnership Centers, central and local executive bodies, experts and representatives of non-governmental organizations will take part in discussions.

As final stage of the given discussion organizers see signing of Memorandum on Creation of Unified Source (international center) of State-private Partnership.

International conference dedicated to mechanisms of Islamic financing regulation in the conditions of post-crisis development will be held in the frames of the Forum. The primary goal of the event will become formation of integral system of Islamic financing regulation in Kazakhstan. Above 280 participants, including heads and representatives of financial institutions, small and medium-sized business representatives, primary financial regulators of the RK, state institutions, which carry out control-supervision function of Islamic financial institutions, heads of investment funds in RK will take part in the work of the Conference.

Experts acknowledge that foundation of economic recovery in post-crisis period is resultative and effective-functional national innovation system. Для освещения

In connection with this, Innovative Congress with participation of key figures and companies, which play important role in innovative technologies’ development, will be organized in the frames of Third Astana Economic Forum. Representatives of state structures for innovations and technologies from Finland, Norway, Germany, Korea, France and Israel will share positive experience of national innovative economics’ development and recommendations for innovative policy in Central Asian countries and Kazakhstan.

Exhibition of industrial-innovative projects and scientific works will also take place in the frames of the given event.

In addition to these events, Third Astana Economic Forum will be rich in events of different format. Final documents and events:

— Issuance of an Open Letter to the Heads of G-20 member-states;

— making up results of The Best Research in Economic Sphere competition;

— making up results of The Best Report on Internet Forum competition;

— making up results of The Eurasian Star Youth competition;

On the threshold of Third Astana Economic Forum Internet forum was held. Extraordinary thoughts, ideas, knowledge, suggestions, spoken out during this event, will be thoroughly examined by the World Economic Community. The most interesting suggestions and ideas will be taken as the basis for constructive and interesting discussions in the frameworks of Third Astana Economic Forum and, undoubtedly, will serve the creation of prosperous and sustained World.

According to the results of the competition, the best articles will be published in special edition of EFR: Economics, Finances and Researches magazine. The winners will be rewarded with money reward.

The World Bank, UN European Economic Commission, Islamic Development Bank, “Parasat” Holding, JSC “National Innovation Fund” and Kazakhstani Center of State-private Partnership supported the Forum. General sponsor of the Forum is JSC “National Wellbeing Fund ‘Samruk-Kazyna’” and JSC “National Company ‘KazMunaiGas’.”

Association “Eurasian Economic Club of Scientists”

010000, Astana c., Left Bank, m-n Chubari

Temirkazik Str. 65

Telephones: +7 (7172) 70 18 04, 8701 705 74 95

Faxes: +7 7172 70 18 35

E-mail: smi@aef.kz, aef2010@bk.ru

Web-site: http://www.aef.kz

Third Astana Economic Forum will be held in the capital of Kazakhstan on July 1st-2nd. This year it will be dedicated to the topic “Sustainable Economic Growth in post-Crisis Period.”

Annual economic forum will bring together above 2000 representatives of political and business circles from more than 50 countries of the world, as well as leading scientists, public and mass media representatives, in order to discuss key issues of global economic development.

The following guests were invited for the Forum as speakers: Secretary General of Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, Secretary General of Economic Cooperation Organization, Advisor to the President of Afghanistan, Muhammad Maarufi, scientists-economists, laureates of Nobel Prize in Economics, heads and representatives of European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, Asian Development Bank, Internal Monetary Fund, European Central Bank, energy and oil companies, largest investment companies, banks, price agencies, financial centers, including HSBS, Islamic International Rating Agency, RFCA and others.

High guests will make reports and take part in discussions on actual issues of social-economic security providing in post-crisis period.

Business Forum of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs with participation of above 300 delegates from different countries will become large event of Astana Economic Forum. The main goal of the Forum is creation of Eurasian Business Congress directed on expansion of mutually beneficial trade-economic connections and investment cooperation on Eurasian space and interaction in development of perspective and high-technology economic spheres.

Conference entitled “Conference of State-private Partnership of Pease Centers” will be held on the first day of Forum. Representatives of State-private Partnership Centers, central and local executive bodies, experts and representatives of non-governmental organizations will take part in discussions.

As final stage of the given discussion organizers see signing of Memorandum on Creation of Unified Source (international center) of State-private Partnership.

International conference dedicated to mechanisms of Islamic financing regulation in the conditions of post-crisis development will be held in the frames of the Forum. The primary goal of the event will become formation of integral system of Islamic financing regulation in Kazakhstan. Above 280 participants, including heads and representatives of financial institutions, small and medium-sized business representatives, primary financial regulators of the RK, state institutions, which carry out control-supervision function of Islamic financial institutions, heads of investment funds in RK will take part in the work of the Conference.

Experts acknowledge that foundation of economic recovery in post-crisis period is resultative and effective-functional national innovation system.

In connection with this, Innovative Congress with participation of key figures and companies, which play important role in innovative technologies’ development, will be organized in the frames of Third Astana Economic Forum. Representatives of state structures for innovations and technologies from Finland, Norway, Germany, Korea, France and Israel will share positive experience of national innovative economics’ development and recommendations for innovative policy in Central Asian countries and Kazakhstan.

Exhibition of industrial-innovative projects and scientific works will also take place in the frames of the given event.

In addition to these events, Third Astana Economic Forum will be rich in events of different format. These are thematic exhibitions, roundtable discussions and presentations dedicated to formation of global energy-ecology strategy, management training program, place and role of youth in ensuring sustainable economic growth in post-crisis period and many other.

The World Bank, UN European Economic Commission, Islamic Development Bank, “Parasat” Holding, JSC “National Innovation Fund” and Kazakhstani Center of State-private Partnership supported the Forum. General sponsor of the Forum is JSC “National Wellbeing Fund ‘Samruk-Kazyna’” and JSC “National Company ‘KazMunaiGas’.”

In order to participate in the Forum it is required to fill in electronic application form on www.aef.kz site in chapter “Electronic Application.” Accreditation of Kazakhstani journalists for the Forum is in effect until June 25th, 2010; accreditation for foreign journalists is in effect until June 10th, 2010.

Association “Eurasian Economic Club of Scientists”

010000, Astana c., Left Bank, m-n Chubari

Temirkazik Str. 65

Telephones: +7 (7172) 70 18 04, 8701 705 74 95

Faxes: +7 7172 70 18 35

E-mail: smi@aef.kz, aef2010@bk.ru

Web-site: http://www.aef.kz

Coups are committed to the deadlock.

Bertolt Brecht

Revolution excites, even if you had nothing from it personally and haven’t suffered within it; last one is not good, of course, but it is unforgettable any way. Bishkek is real post-revolutionary city.

It seems like great liquor warehouse was seized here and drunk without appetizers. So, everybody is drunk but hungry. It’s much more difficult to understand something in the situation, and as it always happens, excessive alcohol consumption causes ...

Bishkek energetics was different from Almaty energetics long before the first tulip revolution. Soviet nine-panel buildings seemed higher in Almaty even at the times of Askar Akayev, although the Kazakhstani metropolis was not built up with a large number of mammoth buildings yet then. If you take the dormitory suburbs of the Kyrgyz’ capital, particularly standard five-story buildings, you’d physically feel the aura poverty then. Analogue suburbs in Almaty are weariness and anxiety (alcoholics, drug addicts, provincial criminals), and the poverty was added in Bishkek.

I forgot how to eat an ice-cream in the streets of that city. I used to go on the street eating ice-cream and see eyes of children walking with their parents. Parents’ eyes show they would like to buy their children an ice-cream also, but they haven’t money. Children look at you with sad and understanding eyes. You see, they want to eat the delicacies also although they clearly know their parents don’t have money, so they don’t ask parents to buy them it.

As usual the situation of poverty drove people to become a streetwalker.

After inadequate Askar Akayev was ousted out from the state management of our south neighbors, Bishkek sank into high dynamics condition. As usual scenario the redistribution of property has happened then. Suddenly, it turned out that the half of all useful in the Kyrgyz’ capital, directly or indirectly controlled by the family of deposed president. Somebody decided to transform its nominal property in real one status, another wanted to seize somebody’s property. There has become more political players as it always happens after the revolution; various criminal foam went at the surface. Principally, it’s complete and total revolutionary pack.

The priestesses of love who worked in the hotels and saunas felt nostalgic for Akayev’s times at the first post-revolutionary year. They did the same at the second one also. The third year system came into balance more or less. Prostitutes referred to the worsening of life in general and their sexuality in particular somewhere during the year before the second tulip revolution, kicked Bakiyev and his many voracious relatives out of the state management.

Global economic crisis pressed too much from the one side: transit trade volumes fell down, Kyrgyzstan clothing production’s demand was shrunk, the flow of tourists was reduced in the Issyk-Kul; on the other side, BAKS’ family (Bakiyev Kurmanbek Salievich) has begun to lose brakes in the process of privatization of state property and deprivation the control of private one. As for officials gang then it’s not less dangerous for local small and middle size business (by Kyrgyz level) as in Kazakhstan. Simply our consumption background is more manured with raw materials incomes, but Kyrgyzstan they have only poor business glades without fertilize.

My last visit to Bishkek was before the second revolution and it left the feeling that the situation is on the very brink. Though, as we know such situation in the East says nothing. The revolution can blow up here as tomorrow, as in five years as well. Life of usual citizens in Taskent much more worse than in Bishkek but Islam Karimov takes his seat a year by year (after Andizhan incident) and as good as cucumber would be. So, after the second tulip revolution act appeared to be everything was understood naturally. It was logically that there were many corpses. Kurmanbek Bakiyev publicly promised to hold his power by all he only might to hold; the list of political murders from his side was already huge even before April incident.

The revolutionary tradition and inertia is very hard thing. BAKS has visited the Dad in Minsk, Bishkek is in new wave of property redistribution. Many were killed but we won’t dramatize the situation. Killers are called for only in the segment of large business where the property redistribution of Bakieyv’s clan is on the way and his clan’s satellites that didn’t catch the train in time as well.

The threat for citizens in Kyrgyz capital is in those who were called myrka in local jargon. It’s people from hopeless province and poor Bishkek suburbs. Robbery is their native element, especially at night. Practically, myrkas cover by its criminal activity whole territory of megalopolis, but it’s more quiet near important city’s objects and buildings and inside them.

By the way, as Bishkek business got great revolutionary vaccination in 2005, it experienced the second act of tulip revolution more quietly than the first one. There are less messed and broken shops, caterings and entertainment centers. Main expenses were made by the Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan borders closing. Our bars were slightly raised but it’s difficult to say when the Dordoy bazaar (The biggest market in Central Asia) will be opened. There are some barriers within the Custom Union also. Uzbekistan holds its borders closing very firmly. Islam Karimov remembers the blow up in Ferghana valley after the first tulip revolution.

Enemies of caretaker government try to swing inter-ethnical tension in Kyrgyzstan. We must give the credits to Kyrgyz people. Local people are full of precaution systems when sober. It’s very dangerous to behave yourself badly in the region where you don’t know what will happen after even a small slaughter. That’s why Thanatos forces usual people to be polite and courteous. The first sign that something is not good is free vodka distribution by doubtful persons with limited appetizers. To be true, Bishkek is under control now and inter-ethnic destabilization is focused in the South regions. Kyrgyz people are getting drunk and are sent to bully Uzbeks in Jalalabad.

Policemen behave themselves in proper way in the streets of the city and it makes sick. The memory of the 2005 year appeared to be very good. Last year of Bakiyev’s ruling policemen became insolent till the level of their Almaty’s colleagues. Though, the second tulip revolution disciplined them. People in blue uniform remembered quickly as they were beaten in squares and back streets. They were beaten sometimes not for they are in the other side of barricades but for old offences made by them to citizens. Such model education for the whole team fully leads to the situation when practically every policeman is polite, well-wishing and friendly.

Post-revolution prices on commercial sex are practically the same as it was before the revolution. To be fair, the purchasing power had decreased. At that the prostitutes are not taking prices down, preferring to work less. Actually, the sex-industry of Bishkek is out on unpaid vacation.

The lower price cap for commercial sex without loosing nerves is 1000 Soms per hour. Recommended are 2 grand. For connoisseurs it’s 3000 Soms per hour. But it is already are in premium category. You can’t actually “be relaxed” in Almaty for such money. I repeat: the girls are not exhausted by professional work and rested for the period of idle time by virtue of revolutionary moves. The relation to the clients on institution’s territories is quivering and kind. You, from your own side, should observe financial discipline. To do so is easy, because all money are paid in advance.

Concerning saunas as places for rest, then there money is paid both in advance and after the end. Everything looks pretty cheap, but when you are stayed there for five hours, smoked kalian and a bottle of pepper vodka with red caviar – the overall will be enough. Do not be lazy, sort out your budget before visiting good places.

In economic class segment the demand has decreased for the reason that many started to prefer to make supplies of products instead spending money on pleasures. Premium class, as it appeared in revolution time, is in many ways been supported on account of multiple international NGO employees, participants of round tables, seminars and trainings, which were held in Bishkek in larger amount. By virtue of force-major everything has been busted on without date. Because of that it is the season for the fans of good and calm sex-experience without many people witnessing. But one should be very careful on the streets.

Revolution is revolution, but if prices are still on the same level then the demand is staying stabile. Rare gunfights on the outskirts of the city can’t really blast commercial sex industry. As historical practice shows, the most harming thing for it is economic devastation and passage to barter relations. The prostitutes love money; and to work for a bag of potatoes is not prostitution – its economical connections of civilization fall period.

According to Wikipedian article, gadget is some rather small technical mean that executes one or a number of secondary but useful functions. In fine, your favourite back hatchel couldn’t be considered as a gadget since it has no moving parts. A sofa and television are too couldn’t be gadgets because of their sizes, although making you life more pleasant. Sadly to relate, but dear-to-heart coffee machine is also doesn’t fit in the concept – drinking coffee is harming. At the end, even your mobile phone is not a gadget, only if it is latest model of Apple Google Smartbook 6G Neo. Mobiles are too needed, too involved in life of modern men. It comes out that life of an average person is not depending on gadgets, although they are buzz words. So what is it behind this word with French roots? There is another word – fashion.

That’s because gadgets are not fulfilling any vital functions in human life; those are toys in hands of those who want to be rumoured as advanced and stylish; an option to demonstrate wellbeing and to be on the sharp side of newest technologies. And a perfect way to make money on this for makers of these means. The simplest example of gadget is popular player iPod, which for the very first year of its existence seized more than a half of worldwide sales and been sold over 300 millions of copies all over the world. However, is iPod became bestseller thanks to its functionality and technical advantages over competing products? No. This player is not dramatically handy, fragile, discharges quickly and “thinks” for too long; and, what’s more annoying, is constantly requiring additional payments for various services and music downloads. But thanks to subtle developed “hysteria marketing” strategy, started by its company maker, Apple, the name of this device rapidly became common. Just remember how many times recently you heard “audioplayer” word? And iPod?

Official iPod has been revealed on Kazakhstani market in 2008, when Apple official distributor came across here. But curiously enough, it hasn’t gained any special popularity here. The business is not in the reason that listening to music through headphones isn’t popular in Kazakhstan – quite the reverse. And not in a huge price gap between our market compared to abroad ones and even with Russian; and not even in the fact that the niche is too small. To my mind, the main thing affecting sales here is rather weak advertisement and marketing activities on the part of local sellers. The same can be said about many other gadgets. Many could argue with this, bringing hypocrites-cooked “practical consuming mentality of Kazakhs” as an argument, which in essence is no more than consuming obscurantism. The core of the problem is that nobody is trying to explain properly the selling point of their goods to customers. At that, WOW-factor (I would call it a magpie effect) is working perfectly on our market – at least remembering the smartphone boom, which is lasting constantly on our market for almost as long as ten years, from the moment of Nokia 9210 revelation. The youth then, as it is now, were buying fashionable communicators for tow or three monthly salaries living in hunger – money playing its role in fashion, but non major.

The other problem is lack of infrastructure – specialized sales and service centers, official dealers, informational support etc. For instance, the most popular purchase these days among aforementioned smartphones is Apple iPhone 3G. This is very useful device, allowing calling, checking e-mails, surfing the web and listening to music. iPhones are imported in Kazakhstan in railcars from United Emirates, Russia and China. It is grey import. Apple official dealer in Kazakhstan has exclusive rights to sell all the company products, except for telephones. From one side, Apple couldn’t realize that declining a given piece of market pie in Kazakhstan is stupid. From the other side, an implementation of any high-tech project on any market is always an expensive thing to do, but local market potential is unappreciable compared to Russian, not to speak of global. Consequently, promoting its phones here for American company is the same thing here as for a person to try to contract with microbes. Black berry smartphones from Canadian company RIM are too in persistent requisition on gray market, but there is no Kazakhstan in the list of countries on company’s official website, but instead there are Cameroon anв Cape Verde. Not to mention the most recent novelty of the season – radical and dreadful Nexus One communicator, which is been predicted with great future on both sides of the ocean. I doubt that anybody in communicators distributing division has ever heard of Kazakhstan.

One of the major global gadgetry tendencies, which is almost completely avoiding Kazakhstan, worth a special mention – those are electronic books. Useful pads such as Amazon Kindle or Apple iPad, which libraries contain thousands of books and especially ones helpful to students, are completely useless here because of absence of localisation. There are very few books on Russian, not to mention Kazakh. Meanwhile, these useful devices are helpful in finding and reading new books, at that saving housing space. Which can’t be said about compact DVD and HD players, which are, with all their seeming functionality, are rarely leaving apartments, quickly tiring eyes, and because of that are representing rather pointless replacement for full-scale television set.

Another nail in Kazakhstani high-tech market is hammered by sellers themselves, whether they are official or not. Gadgets are being sold here literally as new potatoes on marketplace – you came, you paid a lot of money, you gone. Naturally, with such “advanced” sales technologies newest toys are beyond means of many. It is clear enough that trade has been formed historically that way, however… In Europe aforementioned Blackberries are sold times better than more useful iPhone, despite comparable prices. The thing is in sales technologies – buyer get hand on a phone for free, but has to pay 50 Euro per month for whole year. End price obviously will be higher, but it’s not a bank loan, and some student with small monthly ration can afford such useful thing without onerous obligations. But lending programs for such equipment here have gone nowhere shortly, because at present interest rates even complete idiot can understand price difference between a loan and direct buying.

There is another misfortune with gadgets market – lack of accessories. Suppose you are willing to buy a special bandage for morning runs with fashionable player, or a new case for your communicator, or even a battery for grey imported iPhone. And you’ll be unhappily surprised – it is either non on the market or it costs ransom price. You can, however, order anything by yourself through internet auctions, but a few are going on such risks, because there are no reliable protection mechanisms for transferring money in Kazakhstan.

However, players and smartphones, although on the leaps, are not everything from which gadgets market consists of: sophisticated radio, laptops, watches with additional functions, electronic books, game consoles, USB-toys and even robots. And something called weather sensors. The meaning of latter is measuring temperature, moisture, atmospheric pressure and even weather prediction with help of various probes and built-in barometer. As against Kazgidrometeocenter staff, which are consuming tea and gnawing pencils in agonizing attempts to pint finger in the skies and prophet Divine plans, the accuracy of such devices nowadays is not less than 75%. Other picking up stream gadget market segment are satellite navigation devices. Despite that major players of global market yet have not developed official map packages for Kazakhstan, local topographers are managed to get shots of huge pieces of our land, thankfully for many Kazakhstani automotive travelers, which are now couldn’t imagine life without satellite navigation.

Despite the significant sizes, notebooks (or laptops) are too considered as gadgets. A delusion arises that Kazakhstani market is flooded with these compact computers, but practically business here is not much better than it is with other gadgets. You can buy a notebook within 60-70 grand tenge limit, but it will be only useful for typing purposes. A solid model will cost a fortune – from 1500 USD and more; at that it will be out of date from official sellers. It is almost impossible to find a decent multimedia laptop, which can replace home PC. But the main factor here is price; more accurately, it’s unfairness – a model which costs $1000 on Amazon online shop will cost twice or more here.

A huge piece of market pie was taken by Chinese with their phenomenal ability to instantly create any kinds of fakes of newest gadgets. You want iPhone for cost of minimum wage – you get it. It wouldn’t have access to services, useful Safari browser and friendly interface, and it will fall apart after a month. But it will be precisely the same looks and shape of a true one, and you could show off in front of some rural girls. This is great. But there is one slight problem – a person who follows a simple living rule “do not create yourself problems” would hardly buy such a thing. Gadgets are supposed to ease up your life, not to make it harder. For that reason The Celestial Empire, no matter in which way would you put it, yet is not competitor to quality products, which cost millions to develop.

So, gadgetry market in Kazakhstan is poorly structuralized; mainly for the reason that the lion’s share of the market is grey. And if one would wish to make marketing research to find out its capacity, he will meet at least fail, and wrong data as the main threat. It’ll take years of hard work to improve the situation from all the sides, aimed on all-round development of the market. Furthermore we didn’t mention a correct government policy in imports sector, without which a solid market is impossible. But it is different and very sad topic.

“One cannot underestimate the greed of others”

“Scarface” feature film

Export duty at oil, which impends as the shadow of Hamlet father over western oil companies in Kazakhstan from the very beginning of zero years has begun to transform sharply. Today it’s Domoklov a sward. Terms of its falling at financial garners of oil transnational companies (TNC) depend only from the speed of necessary bureaucratic procedures process in the frames of Russia, Kazakhstan and Byelorussia Custom union.

Any serious TNC working with black oil has its analytical department, intelligence and counter-intelligence as well as development strategy. Modern oil giants only at one step behind sovereign states in global hierarchy. It’s because they don’t have admitted territorial borders, and memberships in United Nations Organization (UNO), embassies and the row of not important for the first sight but very principal attributes. The other way when TNC gather together and a state they deal with, is not very large, consolidated and effective, then situation is changed. Oil giants become stronger than a state.

Kazakhstan has been convinced in truth of the postulate in fullest extent. The idea that it’s time to re-see raw materials contracts was fully publicly sounded in 2001 year. That year oil prices has pretty got up, was put into operation the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) and 1580 km of CPC pipelines, functioning independently apart from Russian pipelines (CPC has international ownership at all its length), completely moved out Tengiz black oil at external market. This time expert society started speaking about injustice of the price: within the extraction of the same metric ton of oil state budget in Kazakhstan receives revenues in the three times less than in Malaysia

As luck, terrorists destroyed twin-towers in New-York and campaign against Al Qaeda and the Taliban has started in Afghanistan. The emergence of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) military air base in Kyrgyzstan (Manas airport) coincided with the actions of mladoturks against their patron (mladoturks — the younger generation of managers who were invited to work at the civil services by Nursultan Nazarbayev after the collapse of the USSR).

During presidential elections of 2005 Nursultan Nazarbayev didn’t provoke western oil-men as well. They in turn, by the principal of resources exchange, outbid democratic lobby in their own countries and international structures; after that Zhermakhan Tuyakbay has got to get his 6.5% of votes and eat his humble pie.

When situation was stabilized, state power started to press oil TNC again. In the first place was auditing the fulfillment of signed contracts; whether the associated gas is disposed not burned, sulfur is processed and sold on international markets, investments were made in time… Ministry of Environment at that time showed a completely unfamiliar activity, knocking out oil investors environmental dollars.

Then, following the example of Venezuela, Bolivia and export duties in Russia, Astana again went on the offensive at cash assets of oil companies. This time it has become clear Kazakhstan failed to make mass non-raw production; but the economics raw dollars exploration received its final shape. So, that people to have jobs and wages, there was required an increase in oil revenues in the state budget. Funds were relocated through budget sphere, government contracts on infrastructural projects, welfare activities and so on.

Oil companies had to strain themselves a lot, although they could overbid Ak Orda political party argument of nectar period of business in nineties cannot be extended on the second part of zero years; too much water (and most importantly — oil) has flowed since then. Political risks fell down, infrastructure is well organized, investments returned. It’s sort of the time when oil pie must be divided on the base of new rules.

Though western TNC have mobilized many instruments they objectively have. Diplomatic and business pressure went in usage, as well as the threat of further reduction of investment and credit rating (domestic thieving bankers in a very inopportune moment played a dirty trick to the country). Democratic lobby, recently pressed by oil money, now has got a foundation from that it; and all diverse West world sounded concerns on: human rights, violation of freedom of speech, one-party parliament and other bad and sad things, which earlier were over their attention. Though, citizens were making up calculations on 60 million of tons of exported oil multiplied on duty in 280 US dollar per ton. It is $16,8 billion of added revenues, but it was the air-castle. TNC went on burdensome expenses in wide campaign of counteraction for not to bear those yearly payments from increasing of custom burden.

Second great campaign against TNC was carried out by the best personnel of Ak Orda political party had that time. They took the backstrokes. What it’s worth to Krymbek Kusherbayev, Akim Mangistau region — remains only guess. Oil giants don’t like powerful sovereign countries, so they always try the territory on the tensile strength. Ambitious clannish agashkas in Kazakhstani Caspian holy trust by separating from the other Kazakhstan they sharply increase their revenues. So, president local representatives have to decide the problem of latent separatism also (and sometimes even publicly sounded). Finally realized that its own resources are insufficient, Astana went another way.

New form of Kazakhstan geopolitical functioning is Custom union. All required basic documents are signed and ratified, so the question is in speed of spinup of designed procedures. There are 565 acting contracts on subsoil management in the Republic, 14 of them are in stability regime. That humble number of stable contracts has more than a half of whole oil extracted in Kazakhstan. This group of 14 was given clear explanation that stability of agreements is warranted by Kazakhstani legislation. After all ratification procedures the priority has inter-state agreements such as agreements on Custom union. In common, as Moscow, Astana and Minsk will decide now so as oil taxation will be.

TNC clearly don’t want to lose another 10 billion of US dollars a year; but can they oppose something really effective against the oil axis of the Kremlin – Ak Orda, it doesn’t clear now. Don’t forget, West world become more diverse every day, because modern world actively transforms everyone and everything. Germany interests – main engine of European Union – are lack in Caspian region. Coordination of Moscow and Berlin become more solid. Seas of spilled blood between Russia and Germany in the first half of last century don’t leave another way of foreseeable perspective than to close and comprehensively work together under wide spectrum of problems. All together the Kremlin has unpaid bill to Anglo-Saxons for cheating Russian oil giants in Iraq in 2007—2008 years.

Cannes struggle, when Hannibal defeated Romans, during the second Punic war calls tactic encirclement in military art. The Prussian Victory under the French in 1870 in Sedan is operative encirclement. Stalingrad in period of the Second World War became strategic encirclement. Back to Kazakhstani problem of raw contracts, tactic encirclement of TNC by Astana in early zero years wasn’t happened. Then operative encirclement failed in 2008 year. What will be happened within strategic encirclement of 2010 year we’ll see soon; but it’s very similar to Stalingrad yet.

“You’ve been framed.

You’ve been stiffed out of your money to the last penny.

The money is illusion.

You have nothing.

And you hadn’t.”

Wisdom of enlightened

Last weak I was at exchange office of National Bank in Almaty (it’s situated near KBTU and American diplomatic mission at Panfilov st.). it was not prime time, about 12 o’clock a.m., but I stood somewhere as the tenth in queue, though usually it’s about two or three in a line. After that I saw the policeman (the object is secured and the guard is respective), and I asked him where can I exchange my old and defective cash-notes to new ones. It happened that I’m the one in the line and I was let go past immediately. After exchanging my old tenge to new ones, I noticed at next window that one man and a woman have chosen commemorative silver coins of the National Bank. There is rich assortment. Those people didn’t look like they are richer than middle class. However only one man in the line was look like a collector and the other were also similar to middle or half-middle class.

People don’t believe that the worst is behind. That’s why they stock up with something compact and it would be relatively easy to exchange on canned stewed meat, footwear or a handful of cartridges in the moment of need.

One of the main results of last global crisis is in masses did not trust money that do not have no commodity value. I won’t say for other countries but in Kazakhstan the process is obvious. There is no more trust in Tenge, Rouble, Yuan or US Dollar with Euro. Indeed, where it can be taken if the last months it becomes less and less tenge in US dollar (see exchange rate) and prices become higher and higher. It means, if to be translated into clear language, that purchasing power of all modern currencies is falling down, because they are tight to abstraction but not to gold as it was in times of tsar’s golden coins.

This kind of money cannot fulfill the function of treasure and full value of measure cost, that’s why everyone who has little bit more money than to live from paycheck to paycheck is thinking about some assets for emergency case. Earlier many of Kazakhstani people went on the way of diversification of currencies basket. For example, one third of assets was in tenge, the other third was in US dollars and the last one in euro. Today it’s obviously that it is surrogate method. Dollar, euro, pound are depreciated visibly, and tenge is able to fall in 20% at one moment.

Average man aren’t able to follow the worsening of situation in Iran, commodity dependence of many countries, including Kazakhstan, from China, building up a real kernel of fighting in Russia's military and crisis in the system of compromises in global politics. Against that the man is able to feel deeply global world is going wrong way, not the way it should to and it won’t end up in good. People know the way of surviving as it was in times of civil war, the Second World War and in Leningrad blockage, as well as is under the people’s genetic memory.

It is not far off when the mass discontent that petrodollars weren’t sent in agriculture appeared to be. Whether today Kazakhstan was with meat and bread to the full understanding of this formula, then buying collectible silver coins would have less intensive character. Well, that part of the stole, part of a misspent spent in good years, will not be returned. It is the same fairly as for resources, so for the time – as one of the main in resources set.

War and crisis allow seeing life and its basic needs without tinsel and buit-over phantoms like derivates and company capitalization. A network of hairdressing for dogs won’t be needed to anyone even in Europe, when it is nowhere to refuel a car with fuel. Such moments are to understand and take the true role and objective meaning of: private safety, food, clothes and footwear, medicine, fuel, hot water and electricity, etc.

The world’s money and unequal exchange system sustained the first stroke. However, it isn’t going to change itself, because there are a lot of financiers and politicians who is partaking of the fruit from the tree of global hoaxes. Hence, continuing astronomic inflows into Americans military muscles. It’s the result of attempt to maintain status quo even if the military way, so as diplomatic and informational-psychological methods doesn’t work. Only Pentagon can today provide the stability of raw materials type of contact with Astana to Americans and western oil companies at all.

However, the principle strategic decision is already accepted in Ak Orda. Firstly, the political management realized that oil, uranium and other nonrenewable strategic resources flow out of the country in exchange for colored paper from Federal Reserve System (FRS). After that it was long time period of geopolitical weightings in subject of “what vector must be changed into multiple vectors”; and the choice was made in the favour of Kremlin. Power is appeared in a situation of one of anecdote about the Buddha. One day Buddha has gathered monks and asks them:

— Which of you is going to go to whorehouse?

— Oh, how could you think about this, great! Our thoughts are clear from filth thanks to your light, — answered monks.

— I'll have to go alone again — sighs Buddha. — Always alone, that's not easy, well my karma is a prophet.

The process already is and, in many respects, gone beyond the point of non-return. Factor of historical unity has worked. Moscow and Astana are always easy to agree with each other than Moscow and Warsaw or Astana and Tashkent. More over, it needn’t in excessive advertising and ruling elites are trying to avoid of promotion; because in common unification with more powerful partner it would be inevitable to waive the part of the sovereignty, most of the sovereignty. Indeed, it is better way than to be relatively weak, under-populated, and rich with natural resources country in overpopulated and acutely scarce in all strategic resources world.

Fanatics of sovereignty though ridiculous as well as religious fanatics but they will bring its share of troubles to the state. It is peculiar percentage of unavoidable losses as in hard large-scale battle. It’s quite possible, the doctrine of national unity and alternative conception of national politics were thrown into society special for to make an idea of the scenario of imprisoned forces for horning. Occasionally, it needs to be sure that every key leaders of alternative political camp are corrupt, coward and unprincipled, able to any compromise.

Fastening to Russia, probably together with Byelorussia and Ukraine, doesn’t free from problems which will be caused by the collapse; and in the most soft way by reformatting the acting system of global economic model. In any transition period earn to living will become more difficult than in crisis time, though within functioning system. Some period will be unavoidable the barter revival: I’ll give a meat breaded in motley grass and you’ll give me cartridges for Kalashnikov machine gun. The fate of townsfolk, who doesn’t have the container with clothes, footwear, food or even if with dishes at a flea market or wholesale fair – is to exchange a wedding rings and jubilee coins of the National Bank of precious metals for the consumer goods.

“Governments play minor role comparatively to you, who really make business at the place”, — said Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili when awarded Mukhtar Ablyazov and Erkin Tatishav with order of Honor and honorary citizenship of his country in January, 2006. Large investment projects, huge capital investments at the territory of other states put the basis for political influence; and may be it was not just by a chance that president of Georgia so vigorously moved governments aside. Famous words of fabulist only confirm the current situation: the trouble, since the cobbler will bake pastry, and the pastry-cook will stitch boots. The background of Ablyazov’s business in Georgia and Ukraine is not clear yet, but his financial affairs have already threatened by tensions in the Russo-Kazakh relations.

As Kazakh presidential aide, Yermukhamet Yertysbayev, has said: we should not ignore the fact that, having such huge financial resources, with many overseas partners, ex-banker is able to influence policy even now. The words are confirmed by several outside attempts to stand up for disgraced businessman – many experts consider as interference in the internal affairs of our country, what is quite dangerous in any case. In 2006 year newspapers’ pages presented invasion into Georgia and sponsorship Saakashvili regime de facto as definite success of Kazakhstani economy. However, was it about the success of whole country? Hardly, if you remember about “minor role” of the government and about accidents which took place in Georgia in summer of 2008 year. Well, was Kazakhstan interested, — as well as all the structures and the population of the CIS, advocating a peaceful solution of conflicts, — in the financial injections into the Georgian uncompetitive sanatoriums and the local mineral water Borjomi? More over, Saakashvili promised return investments into Kazakhstani economics, but the question is: where is it?

According to the information of previous BTA Bank management, it was expected to invest about 200 million of US dollars only into infrastructure of Adzharia; in general, the plans were truly fantastic. Russian experts, who began to look for «Kazakh footprint» in the war after the events of August 2008, say that the amount of investment reached 500 million of US dollars, and it was planned to pour as much again. In March of 2006 year partners announced on the construction beginning of new main Tbilisi hotel Radisson Iveria invested by BTA. There were other projects on the way, more serious. The negotiations on petroleum refinery construction were held in Georgia, as well as other energetic objects with participation of Kazakhstani business. Mukhtar Ablyazov stated, — the group of Kazakhstani investors is holding negotiations with Georgian government on an opportunity of investment into hydropower engineering. It is the network of hydropower plants with 300-500-1000 megawatt capacity, — explained he.

The draft of oil refinery construction in Rustavi city also was studied. BTA Board of Directors’ Chairman was proud that "this will be a new plant”, and the volume of financing will be «approximately 350 million US dollars».

Mikhail Saakashvili said, — Adzharia government is in the process of contract signing on a purchase of 19 tourist objects by representatives of Kazakhstani business. Adzharia government is signing the agreement with consortium of Kazakhstani investors and over 19-20 tourist objects in Black Sea shores will be bought by Kazakhstani investors. It means that in two-three years seashore will be turned into hotel complex with new beaches and entertainment centers, — said former president of Georgia then, who lost his halo of ardent democrat in the eyes of nearest neighbors after two years of governing.

People began to look quite at such generous investments into non-profitable and non-stable region different after the events of 2008 year. Some experts spoke directly on invalid interference of business into political and military questions and refused to see in following conflict escalation just coincidence.

Obviously, they hit the unpleasant thoughts in fact that no other country (read — none of the other oligarch) didn’t provide Georgian leader within such active assistance, and no one else wasn’t taken in Georgia so kindly like the man who is now accused in corruption and financial crimes. Experts wonders where actually did investors’ money go; may be it went not into Borjomi or Georgian wines indeed but into military complex of the country? It’s known that some oppositional politics in Georgia as well as some local businessmen saw Kazakhstani interference quite negative, and they were not ashamed to state that.

Not only had the investments into much more powerful Ukrainian economy worried Russians. Judging by the words by BTA ex-chairman of directors board: “Ukraine has colossal economic potential and is one of the most investor’s attractive countries in Europe”. Wholesale volume of investments in Ukraine, organized with direct support from BTA bank, is more than 1 billion for two or three years. In 2007 BTA bank became largest stockholder of NASK “Oranta” by buying 25 per cent of stocks from the government. This deal was one of the biggest in terms of privation state property, providing budget income of more than 100 million dollars.

Aside from that, Mukhtar Ablyazov attracted funds on execution of pharmaceutical factory project in Borispol, using his reaped connections and personal authority, acting as an organizer of project’s funding. As is known, in 2009 Ukrainian side of BTA bank made statements about Kazakhstani stockholders’ attempts to illegally obtain 39,99 of BTA Ukraine JSC stock share. It is another international scandal, in which, directly or not, many of the ex-bankers’ ambitious projects are implicated. Kazakhstani Financial Police directly called the Ukrainian case as “cheating and affair”. Also a few pretty curious things emerged: by some evidences, widely promoted Borispol pharmaceutical factory yet couldn’t start to produce medical products, and Ukrainian-American-Kazakhstani Company MaxWell, which supervising it, raised unfavorable criticism. By certain information, this enterprise has also made only loud statements, and yet the company is selling only nutrient additives.

In light of said above, it is only left to agree that Russian experts have bases for suspicions and questions, where the oligarch’s money went or still going, and why do he need such branched network of financial-political contacts. Was that major funds invested in scandalous and doubtful enterprises of Georgian and Ukrainian politicians, as some sources calling Ablyazov “Saakashvili’s banker”? The banker who is closely connected witn American capitals too. More of that, that Mukhtar Ablyazov wasn’t hiding his obvious partnerships. When going to build a city worth 15 billion dollars in the south of Moscow disctrict, ex chairman of BTA stated in 2008 that American companies JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs were helping him in realization of projects. Results of those plans and reasons of tensions between Russia and Kazakhstan is worth another article.

“Hunger is the best teacher”

Latin proverb

Beekeeping is related to definite sphere of agricultural production where Kazakhstan has great potential and big chance of competitiveness at the world market. Although, as the reality shows, we have lost the positions and best practices we had in Soviet times. As the result neighboring Kyrgyzstan is honey exporter, don’t mention about China, but Kazakhstan is not.

Formally, we cannot say that our state is not concerned on beekeeping questions. There’s the acting law “On beekeeping”. It stated: “Beekeeping is the sphere of agricultural production, which is based on functioning of breeding, maintenance and usage of bees for pollination entomophilic plants and increasing their productivity”. Actually akimates don’t levy taxes on the owners of apiaries. Entomophilic plants are those that are pollinated by insects.

However, the bee didn’t become a kind of usual domestic insect as it became in Kyrgyzstan. Official statistics didn’t show real picture of the industry and specialists say that volume of honey production and consumption is understated; although, there is common orienteer in the form of honey consumption of 3,5 ounces per person per year. Russia has index of 14,1 ounces per person per year. And if you’ll take Moscow alone you’ll see index of 4,4 pounds per person per year.

Mass media market development, for example, is retarded by legislation (foreigner cannot have more than 20% of shares of any mass media); beekeeping is industry extremely far from politics. Uzbekistan has many NGOs busy with human rights and freedom of speech problems but international NGOs on beekeeping questions have nothing to complain. Honey export from Uzbekistan is growing also in Kazakhstani market.

Experts blame huge volume of oil in problems of national beekeeping. When economy received billion of petrodollars competent authorities decided that beekeeping and such derivatives as: honey, wax, pharmaceutical and cosmetic compositions are uninteresting to be busy with. It’s clear that even highly developed beekeeping through whole Kazakhstan wouldn’t exceed in profit Tengiz or Karachaganak taken individually. However, this industry has many social-economic opportunities and advantages.

Situation shows that beekeeping industry creates quite viable lines in distant rural agricultural regions of Kyrgyzstan. If we’re talking about Kazakhstan, the population of residential places that are far away from big transport arteries such as Astana – Almaty and Almaty – Taldykorgan has a great chance to add to depressive suburbs of big cities. Beekeeping along with cattle breeding and crop science are able to hold population at their places.

Production base for beekeeping in our country is simply colossal. Just look at endless carpets of flowers when local forb steppe is full of bees in spring-summer period. There are huge opportunities in mountainous regions of East Kazakhstan. Even if we won’t pay attention to honey, we cannot do the same with the bee, it is very important for increasing of different food crops and forage grass production.

Actually the main center of honey production in the Republic is Kazakhstani part of Altai region. In 2000th years population had slightly went out of 90th devastation, Republic started to receive petrodollars and Altai’s beekeepers responded to increasing of effective demand with substantial annual increase in production. However, it happened not only at Altai region. Though, as well as the other local market players they prefer to get profit not by reducing costs and increasing volumes, but with prices rising.

It worked for some times as the offer fell behind from the demand. Nowadays Kazakhstan gets production from Kyrgyzstan, China, Uzbekistan, Europe and even Latin America. Mono-flower honey derived from a single plant species is a weak point of Kazakhstani honey producers. Therefore Altai’s honey brings consumers into ecstasy by the huge variety of melliferous plants. There are more than 200 melliferous plants that allow bees to create wonderful mixes in Altai.

In USSR, i.e. in Kazakhstan, beekeeping was developed by a conservative way. That means through a system of alvearies, which is not allowing mechanization and intensification of labour. Howver, along with this there were works on pedigree, institutes and research centers were functioning, which supplied qualified personnel. Nowadays alvearies and apiaries (stationery and moving) have left, but everything else has gone. As the result even in Eastern Kazakhstan, the main honey producing region, most of apiarists are self-educated.

Low volumes of production are making the market uninteresting from the side of procurement and distribution companies. They need hundreds of tons of supplies, which they then turning into 10 gram packs and sending in retail networks. Again, prices of Kazakh honey producers, which are twice higher than global ones, are not establishing needed attractibility.

Another sharp problem is non-qualitative honey and faulty products. By buying substandard honey under brands of established companies once or twice, a consumer is more likely to abandon next purchase, then to take pains to find qualitative products. At that the honey is usually utilized in culinary goods in local structure of nutrition, such as chak-chak and honey cakes, and in periods of seasonal diseases. Basically, there is no culture of intensive honey consumption.

Qualities of bees have also decreased for the last two decades. In chase of spring honey they delivered many mixed breeds from the South of the country and from Kyrgyzstan to Eastern Kazakhstan. As the result, from one side they got more earlier honeyflow, and from the other new hybrid breeds of bees appeared to be unprepared for long Altay winters and unresisting to diseases. It appeared to be backward breeding, when new crossed breeds absorbed worse qualities of their parents. To improve the situation in this question there are professionals, knowledge, finance, time and competent governmental policy are required.

Most realistically, real state interest to beekeeping would wake up not earlier than the country would repeat a Tunisian way. Until Tunis had enough of oil, the country developed in grand style and worried little about agricultural sector, which has successful history for thousands of years. Then carbon monoxides have depleted, and Tunis is now living by tourism and agricultural sector. Quite poor, but in a clever way.

Hunting is even worse than imprisonment

A. S. Pushkin

As a matter of fact, there are plenty of extreme sports in Kazakhstan. To cross a street on pedestrian crossing in rush hour, to live a month on government employee salary, to walk home through depressive thus criminal district – all of this is both scary and dangerous and breathtaking. However, there are not much things could be compared with hunting by adrenaline focusing and extreme in Kazakhstan.

There is lots of money rotating in hunting business, which are sometimes reaching astronomic volumes. At that the truth is that hunters’ composition is very variegated. The wealthiest, however not the most respectable and authoritative part of hunters society is various oligarchs, mini-oligarchs and half-oligarchs.

Such hunters have ammunition, which is worth that much, that common hunting enthusiasts couldn’t ever afford themselves a rifle. The very rifles are going by prices for tenth and hundreds of US dollars. Why a rifle costs is thousand times more than Kalashnikov submachine gun, is hard question, but we will try to. Construction and arrangement, special blends of steel, handcraft, hatching, incrustation, special ammo, dominant name of manufacturer. As the result the rifle is becoming not as an item of killing of animals, but as a piece of art.

So, the oligarchs are armed, equipped, are able to fly helicopters around national parks and shoot animals, which are added to international Red List; there are luxurious joy therapists are waiting for them in heated bathes in hunting castles, and jaegers are serving them as a doughboys – but they are still not respected. Because when everything is given to them like a piece of a pie, then there is no struggle for hunter’s trophy. At that all visible attributes of success are too not considered. Besides, an oligarch can open a can with his artwork knife: by seeing this normal hunter would perceive this as a third advent of apocalypse.

Considering that many oligarchs have from 3 to 5 expensive rifles, since different wildfowl requiring different weapons, they really are becoming expensive valuable treasure chests. Also there are hugely expensive hunting knives and daggers with laser fluting, bespoke watches and class rings with diamonds. Thus the presence of multiple bodyguards are vindicable in many things.

Also there are foreign hunters. By the first stance it is Germans for some reason. They are totally unadmirable about freedom and wilderness of Kazakhstani nature, ability to hunt the animals and birds which can’t be encountered in Europe. They also like exotics such as falconry. Foreign people are paying a lot of money, but they expect complete commitment. If oligarchs are pretty stupid by hunter’s laws, then foreign hunters from developed countries are effeminate.

In neighboring Kyrgyzstan on Southern shores of Issyk-Kol lake there is an entertainment for reach clients to hunt down on grunting-ox (yak) with bows. Kazakhstani oligarchs are enthusiastically torturing poor beast until they would finish it with tenth arrow or telling Kyrgyz jaegers to finish it to free yak from tortures. Foreign tourists are not involving in such an entertainment since may years spent alongside with Greenpeace have taught them not only to be afraid of treehuggers’ revenge but changed their mind.

There are also poachers, but in Kazakhstan this feature has more of social reasons than purely criminal or psychological. If hunting is more of a meantime spending for thousands of townsfolk, then in Kazakhstan for significant category of people is a source of food products for families and additional sales income from animal furs and antlers. However, even complete poacher, if hunting is a source of income for him, wouldn’t harm nature as much as common oligarch who is shooting every living things only for fun and satisfying his hunting instinct; at least given the story with big men from Kazakhmys Corporation. Not only an airfield and dozens of support structures were built for them in a nature reserve, but also dug out a ditch around Kopkol pluvial type lake. The one who gave this order wasn’t probably realized that shooting migrant birds from trench would be more comfortable, but the lake itself will certainly die from such technical advances.

As for common and normal hunters in Kazakhstan – they are from middle and sub-middle class, who are distressing by licensed shooting of marals, wolves, wild boars and bears. To be precise, they are rather changing their working stress on extreme one than distressing.

For the beginning – the state highway police: these tricky men could always find a way to get their bribes from hunters moving by 4×4’s. If hunters wouldn’t be armed by nature of the process, they would be probably completely undressed. Aside from bribery and extortion of road police, Kazakhstani roads are an extreme kind of adventures by itself in distant regions. There are Camel Trophy stages on every bit of the road, on which in many cases the one finds himself unable to refuel, get technical aid or call for tow truck.

Private parks jaegers can decline common hunters to places officially permitted to hunting, just because they didn’t like them or such orders were given from their boss. Local half feudal toparches are acting like fully legitimated kings. Bands of local toparches are smaller and thus afraid of oligarchs’ ones, when they go hunting, but happily scaring common people. Official nature-preserving authorities in such regions are extremely weak and pursuing basically background functions.

When a hunter is offering to go for a “war with wild rams” for his buddy, there is absolutely no mistake. Hunting for wild rams is when both sides are armed. We are now talking about criminal on peripheral territories. Lack of employment in many places and lack of willing to change common lands for suburbs of Almaty and Astana is pushing part of local people on bandit way. Only the fact that hunters are armed is usually allowing solving appearing conflicts without victims. As a rule, a team of hunters has budget on road police, on jaegers and on rural people, to give everybody what they need and all can be take their own way peacefully.

It is worth to remember about purely landscape and climatic challenges while hunting in Kazakhstan. In the morning you have a nice day, but tomorrow it will be hardly snowing. Or saline grounds are becoming so marshy after rain, than even Japanese offroaders are useless.

But when hunters are returning on their islands of civilization alive, where it is still electricity, hot water and kind of a law on the streets, then they remembering good moments first: wild boar fangs were missed after all, a hare on broiling rack was perfect with good vodka, and nymph from distant motel wasn’t surprised with any disease. An employer is not appearing as a complete sadist, and drab existence can be suffered until next hunting expedition.

“Road condition, as a rule, is in direct ratio to roaders condition”

Michael Mamich

In the conditions of huge territory and low population density as well as the absence of access to the sea (the Caspian is closed piece of water), communication is vital factor of social economical development. Communications can be divided into informational – which are telecommunication, radio, internet and transport ones – which are roads, railways, etc. Let’s talk about second ones.

One businessman, engaged with work contracts on road-building, said in privy speaking that state officials involved in the process of state orders allocation can be divided into two groups: stinkies and wankers. Stinkies exude negative periodically, though they have such character quality but you can work with them. Wankers are always in bad format and it’s impossible to decide questions with them. The problem of years past is that stinkies’ share’s declining instead of wankers share’s increasing; and that’s why the agenda raises the question on changing business sphere or immigration. At the natural question: are there normal people (in the conventional sense of the word) among those who allocate the state orders? – Our conversation partner answered could remind only one official (taking into account that he is in the business only from 2003 year). It’s kind of historical fact, there was normal man on this profile in state machine but he left the ministry of transport and communications in 2005 year, when next boss and he with his camping-ground of trenchermen began to settle down in the department.

Corruption component in transport sphere leads to the priority of money quantity taking part into rollbacks and saws and not the quality of contract works. Tendency on increasing the share of bribes in total volume of tender is continuing, what’s more to come? Officials, who took about 10-20% of the contract sum in nineties looks like self-denying people for today. Because in 2000th volume of rollback reached 30% and then showed 40-50%. Those, who are familiar to the construction basis know that if you will exchange bitumen on snivel there wouldn’t be normal road at all.

Road-building works of “Road map” line stands somewhat apart. State control is more notable and stealing is relatively moderate there. Another factor has its meaning is geographical. The roads in Astana or Almaty region can be seen by the Head of the state personally and they are made more qualitative. The farther away from the eyes of main headmen — the lower order and responsibility you can find there. The mid-term of suitability of new road (or overhaul road section) exploitation equals five years. Though, it may come unsuited for traffic condition in a year period. Akims’ personality factor is playing its role but not so measurable. Idiotism of constructed traffic interchanges for such kind of officials is often compensated by the volumes of appropriate resources.

Kazakhstan has many regions where population density is two people on one square kilometer. It’s impossible to keep modern infrastructure within such density of population according to the standards of the second third of 20th century. Happy we are, it’s 21st century at the yard and technical progress has stepped far away. The task of telecommunication lines, high-ways and rail-ways construction and maintaining is quite solvable today. To be true, the rail-way is also peculiar and constantly shaken by corruption scandals. Total length of Republican rail-way equals 14 thousand of kilometers. 5 thousand of kilometers are double-track rail-ways and 4 thousand of kilometers are electrified ones (i.e. they can be served by electrics (locomotives). Rail-ways accounts for 68% of the cargo traffic total turnover and more than 57% of passenger traffic in our country. Passenger traffic is unprofitable every year, but state goes to subsidies it because of the high social value. Total corruption in transport sphere shows that for the state every concrete train is unprofitable and for brigadier train it is profitable one.

You can somehow accept corruption at the grassroots level, mostly because train conductors are people from the public and they don’t open their mouths too wide, but you cannot accept a fall in «professionalism». Railways of the country, gathered under management of national company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), had suffered from the rust of corruption but functioned properly. Whip of the last years become the firing of experienced human resources worked in the sphere about 20 or 30 years and more, and within the assumption of Askar Mamin at the post of KTZ president the situation hasn’t become healthy, if not to say more. Businessmen complain they have no one to work with at the railways very often, because new KTZ employees don’t understand the area of activity specific. The outstanding example is record-breaking harvest of the crop at 2009 year when KTZ’s failure to provide farmers with grain cars didn’t allow Kazakhstan to benefit from the harvest.

Railway is considerably integrated sphere, more over at the post soviet space. Concerning the states of Central Asia you may think that they are preparing to a war. In the period after collapse of the USSR all countries have build new internal lines for the reason of not crossing neighboring territory. Experts raised the question on using Kazakhstan transitional potential many times after the country has become independent. Transit potential was remembered only in the period of last economical crisis, when it’s become clear that petrodollars are not enough for the Republic. Astana has forecasts to increase transit profit from $500 million to $2 billion at the 2015 year. It has to be acknowledged the expectations are too rainbow.

While Kazakhstan didn’t pay attention to its highways and railways potential, China strenuously developed sea routs. Astana has remembered suddenly at the time when twenty-foot container from Shanghai to Hamburgh costs 650 euros (discounts are available) and from Urumqi to Almaty $3400 – how can you transit something through Kazakhstan to Europe!?! Chinese goods are cheaper to transit through St.Petersburg (700 euro from Shanghai to the port and $1000 to Voronezh with all extra charges and fees). The world record of the 20th of February, 1986 year when Virgin railway has been trained 440 railcars with total weight of 43.4 thousand of tons and length of 6.5 kilometers – it was forgotten by everybody long time ago.

The airway transport remains the only opportunity, though it also has rather unpleasant surprises. Let’s take the attempt to transfer all international flights from Almaty to Astana. The situation was saved only by issue that air transportation is the most integrated type of transport. The rules are common and tough for all parties, so local voluntarism fails. Almaty city would bring harm with realization of the initiative. Consider the specific of its geographical position and demographic potential it can be said that airport plays greater role for Almaty than seaport for Hamburgh.

Today, when colossal opportunities for transport infrastructure development and international transit have lost already, all efforts must be made on saving the present structure at least. Recipe is shocking for its novelty and originality: corruption struggle and professionalism at all complex of transport spheres.