Kazakhstan: Investment wanted, and Aliev aide too

Dateline, London: The Kazakhstan Growth Forum was held in London June 27 through 29; according to the lineup, over 600 primarily economic entities attended.  These included: the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; British-Kazakhstan Association leadership; and various oil companies and banks.  One bank attending is Raffeissen bank, which is one of the Austrian banks interested in purchasing Nurbank.

The conference was clearly held to interest European investors given its location.  At the conference, this centerpiece announcement: Kazakhstan is ready to build a new terminal on the Caspian for the large Kashagan oil field output.  The terminal will be the first construction for Kashagan oil in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline.

According to Trend News Agency of Azerbaijan, Tulegen Imashev, a 25-year old aide to Rakhat Aliev, is on the international most-wanted list in connection with the Nurbank kidnappings this last January.  Mr. Imashev is abroad and presumably in hiding.