Weekly Review: Our goal is to achieve President-set tasks, PM

ASTANA. April 8. KAZINFORM /Muratbek Makulbekov/ The Government tightens control over power plants. On Monday, April 4 the State Power Supervision Committee of the Kazakh Industry and new Technologies Ministry said, the territorial bodies of the Committee will be renamed as departments and be granted the status of government agencies. Earlier, the Committee units had never enjoyed the legal status. The new status will let raise staff accountability and efficiency of their work.

On Tuesday Abelgazy Kussainov met with reps of German company Schenker, the world's second largest logistics company. The company is interested in Kazakhstan for its geographic position in the heart of the Eurasian continent which makes Kazakhstan the most convenient harbor for cargo carriage en route Europe-Asia. The parties agreed to share more detailed information and make preparations for further discussion of cooperation.

The same very day Vice Minister of Oil and Gas Lyazzat Kiinov said, the ban on export of some petrochemicals due this May will not be extended because of obligations before the Customs Union partners. Besides, he told about the plans concerning foundation of a national gas operator of Kazakhstan. It is supposed to buy all gas the countrywide exposed for sale. Its goal is to satisfy domestic needs.

On April 6 Vice Prime Minister - Minister of industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev made public the launch of a new business support programme "Productivity -2020". It foresees allocation of innovation grants, reimbursement of expenses for attraction of highly-skilled foreign engineering and technical staff, acquisition of licenses, technical documentation, technologies, and capital lease of industrial equipment under preferential rates.

Education and Science Ministry held on April 7 the VII international conference of pupils "Discovering the world of science" at the Nazarbayev University. It is purposed to encourage scientific and research abilities of pupils for goal-oriented researches on earth and space sciences, space-based technologies, modelling and astrophysics.

On Monday upon completion of negotiations under the regular ministerial meeting "European Union - Central Asia" held in Tashkent, Deputy Foreign Minister Konstantin Zhigalov said the EU regards Kazakhstan as a key partner in Central Asia. As stated there, the Council of Europe in the nearest future will issue credentials to the EC to negotiate with Kazakhstan on development of a framework agreement with the European Union, instead of the previous one signed last century.

On Friday after the inauguration ceremony of re-elected President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, the Kazakh Government led by PM Karim Massimov has withdrawn. Later the Majilis was called into a plenary session. Nursultan Nazarbayev disclosed his decision to reappoint Karim Massimov as Prime Minister. The Majilis deputies unanimously gave their consent to the assignment of Karim Massimov as Prime Minister. The President signed the corresponding decree.

"The major task of the Government is implementation of the tasks set by the Kazakh President. Those tasks, which were set in the inauguration speech of the President, in the Address, at the congress of Nur Otan Party, in the documents adopted by the Government, will be realized. The major task of the Government is implementation of the tasks set by the Kazakh President," the Prime Minister told journalists following the results of the sitting.