NEW KAZAKH DEFENSE MINISTER.

Kazakh president Nursultan Nazerbaev yesterday appointed Mukhtar Altynbaev as defense minister, replacing Col. Gen. Alibek Kasimov. Altynbaev had been chief of the air force. Kasimov was said to have left "for health reasons." The previous day, Nazerbaev appointed Maj. Gen. Beksultan Sarsekov secretary of the republic’s Security Council, replacing Baltash Tursumbaev. (Interfax-Kazakhstan, October 30, Itar-Tass October 29)

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