KAZAKHSTAN LEGALIZES PRIVATE LAND OWNERSHIP.

Kazakhstan’s president Nursultan Nazarbayev yesterday signed a decree allowing private ownership of land under certain circumstances, including purchase by foreign investors. The decree authorizes sale or transfer of state land to private domestic or foreign owners for temporary or permanent use. It also allows individuals and companies to own land on which productive assets are operating or residential buildings are situated. Restrictions remain on land given to public uses and military bases, whose ownership rights remain in state hands. Agricultural land may be privately owned only by citizens of Kazakhstan. (19) The parliament appears certain to confirm the decree when the two chambers convene in the wake of the recent legislative elections, in which pro-presidential candidates won heavily. The decree is likely to encourage foreign capital. Investors have shown considerable interest in Kazakhstan’s oil extraction and refining, parts of the ferrous and nonferrous metallurgical sector, and the development of infrastructure.

1. Western Agencies, December 26

2. Interfax, December 25

3. Interfax, December 26

4. Interfax, December 26

5. FIA-Interfax, December 26

6. Interfax, December 25

7. Izvestiya, December 27

8. Interfax, December 26

9. Interfax, December 26

10. Russian TV, December 24

11. Interfax, December 25

12. Reuter, December 26

13. Interfax, December 26

14. Kommersant, Interfax, Russian TV, December 26

15. Interfax, December 22

16. Interfax, December 26

17. Basapress and Flux, December 22

18. Interfax, December 26

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