KAZAKHSTAN’S SECURITY SERVICE IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL THREATS.

Testifying before the Majlis yesterday, Kazakh National Security Committee (NSC) chief Alnur Musaev outlined NSC’s priorities for the period up to the year 2000. These are:

–Checking the growth of “religious extremism,” under which Musaev listed both Islamic fundamentalism and Christian sects.

–Countering the activities of foreign intelligence services which support certain groups in Kazakhstan: opponents of reforms, Cossacks and “diaspora” organizations “inclined toward extremist and anticonstitutional actions.” Musaev evidently referred here to local Russian nationalist and leftist groups, apparently implying that they receive support from Russia.

–Uncovering official corruption in the central government and in local administrations. According to Musaev, such corruption is widespread in the police, customs, privatization authorities and the justice system.

–Combating the transit and traffic of drugs.

–Watching Iranian and Chinese agents who may infiltrate via Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan, respectively. According to Musaev, such infiltration is facilitated by the Iranian-Turkmen and Chinese-Kyrgyz agreements to abolish visas.

In a potentially explosive part of his testimony, Musaev charged that former Prime Minister Akezhan Kazhegeldyn has registered part of his personal assets in the name of relatives. According to Musaev, those assets are “worth millions of dollars.” Kazhegeldyn headed the cabinet of ministers from 1994 to 1997. He is now president of the Union of Industrialists and Businessmen and an all-but-declared aspirant to the presidency of Kazakhstan. (Russian agencies, June 22)–VS

BOUYGUES BUILDS UP ASHGABAT.