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KAZAKHSTAN DAILY DIGEST
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From: Elina Karakulova (ekarakulova@sorosny.org)
Date: Wed Jul 02 2003 - 14:07:53 EDT
KAZAKHSTAN REOPENS BORDER WITH CHINA
Kazakhstan reopened its border with China as of 1 July, Khabar.kz reported, adding that citizens of both countries are already crossing in both directions at the Khorgos border post, the most heavily used road crossing point between the two countries. The Kazakh border with China was closed in May to prevent the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 28 May 2003). Road, rail, and air communications with China ceased, with the exception of Kazakh or Chinese citizens returning home. Khabar noted that the measures kept SARS out of Kazakhstan, and that not a single case of the illness was reported in Kazakhstan or anywhere else in Central Asia. But the two-month cessation of trade with China cost the Kazakh budget more than $700 million. The other Central Asian states, except Turkmenistan, took similar measures to prevent the spread of SARS. Kyrgyzstan's health minister has recommended that his government reopen that country's border with China, akipress.org reported on 29 June. BB
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