From: Elina Karakulova (ekarakulova@sorosny.org)
Date: Wed Jul 30 2003 - 17:00:25 EDT
KAZAKHSTAN TO HAVE NAVY IN 10 YEARS
Rear Admiral Ratmir Komratov, head of Kazakhstan's West regional command, which encompasses the country's share of the Caspian Sea, has said he expects Kazakhstan's Navy to be functional in 10 years if adequate funding is available, Interfax-Kazakhstan reported on 29 July, quoting an interview with Komratov that appeared in the Kazakh supplement to "Izvestiya" the same day. The Kazakh Navy has been tasked with protecting the country's Caspian oil fields and preventing terrorism and extremism on Kazakhstan's sea frontier. Komratov was quoted as saying the navy will need at least 50 vessels to do its job, but he was critical of the quality of the ships being turned out by Kazakh firms. He was also critical of the attitude of bureaucrats in the Finance Ministry, whom he claimed are not giving proper priority to the needs of the country's military. Komratov noted that basic documents necessary to start building the navy, including necessary infrastructure on the Caspian coast, have yet to be finalized. In Komratov's view, Kazakhstan needs a merchant marine as well as a navy, because the country has access via canals to both the Black and the Baltic Seas. BB
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