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Nazarbaev cultivates Central Asian
dynasty By Paul SAMPSON, Dubai In the great tradition of Central Asian khans, Kazakstan's president Nursultan Nazarbaev likes to keep things in the family. This applies to both oil and politics, areas in which his two eldest sons-in-laws, Timur Kulibaev and Rakhat Aliev, wield positions of great power. And as rumours persist of a deterioration in the president's health, these two could play crucial but separate roles when the time comes to succeed him. Kulibaev, the son of a former communist minister and ex-member of the Komsomol student movement, is regarded as the more dynamic of the two. Starting off as vice president of state-owned giant Kazakoil and then moving to head pipeline operator of Kaztransoil (KTO), Kulibaev has become the leading light in the oil sector. He is not short on ambition: Since taking over KTO around two years ago, he has steered the company into shipping, trading, and - most recently - gas transportation. KTO has not endeared itself to oil producers, however, by raising pipeline tariffs by over 50% this year and taking a more prominent role in rail transportation. Using his family clout, Kulibaev has also branched out into the banking sector, establishing a close rapport with former state savings bank Halyk. In July, a Halyk-controlled vehicle called Corinth agreed to acquire a 35% interest in Canadian mining outfit Nelson Gold, muscling in on half of me original share set aside for the Kazkommertsbank financial-industrial group (NC Oct. 12, p8). The deal gives Halyk a role in the development of the giant Alibekmola field, which the Kazaks have called their "national treasure." The field had originally been eyed by Lukoil and Indian's ONGC among others, but was taken off the "for sale" list by the Kazaks as it was held to be a strategic asset. One of Kutibaev's closest associates is Minister of State Revenues Zeinulla Khakimzhanov, who is being touted as a replacement for embattled Prime Minister Kozymzhomart Tokaev. Another candidate for the role is the head of the presidential administration, Satybay Kamurzaev, a former ambassador to the UK, who is the favoured choice of Rakhat Aliev, sources say. Married to the president's oldest and most prominent daughter, Dariga, a Kazak media mogul in her own right, Rakhat Aliev has business interests ranging from hotels (notably the modestly titled Hyatt Rakhat Palace) to oil. But he is better known for his role as deputy head of Kazak State Security (KNB) responsible for the key Almaty region, where most foreign companies are still headquartered. Before joining KNB is September 1998, Rakhat Aliev was the head of the tax police at the Ministry of Revenues. As some Western businessmen will testify, he showed no mercy with tax-offenders. In one "opinion" poll, Rakhat Aliev was the overwhelming favorite to succeed Nazarbaev. In his current position, Rakhat Aliev has led a clampdown against the opposition in Kazakstan, closing down newspapers that are critical to the regime. He has also played a major role in dishing out kompromat (compromising material) against former prime minister Akezhan Kazhegeldin, who is still feared by Astana despite living in exile for over two years. With deep pockets and expert lawyers, Kazhegeldin has slung mud back at the regime to great effect. At the end of September, Rakhat Aliev met in London with Kazhegeldin to propose a settlement, EIG understands. In return for stopping the flow of kompromat against Nazarbaev and Co., Kazhegeldin was offered full rehabilitation and a senior position in the government. He turned down the offer, though the two have spoken since, sources close to the matter say. Nazarbaev himself has arranged to meet Kazhegeldin during a scheduled visit to the UK capital in mid-November, the sources say. This is not the first peace offering made to Kazhegeldin. In two London meetings in the summer of 1999, he turned down a similar proposal from James Giffen, a US businessman who has advised the government on major oil deals for over 10 years. Since that meeting, Giffen has become a victim of the muck-raking war, following the leakage to the media of a US Justice Department letter to Swiss prosecutors requesting more data on his financial dealings. The central allegation is that Giffen transferred over $30 million from three US oil companies - Mobil, Amoco, and Phillips - to accounts controlled by senior Kazak officials, including Nazarbaev. The FBI has also been on the case, working their way through a list of US businessmen who they believe may have had dealings with Giffen. To muddy the waters, a private investigation has been ordered into one of the Swiss investigators, EIG is told. Other members of the presidential family involved in the oil sector include Nazarbaev's brother, Bulat Nazarbaev, who owns BN Consultancy. The company has a 30% share in BN Munai, a joint venture with UK-based Atlantic Caspian - chaired by ex-BG boss Cedric Brown - to develop the onshore Akkul field. Nazarbaev's third son-in-law is AidarAkaev, the son of the president of Kyrgyzstan, AskarAkaev. Akaev Jnr's business career took a step up - he landed a job at Kazcommertsbank - but his marriage to Nazarbaev's youngest daughter appears to have fallen to pieces, to the regret of both Central Asian leaders. Reuters Business Briefing, November 2000 |