National Bank of Kazakhstan reported no malfunctions in its system in the new year

/IRBIS, Jan.6, 00/ - National Bank of Kazakhstan informed in its special press-release as of January 4, 2000 information systems of the National Bank and Kazakhstan Center for Interbank Clearing were functioning well. No year 2000 problems were noticed. Particularly, press-release reads: "According to the Order #112 of December 30, 1999, to coordinate the activities and control the passage of the banking system of Kazakhstan to year 2000 a special unit of specialists were on duty in the National Bank 24 hours a day from December 31, 1999 to January 4, 2000. Duty personnel maintained fast communication with branches and organizations of the National Bank, banks of the second tier of Kazakhstan. On January 2, 2000 engineering personnel of the National Bank checked the accuracy of clock times on all servers and workstations, systems with built-in microchip control. No year 2000 problems were observed. Computers, software and other vital equipment work normally. On January 3, 2000 subdivisions of the central office, branches and organizations of the National Bank worked to complete payments and money transfers for December 30 and 31, 1999 between the banks, their clients, national and local budgets, and accumulative pension funds of Kazakhstan according to the Resolution #425 of the Board of the National Bank, dated December 23, 1999. For the information of all users of big payments system (BPS) of Kazakhstan Center for Interbank Clearing (KCIC) - in messages of MT950 format in columns 60F: and 62F: operation date will be shown, that is, December 31, 1999, and in field 61: - current settlement date, that is January 3, 2000. This is due to distinctive characteristics of KCIC's software in making payments for December 30 and 31, 1999".