In 1999 the gross external debt of Kazakhstan has decreased by $330 million - National Bank

/IRBIS, Apr.12, 00/ - REUTERS cites the press release of the National Bank of Kazakhstan. According to it on December 31, 1999 the gross external debt of Kazakhstan has decreased by $330 million to $7.893 billion. The total national debt consists from indebtedness guaranteed by the Government and not guaranteed by the Government and from the indebtedness of the country's firms to the non-residents. The duty, guaranteed by the Government in 1999 practically has not changed and has remained at $4.056 billion. The not guaranteed debt for the same period has grown insignificantly: from $2.737 billion to $2.837 billion. The firms' accounts payable at the beginning of 2000 is $1.485 billion, on September 30, 1999 - $1 billion. It is informed also that the norm of the external debt service (ratio of debt service and redemption payments to export of goods and services) has made in 1999 27.3%. The ratios of the Gross External Debt to GDP and export of goods and services are, 49.9% and 114.0% correspondingly.