Investments into transportation of Kazakhstan to increase up to $1 bln in the year 2005

/IRBIS, June 13, 00/ - REUTERS informs, with the reference to the minister of transportation and communication of the country, Serik Burkitbaev, that investments into transportation of Kazakhstan can reach about $1 bln in the year 2005. The statement was published due to an international conference "TransEurasia-2000" opened in Almaty today. He did not give the present numbers though. The country is going to be the major transportation and communication link between South-East Asia and Europe. Burkitbaev said the Kazakhstani railroad and Kazakhtelecom had already become the leaders in transit in the region, with railroad freight growing by 70% in 1999 and doubling in this year. Communication services grew 18.8% in last year, and the proportion of the industry in the country's GDP reached 1.9%, is said. It is said the country has 4 transcontinental railroads passing through its territory and 72 international airways that give $3 mln income to the budget annually. Kazakhtelecom is said to be connected to Trans-Asian-European fiber-optic communication line (TAE FOCL). The proportion of transportation and communication industry in the country's GDP was estimated at 10.9% in last year, and it is believed to grow to 13.9% in the first quarter of this year. Gross income of the industry is said to equal to KZT15.8 bln ($110.4 mln) in January-April of this year.