/IRBIS, June 19, 01/ - REUTERS informs, with the reference to the Statistics agency of Kazakhstan, that external trade balance (including CIS countries) of Kazakhstan in January-April 2001 is positive at $866.1m compared with positive balance of $1,432.1 mln in similar period of 2000.

External trade balance of Kazakhstan ($, m)

-------------------------------------
         Jan-Apr  Jan-March   Jan-Apr
            2001       2001      2000
-------  -------  ---------  --------
Exports  2,850.5    2,105.5   2,783.1
Imports  1,984.4    1,421.1   1,351.0
Balance   +866.1     +684.4  +1,432.1
-------------------------------------

Trade balance with CIS countries:

------------------------------------
         Jan-Apr  Jan-March  Jan-Apr
            2001       2001     2000
-------  -------  ---------  -------
Exports    907.1      631.9    777.1
Imports  1,103.7      780.8    752.2
Balance   -196.6     -148.9     24.9
------------------------------------

In January-April 2001 share of the CIS in total volume of exports and imports amounted to 31.8% and 55.6%, respectfully. In similar period of last year these figures equaled 27.9% and 55.7%.

Russia is still a major trade partner of Kazakhstan. Its share in export and import shipments reached 22.8% and 49.6%.