Positive trade balance of Kazakhstan in the I quarter of 2004 - $1.57 bn.

/REUTERS, Almaty, May 13, 04/ - Kazakhstan statistics agency informs positive external trade balance of Kazakhstan (including CIS countries), in accordance with customs statistics data without unorganized trade, fell in January-March of 2004 to $1,568.8 m. from $1,160.9 m. within similar period of previous year. The agency informs that volume of export increased by 27%, import - by 58%. External trade balance of Kazakhstan (m. USD): ------------------------------------------- Jan-Mar, 04 Jan-Feb, 04 Jan-Mar, 03 ------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Export 4,001.7 2,587.8 3,150.3 Import 2,432.9 1,583.3 1,539.4 Balance +1,568.8 +1,004.5 +1,610.9 ------------------------------------------- Including commerce with CIS countries: ------------------------------------------- Jan-Mar, 04 Jan-Feb, 04 Jan-Mar, 03 ------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Export 891.5 546.0 592.8 Import 1,204.5 843.4 748.5 Balance -313.0 -297.4 -155.7 ------------------------------------------- 22.3% of export and 49.5% of all import deliveries fell to the stake of CIS countries in January-March of 2004. Russia remains the major trade partner of Kazakhstan: its stake in total volume of export in this period was 14.3%, and in the volumes of import - 39.5%. [2004-05-13]