New Kazakh government formed fully

ASTANA, April 14 (Itar-Tass) - Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev
signed a decree to appoint Rashid Tusupbekov as Justice Minister on
Thursday. Tusupbekov, 56, became one more minister, who stayed at his
post, after the resignation of the government over Nazarbayev's assuming
the presidential office. Nursultan Nazarbayev was reelected at the early
presidential elections on April 3. A new government was formed fully in
the republic.
Meanwhile, the analytical experts did not note any drastic reshuffles
in the executive authorities. Most members of the government and all top
governmental officials were left on their posts. Prime Minister Karim
Masimov was reappointed on the post. He headed the government since 2007.
Masimov's deputies, namely First Deputy Prime Minister Umirzak Shukeyev,
Deputy Prime Ministers Erbolat Orynbayev and Aset Isekeshev, who is also
the minister of industry and new technologies, were left on their posts.
Nazarbayev left Adilbek Dzhaksybekov as the defence minister and
agreed with all candidates, which Masimov offered to him urgently (within
two days). Finance Minister Bolat Zhamishev, Minister of Oil and Gas Sauat
Mynbayev, Health Minister Salidat Kairbekova, Culture Minister Mukhtar
Kul-Muhammed, Minister of Education and Science Bakytzhan Zhumagulov,
Minister of Environment Protection Nurgali Ashimov, Minister of Labour and
Social Security Gulshara Abdykalikova, Minister of Emergency Situations
Vladimir Bozhko and Minister of Communications and Information Askar
Zhumagaliyev were left at their posts.
Erzhan Kazykhanov was appointed as Foreign Minister, Talgat
Ermegiyayev as Minister of Tourism and Sports. Both of them were the
deputy ministers before.
Maj. Gen. Kalmukhanbet Kasymov, 53, who was the deputy interior
minister from 2005 to 2009, was appointed as Interior Minister. Minister
of Economic Development and Trade Kairat Kelimbetov, Minister of Transport
and Communications Berik Kamaliyev and Agriculture Minister Asylzhan
Mamytbekov were appointed from other organizations, but are not the
newcomers in these spheres. Kelimbetov has already headed the economic
agency from 2002 to 2006, Kamaliyev headed a committee in the Transport
Ministry, Mamytbekov managed the KazAgro holding, which is ranked among
the major agricultural enterprises in the country.
Experts link no major reshuffles in the government with the fact that
they are inexpedient before next parliamentary elections. Under the
amendments in the election legislation a new parliament will have at least
two parties, while the incumbent parliament has only the Nur Otan Party
headed by Nazarbayev. Meanwhile, the president said in his inauguration
speech that the powers of the supreme legislature should be made broader.
The amendments are primarily expected to make the parliamentary role
stronger in the formation of the government. The incumbent Cabinet headed
by Masimov is expected to work until the parliamentary elections. The
government will implement a program for industrialization and several
social programs. After that sweeping changes will be made.