CIS COUNTRIES REGISTER INDUSTRIAL GROWTH-EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
October 4, 2005 Tuesday

All the CIS countries have registered a rise in industrial production
over the first six months of the current year. The only exception
is Kyrgyzstan where the industrial slump amounted to 9.8 percent in
January-June, says a report by the Commonwealth Executive Committee,
circulated before a meeting of the CIS Economic Council, scheduled
for October 12.

Azerbaijan gained the highest industrial growth in the first six
months – 20.1 percent. It is trailed by Georgia – 12.8 percent,
Belarus – 10.5, Tajikistan – 8.9, Uzbekistan – 7.5, Kazakhstan – 7,
Ukraine and Armenia – 5 and 5.3, respectively. Russia and Moldova had
the lowest rates of industrial grown – 4 and 4.6 percent, respectively.

Oil production increased in all the CIS petroleum-producing
countries, apart from Ukraine where it slid by 0.9 percent down
to two million tonnes. Azerbaijan boosted petroleum recovery by 25
percent up to 9.6 million tonnes as against the corresponding period
in 2004. Kazakhstan’s growth in oil production edged up on 11 percent
up to 31.1 million tonnes, in Russia – three percent up to 230 million
tonnes and Turkmenistan – one percent up to 4.8 million tonnes.

Kazakhstan boosted its gas recovery by 29 percent over the six months
of this year as against the corresponding period in 2004, Turkmenistan
– 3.4 percent and Azerbaijan – 2.0 percent. The growth amounted to
0.7 and 0.9 percent in Ukraine and Russia, respectively.

The Russian Federation mined more coal by 3.0 percent, Ukraine –
by 1.0 percent and Kazakhstan registered a nosedive of three percent.

Moldova increased power generation by 13 percent over the above period,
Georgia – 6.0 percent, Ukraine – 5.0 percent, Azerbaijan and Armenia
– 4.0 percent each, Kazakhstan, Russia and Tajikistan – two percent
each. Belarus generated seven percent less power, and Kyrgyzstan –
0.3 percent.