AP News, January 8th, 2007
The prime minister of oil-rich Kazakhstan resigned Monday in the wake of criticism of his performance by the heavy-handed president of the Central Asian country.
Daniyal Akhmetov, who served as prime minister since 2003, offered his resignation at a Cabinet meeting, thanking President Nursultan Nazarbayev for "the high honor and trust shown to me," the government's press office said in a statement.
No reason was given for the move, which will lead to the appointment of a new government. Akhmetov had come under Nazarbayev's criticism for poor strategic planning, overspending and other mistakes. Following his re-election in late 2005, Nazarbayev weakened Akhmetov's role in his Cabinet.
Nazarbayev, who has ruled Kazakhstan as president since its independence in 1991 and has long resisted democratic reforms, regularly replaces his prime ministers as he tries to secure his position and balance interests of various powerful elite groups.
Free-market reforms and generous foreign investment in the vast energy sector have helped make Kazakhstan one of the most economically successful post-Soviet states, with annual economic growth of almost 10 percent the past several years.
However, the Kazakh economy lacks transparency and is dominated by the less-stable raw materials sector.
Oraz Zhandosov, leader of the opposition Nagyz Ak Zhol party and former National Bank chairman, said Monday that Akhmetov's resignation was expected "because he has done little good" for the economy.
"He was weak in terms of ideas and ability to build a good team," Zhandosov told The Associated Press.
Nazarbayev is expected to propose his choice of new prime minister at a parliament session on Wednesday, officials said.
