Kazakhstan mulls joining Antarctic Treaty by year end

Kazakhstan may join the Antarctic Treaty by the end of 2012, Kazakhstan Vice-Minister of Environmental Protection Marlen Iskakov told Tengrinews.kz at the first conference of Kazakh Geographic Society Earth and Human Potential in Astana. “We hope to join the Antarctic Treaty by the end of this year. This would open huge prospects to us,” Marlen Iskakov said.According to him, the decision on Kazakhstan’s joining the Antarctic Treaty was made at the 29th meeting of the export council on cooperation of Kazakhstan with international organizations chaired by Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Nurlan Danenov.