Kumtor case: Bakyt Baketaev appeals to U.S. Ambassador
Bakyt Baketaev called on the New York court to make a fair decision within the Kumtor case. The political scientist appealed to the U.S. Ambassador at a protest near the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek.
«We believe that the American court is the fairest one. Our people know how the Canadians did their business here. Initially, Kyrgyzstan received 70 percent of Kumtor’s work, while Canada took 30 percent. Time passed and Kyrgyzstan began to get 30 percent, and Canada — 70. There is not a single country in international practice that would thus concede its natural resources,» he said.
Environmental activists are picketing near the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek. According to the leader of Save the Tien Shan movement Kanyshai Ryspekova, in this way they want to draw the attention of the world community to the situation around the Kumtor mine.
On May 16, Centerra Gold Inc. initiated arbitration proceedings against the government of Kyrgyzstan — after adoption of the law allowing external management at the Kumtor mine.
Later, Centerra Gold Inc. — Kumtor Gold Company and Kumtor Operating Company applied to the District Court for the Southern District of New York. On July 7, Centerra Gold Inc. filed claims against Kyrgyzaltyn OJSC — Centerra’s largest shareholder.
