Israel buys Kazakhstan complex for Uranium production

Israel has bought one of the largest uranium factories at a price less than $300,000 US. Uranium is an essential ingredient in the development of nuclear bombs. Yujan Karimov, chairman of Tselinny Gorno-Khimicheskii Kombinat (TGK) in Kazakhstan said that he had signed a contract with Arieh Bin Rimon, the director of Sabton Limited, which is a branch of the Israeli Africa-Israel Investment Company.

According to the contract the Israeli company bought all content of the factory at 36 million tenge (each US dollar equals 114.8 tenge).

The Israelis also offered definite guarantees to pay the accumulated salaries for the workers at the complex, estimated at 270 million tenge, within two years.

In 1998 the complex's production cost was estimated at 1970 million tenge, a figure which represents a 39% increase over the cost of the factory's production for 1997.

Nevertheless, the Kazakhstani government announced the bankruptcy of the "melting and chemical complex" and its sale to the Israelis.

Every month the said complex treats some 130-150 tonnes of uranium raw materials. This material is usually used in manufacturing nuclear weapons.

For years, Israel has been eager to "have its hand on the said factory."