Kazakh TV says bank chief’s death may remain mystery
Kazakh Television first channel, Astana
20 Dec 04
The death of the Kazakh TuranAlem private bank’s president, Yerzhan
Tatishev, may remain a mystery, Kazakh TV first channel has said. The
TV report also said that an attempt was made on Tatishev’s life in
2002. Tatishev was shot dead in a hunting accident in southern Kazakh
Zhambyl Region on 19 December. The following is the text of report
by Kazakh TV on 20 December:
[Presenter] Despite the fact that media sources have said that Yerzhan
Tatishev’s sudden death was an accident, as the head of a leading
financial establishment and a well-experienced and rich banker, his
death will undoubtedly give rise to various rumours. There had been
few rumours even before Tatishev’s death.
[Correspondent, over video of an archive footage of Tatishev at a
meeting, a TuranAlem bank office] The name of Yerzhan Tatishev, who
put the TuranAlem bank to its feet and brought it to the international
financial market, became well-known after his joining the Democratic
Choice of Kazakhstan [opposition] party. However, Tatishev left the
party two years ago, saying that the bank should be engaged in its
professional business and, first of all, be concerned with depositors’
interests.
A rumour, which damaged not only the bank chairman’s name but the
country’s international reputation, was circulated on an Internet
web site in summer last year. According to the rumour, the bank
chairman appropriated all the funds of the bank and escaped to the
USA. Tatishev denied this rumour via a video-link while being on a trip
to the USA. The rumour’s authors linked Tatishev’s trip to the USA
with the early release of Mukhtar Ablyazov [a former minister and an
opposition leader who was given a prison sentence for abuse of power].
In addition, an attempt was made on the banker’s life two years
ago. But he was not in a service car [when attacked]. The police said
there was a hidden political motive. Having signed the statement by
major Kazakh banks, Tatishev recently once again said that he would
not be involved in politics.
Some foreign media sources link the name of the TuranAlem bank chairman
with Kazakhstan’s debt worth 2.5m dollars to Uzbekistan.
In recent years, the Kazakh bank has started to penetrate the financial
markets of CIS countries. Ukrainian media sources called the TuranAlem
bank’s intention to buy a bank in this country a Kazakh offensive. The
bank also has its branches in Russia and China.
The bank ranks sixth among private banks in the CIS. Its assets are
worth 4bn dollars. The bank has recently voiced its plans to open joint
ventures in Azerbaijan and Armenia and to buy a bank in Tatarstan.
No matter what they say, it is possible the banker’s death at the age
of 37 will remain a mystery. There are a lot of questions which have
not been answered yet.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress