First military base

Kazakhstan is building its first military base on the Caspian Sea at the port of Atyrau with financial support from the U.S. Defense Department, the daily "Ekspress-K" reported on 7 October. The first base buildings are scheduled to be completed in November or December. An official from the Military Cooperation Department of the U.S. Embassy in Almaty told journalists that the United States is interested in the base because "the oil riches of the Caspian should be under reliable protection." "Ekspress-K" noted that there are numerous oil-extraction projects with U.S. participation in the Atyrau area.