Kazakhstan uses Russian experience in language policy

ASTANA, August 9 (Itar-Tass) - The new bill on language policy, to be
unveiled in Kazakhstan by September 1, is based on the best international
experience, including the Russian federal law on the state language, an
official said.
"We are using Russian experience in language policy issues, as well as
in drawing this legislation," Secretary of the republic's Ministry of
Culture Zhanna Kurmangaliyeva told a news conference in the Kazakh capital
on Tuesday.
Earlier, the Kazakh authorities placed the text of the bill on the
Internet. It envisions much higher requirements to proficiency in the
Kazakh language from 2013. It follows from the text that the government
bodies will only accept statements in Kazakh and that they will answer in
Kazakh, too. Also, it provides for keeping statistics, financial reports
and technical documents in Kazakh at all organizations, regardless of the
form of ownership.
The text caused a public stir and controversy, but Kurmangaliyeva
called it "a tempest in a teapot."
She explained that the Internet version of the document was not the
final text to be considered by the parliament and the government.
"It's just a working text forwarded to all the government bodies and
public associations for joint work and public expert examination," the
secretary noted.
Kurmangaliyeva said the Ministry of Culture was planning to set up a
Public Council for development of languages. This body will be discussing
the bill.
"We'd like to have a floor where everybody can meet: both the
supporters and opponents of the bill. We live in one country and are
interested in its stability and in the state language being a factor of
national unity," she said.