Latest news that I could find:
GOVERNOR OF SOUTH KAZAKHSTAN IS NOT DEPORTING ETHNIC KAZAKHS FROM
UZBEK-KAZAKH DISPUTED TERRITORIES TO KAZAKHSTAN
The Almaty-based 31 Kanal and KTK commercial television channels, as
well as Kazakhstan Today News Agency, reported late on 11 February
that South Kazakhstan Oblast governor Berdibek Saparbayev is moving
ethnic Kazakhs from the villages of Turkestanets and Baghys, which
are disputed between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, to other regions of
Kazakhstan.
But a spokesman for the South Kazakhstan Oblast administration told
RFE/RL on 12 February that the Oblast administration has announced
its readiness to provide all ethnic Kazakhs who want to move from
Turkestanets village to South Kazakhstan Oblast with housing and
other means of support. That spokesman also told RFE/RL that it has
been agreed between Kazakh and Uzbek officials that Baghys village
will belong to Kazakhstan while Turkestanets village will be under
the full jurisdiction of Uzbekistan. Since about 20 per cent of the
residents of Turkestanets village (about 400 people) are Kazakh
passport holders, they may want to move to Kazakhstan. That is why
South Kazakhstan Oblast officials issued an official statement about
their readiness to help those who want to move, the spokesman said.
From the site of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (
http://www.rferl.org/bd/ka/reports/archives/2002/02/0-120202.html ),
date: Febr. 12
Peter S.