Report: Gaydamak invested in Kazakh uranium plant
Yedioth Ahronoth reveals Israeli billionaire was the largest investor in company specializing in mining, sale of uranium; Gaydamak: It's all false information
Israeli billionaire Arcadi Gaydamak was the largest investor behind the KazSabton company specializing in the mining and sale of uranium in the north of Kazakhstan, a report by Yedioth Ahronoth revealed Thursday.
The report will appear in full in the newspaper's weekend supplement.
According to the report, Gaydamak began investing in the Kazakhstan company in 1999, a company whose main activity is the mining of uranium, as well as its processing and sales. The company also owns plants that were formerly part of the Russian army's atomic industry and which were privatized by the Kazakhstan government in April 1999.
According to the report, Gaydamak controlled the privatized company for several years until it was transferred to the management of Kazakhstan's national atomic company in April 2004.
The report said the transfer of the plant was due to employee criticism leveled at Gaydamak and his management methods. Yedioth Ahronoth revealed that Gaydamak invested in these plants via another company registered in Cyprus.
'Newspaper working with criminal elements'
Gaydamak vehemently denied the plant had been in his possession, or that he had anything to do with uranium. He gave several versions and also argued that the Kazakhstan government conveyed false information to employees with the aim of tying him to the plant.
The last version given by Gadamak maintains that he purchased just one unit located in the company's facility and which manufactured fertilizers.
The said plant specializes in the manufacture of uranium to the civilian market; however, a report published in 2004 by the FOI, the Swedish Defense Research Agency, leveled criticism at the accessibility Gaydamak had to sensitive materials in light of his involvement as an arms dealer.
Gaydamak fiercely attacked the findings of the report by Yedioth Ahronoth and accused it of "criminal activity" which is being carried out with the cooperation of criminal elements.
A Yedioth Ahronoth reporter visited the company's plant in the north of Kazakhstan and met with workers who were surprised to hear of Gaydamak's sweeping denials. The workers' representative also noted that when Gaydamak purchased the company he was still in a partnership with Lev Leviev during the period the two worked together in Africa Israel.
In response to Yedioth Ahronoth's request, Lev Leviev confirmed the partnership and stressed that he has not been involved in the company since 2001.
Internal Fraud Unit investigators had in the past found documents related to the Kazakhstan uranium mining company about which Gaydamak was questioned. The documents noted that in 2004 Gaydamak inspected the uranium market in Russia on behalf of the plant.
'I protected Israel's interests'
The explanations Gaydamak gave with regards to the document do not tie in with the information revealed by Yedioth Ahronoth as to the nature of the plant's activities and the contact the company had with a senior Russian manager who joined its operations during the said period, and who indeed examined the uranium market in Russia.
Gaydamak responded to the report by saying that "apart from the fertilizers production, the so-called 'sensitive' activity, such as the manufacture of uranium, was completely and comprehensively controlled by the state authority of Kazakhstan and Russia.
"As an Israeli citizen, I take great pride in saying that thanks to my business position and stature in Kazakhstan and Russia, I have always been able to utilize my status to help protect the interests and the security of Kazakhstan, Russia and Israel," he said in a statement.
Gaydamak added: "All my beneficial actions were fully coordinated with the state authorities of these three countries, and I’m very proud to say that today, all the activities considered as 'sensitive' and that are linked to the uranium industry in Kazakhstan are under the control and surveillance of both Kazakhstan and recognized international organizations."
