Astana. February 13. Kazakhstan Today - The Kazakhstan public debt for 2006 increased by 440.9 billion KZT, having made 1 trillion 145.9 billion KZT ($9 billion) in January 1, 2007, Natalia Korzhova, the Minister of Finance said at the government session. According to the minister, the increase of the state debt occurred "basically due to the growth of the National Bank of Kazakhstan debt in the fourth quarter of 2006". According to the Ministry of Finance, "the governmental debt portfolio ratio of internal and external debt makes 62 % and 38 % accordingly." "Pre-term repayment of the most expensive loans of the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development at the rate of $65.7 million has been carried out during a fiscal year," the Minister informed. N. Korzhova noted, "economic effect of the pre-term repayment of external debts consists in decrease (in the future) of expenditures of the service of the governmental debt and will make $226 million." 13.02.07