ASTANA. June 3. KAZINFORM /Kanat Kulshmanov/ Kazakhstan Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sauat Mynbayev has opened the II National Conference titled “Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in Kazakhstan” (EITI) today in Astana. “Kazakhstan has been introducing the EITI which is aimed at ensruing transparency between the mining companies and the Government since 2005”, S.Mynbayev said. “As of today 110 businesses of the republic, 66 of which are oil and gas and 44 – ore mining companies, have signed the EITI Memo”, the Minister added. The process of the EITI validation was discussed at the conference. The representative of the EITI International Secretariat in Oslo Samuel Bartlett expressed hope that Kazakhstan will become a pattern for other countries in abidance by the criteria and principles of the validation process. The Conference held in Kazakhstan within the memorandum on mutual understanding between the Energy Ministry and the World Bank proved to be a precursor of the validation process which must be carried through in Kazakhstan so that it became an EITI follower at the international level. The validation process will be accomplished in Kazakhstan before 2010.