OREANDA-NEWS. February 26, 2013. Z-Explorer held a round table on Building Partnership through Interaction and Dialogue in Osh to enhance mutual understanding and find directions for social partnership between the Company and local authorities that represent the interests of communities living in Maidan Rural District, Kadamjai Region, Batken Oblast, where the Shambesai Gold Project is located. The round table was attended by the Government Plenipotentiary in Batken Oblast Jenish Razakov and Acting Head of Kadamjai Region Administration Akram Madumarov.

The round table became a successful platform for information exchange among the Company, local community and public authorities. Members of Maidan District Kenesh received answers to community’s questions and concerns. In particular, environmental impacts of the project activities were discussed in detail. Social and economic benefits of the Shambesai Project, land rehabilitation and social package implementation plans were also presented to the round table participants.

“The development of the Shambesai gold deposit by Z-Explorer will ensure inflow of taxes on the government and local levels, provide new job opportunities, and facilitate socioeconomic development of the region”, the Government Plenipotentiary in Batken Oblast Jenish Razakov said. “We are going to support the investors provided they comply with all health, safety and environmental laws and regulations of the Kyrgyz Republic.”

Acting Head of Kadamjai Region Administration Akram Madumarov supported the Company’s initiative to jointly develop a Shambesai project implementation program to ensure tangible contributions to the development of the region. In his view, the key prerequisites of successful cooperation are active trilateral interactions, involvement of the local community in monitoring activities, training and professional development of local human resources, and new job opportunities.

Head of Maidan District Administration Latifa Muratova said “the round table opened the doors for transparent partnership” and noted that the local community was ready to support the Company if the latter implemented all programs aimed at improving the infrastructure in Maidan Rural District and living conditions of the local community.

In conclusion, the round table participants outlined the most efficient ways of interaction between the investor, authorities of Maidan Rural District, and oblast and regional administrations.

For information: The Australian-based company Manas Holdings has been the only shareholder of Z-Explorer CJSC since February 2008. On the 7th of December 2012, the Company obtained a mining license for the Shambesai Gold Project, which was discovered in 2008 in Kadamjai Region of Batken Oblast (Isfairamsai license area).