The head of the International Monetary Fund, Michel Camdessus, is in Kazakhstan where he's spoken warmly of President Nazerbayev's economic reforms.

Mr Camdessus said he had not a single criticism in his report on Kazakhstan, and correspondents say the two men radiated mutual satisfaction.

Earlier in his tour of Central Asia, Mr Camdessus had attacked what he called the facade of market economies, under which Asian governments gave rewards to personal contacts.

He said that without transparency, market inefficiencies built up.

Mr Camdessus did not make any connection between this phenomenon and the Central Asian economies.