Yerik Asanbayev

Erik Magzumuly Asanbayev (Ерік Мағзұмұлы Асанбаев, Erık Mağzūmūly Asanbaev; 10 March 1936 – 23 August 2004) was a Kazakh statesman and vice-president of the Republic of Kazakhstan from 1991 to 1996.

Biography
Yerik Asanbayev was born on 10 March 1936, in Baigabul village, Amangeldi District, Turgai province. In 1958, he graduated from Kazakh State University majoring in Economics. In 1963, he graduated from Moscow Finance Institute, obtaining a PhD in Economics.

Career
From 1959 to 1967, Asanbayev was teaching and working on scientific projects in Moscow and Almaty. In 1963 he became the head of financial planning department and interbranch balance at the scientific and research institute of economics at State Planning Agency of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic.

He was a member of the council of ministers of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic and Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan from 1967 to 1986, and then become the deputy head of department at the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan. In 1988 he was appointed as deputy Chairman of the council of ministers of Kazakh SSR. In 1989 he became the secretary of the central committee of the Communist Party of Kazakh SSR.

In April 1990, Asanbayev became the chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR. On 16 October 1991, Asanbayev was elected as the Vice President of Kazakh SSR by the Supreme Soviet. In December 1991, he was elected in popular elections. He continued as the vice president of Nursultan Nazarbayev until February 1996, when he was reassigned as Ambassador to Germany where he served until July 2000.

Awards

 * Otan (1995)
 * Barys (2000)
 * Honor Sign
 * Medals