The lower house of Kazakhstan\'s parliament approved a draft Land Code in its first reading on 20 March. The draft code provides for the privatization of agricultural land, an issue that is highly controversial. Foreign individuals and legal entities may not acquire private farmland, according to the draft. The code must have at least one more reading in the lower house and at least two in the upper house before it is sent to the president for signature. President Nursultan Nazarbaev has been a strong proponent of land privatization. (Interfax-Kazakhstan)