LIMA, 28 November 2017 – Kazakhstan and Peru held the first round of political consultations. The Kazakh delegation was headed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yerzhan Ashikbayev, while the Peruvian delegation was headed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nestor Popolizio.In the course of the consultations, the sides expressed mutual desire to intensify the political dialogue further for enhancing bilateral ties and filling them with practical content, as well as the steps aimed at strengthening trade and economic partnership and developing cultural and humanitarian contacts.In addition to the need to deepen bilateral cooperation, the sides exchanged views on international issues. In particular, they discussed topical issues on the agenda of the UN Security Council, and confirmed the similarity of approaches in solving key issues in international politics, readiness to expand cooperation in combating new challenges and threats, as well as interaction in maintaining international peace and security.The Kazakh diplomat handed over a personal invitation from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Kairat Abdrakhmanov to the Head of the Peruvian Foreign Office to participate in the UN Security Council Ministerial Debate on Central Asia and Afghanistan in January next year within the framework of Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the UN Security Council.Ashikbayev noted that Kazakhstan counts on close cooperation with Peru on all items of the UN Security Council agenda, as well as on common priorities within the Council during the period of joint membership in the Organization. The Peruvian diplomat, after welcoming the first official visit of the Kazakh delegation to Lima, agreed that expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two states is very important, especially in the light of Peru membership in the UN Security Council from January 2018.Following the talks, the representatives of foreign ministries of the two countries signed a Memorandum for the Establishment of a Mechanism for Political Consultations, thus broadening the Kazakh-Peruvian legal framework.At the end of the visit to Peru Ashikbayev held a meeting with the Director of Peru Export and Tourism Promotion Agency – PROMPERU, whom he handed the list of the most high-priority export goods of Kazakhstan in order to expand business contacts between the countries and to diversify bilateral trade.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/30575?lang=kk

November 29, 2017, New York – The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting in response to North Korea's launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), at which all Council members strongly condemned, in no uncertain terms, the third launch of an ICBM within the span of just the last six months.The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Mr Jeffrey Feltman, informed the Council that the North Korean missile “Hwasong-15” was a considerably improved and updated model of ICBMs with a range of up to 13,000 kilometers, with the ability to reach the territory of the United States. He also stressed that over the past two years, nuclear tests and rocket launches conducted by Pyongyang led to serious tension on the Korean peninsula and beyond. “Given the grave risks associated with any military confrontation, in exercise of its primary responsibility, the Security Council needs to do all it can to prevent an escalation. Unity in the Security Council is critical,” warned USG Feltman.Ambassador Kairat Umarov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations and representing the country as an elected member of the Council, expressed extreme concern about this latest provocative missile launch by Pyongyang. According to the Kazakh delegation, this launch runs counter to the demands of the international community and gravely violates all relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council. Such further provocations would only generate even greater confrontation and spur a new wave of escalations with untold consequences. At the same time, according to Kazakhstan, he indicated that there is no alternative to a peaceful solution to the North Korean crisis, and the stalemate can only be overcome through negotiations, dialogue and goodwill by all parties."We must avoid sliding down the military path. We need to focus on finding possible political and diplomatic measures to resolve the issue. Therefore, Astana stands for the tireless search for a comprehensive and collective solution of the issue through new decisive political and diplomatic actions. It is only through meaningful communication and collective deliberations, accompanied by confidence-building measures, that we will be able to find a way out of this very complex situation," Ambassador Umarov said.The meeting concluded with Security Council reaffirming the importance of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, and also its commitment to search for political and diplomatic paths, accompanied by the effective implementation of all previous sanctions measures against Pyongyang.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/30551?lang=kk

Distinguished Representatives of the Media,The 8th high-level meeting of the Astana Process on Syria will take place on December 21-22, 2017.Journalists are invited to provide media-coverage of the plenary session which will be held on December 22 at the «Rixos President Astana» Hotel (time of the beginning of the session will be announced additionally).In order to get accredited it is necessary to fill out an accreditation form (https://goo.gl/forms/rVhgFK2BIJ8PF7gx1) and to send scanned copy of a passport and an official letter of the Chief/Editor in Chief under the “Syrian Talks 8" email subject, to the accreditation@mfa.kz email address, by 12 p.m. (time of Astana) December 15.Time and place of a press conference (if any) following the meeting will be announced additionally.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/29601?lang=kk

ASTANA, January 1, 2018. - From January 1st to 31st, Kazakhstan, for the first time in its history, assumes the Presidency of the United Nations Security Council.As part of its role, the Presidency coordinates the Council's activities and, with the assistance of the UN Secretariat, ensures continuity within the Council's daily work. The Presidency also makes statements on behalf of the Council, in consultation with the Security Council members, as well as releasing press statements following discussions within informal consultations and whenever the Security Council reaches agreement on the text of a document.It is expected that on January 2, the permanent representatives of the UN Security Council will review the programme of the Presidency for the month ahead. It is also planning to hold briefings on the Council's programme of work for UN member states that are not members of the Security Council, as well as for the media and NGOs. Following a proposal by Kazakhstan , the Security Council, will for the first time, hold an official ceremony where the flags of Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Peru and Poland will be flown to honour their election as new non-permanent members of the Council for the next two years.The UN Security Council Thematic Debates entitled “WMD Non-proliferation: Confidence-building Measures", chaired by President Nursultan Nazarbayev, are also planned to take place on 18th of January. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, as well as the Chair of the Governing Board of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Ambassador Jan Eliasson, former Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, have been invited to address the debates.On January 19th, the UN Security Council will hold a Ministerial-level debate on the threats to international peace and security focusing on the topic: “Building a Regional Partnership in Afghanistan and Central Asia as a Model to Link Security and Development.” It is expected that Foreign Ministers of Central Asian nations and Afghanistan, as well as heads of foreign-policy establishments of the UNSC member states, will attend.On January 25th, the UNSC will hold its quarterly open debate on the topic “the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question” which will focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It will be attended by permanent representatives of UN member states.In addition, open and closed discussions of the Council, on the situation in Syria, Libya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Darfur, West Africa and Sahel, South Sudan, Mali, Somalia, Cyprus and Colombia will be held under the Presidency of Kazakhstan in January.Several resolutions and Presidential statements are scheduled to be adopted.The priorities of Kazakhstan as a member of the UN Security Council in 2017-2018 are indicated in President Nursultan Nazarbayev's policy address to the UNSC “Kazakhstan's Concept and Vision for Sustaining Global Partnerships for a Secure, Just and Prosperous World.” These include: 1) achieving a world free of nuclear weapons; 2) eliminating the threat of a global war and reaching the settlement of local conflicts; 3) promoting the interests of Central Asia while strengthening regional security and cooperation; 4) countering terrorism; 5) peace and security in Africa; 6) ensuring an inextricable link between security and sustainable development; 7) adapting the Security Council and the entire UN system to the threats and challenges of the 21st century.Presidency of the UNSC has a significant international status because the Security Council can make decisions regarding coercive measures, economic sanctions and collective military action. According to the UN Charter, the Security Council bears the primary responsibility for maintaining peace and international security, and all UN member states are obliged to help in implementing its decisions.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/29443?lang=kk

On January 1, 2018 we celebrate 25thanniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic.The quarter of the century has passed under the sign of a strong and steady growth of bilateral interaction in all areas of cooperation. We have established a trustful political dialogue, significantly increased the volume of bilateral trade, expanded the base of bilateral agreements, built up cultural, humanitarian and educational exchanges.The key events which have greatly contributed to the development of bilateral relations include the official visit of the President of the Czech Republic His Excellency Vaclav Klaus to Kazakhstan in 2004, official visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan His Excellency Nursultan Nazarbayev to the Czech Republic in 2012, official visit of the President of the Czech Republic His Excellency Milos Zeman to Kazakhstan in 2014, and the working visit by the Czech leader Milos Zeman to Kazakhstan in 2017 to participate in the opening ceremony of the International Exhibition EXPO-2017 in Astana.The history of diplomatic relations has witnessed the establishment of an active cooperation between the legislative bodies of two countries where the Inter-Parliamentary Kazakhstan-Czech Friendship Group have been playing a major role. The Parliament of the Czech Republic became the one of the first legislative bodies in the European Union to ratify on September 15, 2016 the Agreement between Kazakhstan and EU on Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation. Two countries have defined and have been developing the priority areas of economic cooperation, including energy, machine building industry, agriculture, logistics, education and tourism. To a large extent, the progress in economic dimension have been achieved due to the activities of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Industrial, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, which was established in 2005. The inclusion of Kazakhstan in 2009 into the list of 12 priority trade and economic partners of the Czech Republic contributed to further expansion of ties in the area of trade and investment. A growing inflow of tourists from Kazakhstan to the Czech Republic has served as a live bridge between two countries. The higher educational institutions of the Czech Republic became the centre of attraction for Kazakh students. Since January 1, 2017 all Czech citizens have been granted non-visa regime for 30 days visit to Kazakhstan. The Republic of Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic enjoy constructive cooperation in the international arena and contribute to peace and global security through the mechanisms of the UN, OSCE and other international organizations. Kazakhstan is determined to further promote comprehensive and strong relations of friendship and trust with the Czech Republic.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/28404?lang=kk

On January1, 2018 the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Slovak Republic celebrate 25thAnniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.During the quarter of a century of friendship and partnership two countries established a trustful political dialogue, created favorable conditions for the development of trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, broadened the base of bilateral agreements. The first official visit of the President of the Slovak RepublicHis Excellency Rudolf Schuster to Kazakhstan in November 2001, which resulted in signing of the Declaration on Fundamentals of Relations, has served as an important stage in the process of the development of bilateral cooperation. Further significant impetus to the strengthening of cooperation was given by the official visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan His Excellency Nursultan Nazarbayev to Slovakia inNovember 2007 and the official visit of the President of the Slovak Republic His Excellency Ivan Gasparovic to Kazakhstan in March 2010, and theworking visit of the Slovak leader Ivan Gasparovic to Kazakhstan in December 2010 to participate in the OSCE summit.The parliamentary diplomacy has always greatly contributed to the strengthening of the Kazakh-Slovak relations. The highest legislative bodies of two countries have established Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Groups. There is a regular exchange of visits between the members of two parliaments. The Parliament of Slovakia was one of the first legislative bodies in the European Union to ratify the Agreement between Kazakhstan and EU on Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation. The official visit of the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic His ExcellencyMiroslav Lajčák to Kazakhstan in November 2016 has contributed a lot to further strengthening of the political dialogue. Regular meetings of the Foreign Ministers within various international events as well as Ministerial consultations of two countries serve as an effective mechanism to secure steady cooperation.Trade and economic relations have been developing consistently and progressively. Two sides have defined energy, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, agriculture, pharmacy, transport infrastructure development, education and tourism as priority spheres of economic cooperation. Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, which already held 6 meetings, have been playing an important role in promoting interaction between business circles of two countries. Kazakhstan and Slovakia share close positions on key international issues,enjoy constructive cooperation in the international arenato contribute to peace and global security in the UN, OSCE and other international organizations. Slovakia supports Kazakhstan on EU visa regime liberalization for citizens of Kazakhstan. Since January 1, 2017 all Slovak citizens have been granted non-visa regime for 30 days visit to Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan and Slovakia are determined to further pursue foreign policy aimed at comprehensive strengthening of bilateral relations for the sake of the peoples of two countries.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/28403?lang=kk

ASTANA, 4 January 2017 – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yerzhan Ashikbayev discussed the program of Kazakhstan's activity as the chairman of the UN Security Council during the press conference at the Central Communications Service.Ashikbayev noted that during the presidency in the UN Security Council, the Kazakh delegation will continue to implement the seven priorities set by President Nursultan Nazarbayev in his political address to the UN Security Council titled “Kazakhstan's conceptual vision of strengthening global partnership for building a safe, just and prosperous world.”On the first working day, the members of the UN Security Council considered and adopted the Council's Work Program for January, expressed their full support and underlined its eventfulness, content, relevance and balance. The Deputy Minister emphasized that Kazakhstan established the ceremony of raising the flags of new non-permanent members of the Security Council as the practice for the UN Security Council.During the press conference, Ashikbayev drew attention to the forthcoming high-level thematic briefing on the theme “Non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction: confidence-building measures” chaired by President Nursultan Nazarbayev to be held on January 18. It is expected that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as well as high-level representatives of the UN Security Council member countries will speak at the event. “The theme of the briefing clearly correlates with the traditional priorities of the Kazakh diplomacy and with the foreign policy initiatives of the Head of State,” the deputy minister said.Another important event during the presidency in the UN Security Council will be the ministerial debate titled “Building a regional partnership in Afghanistan and Central Asia as a model for the interdependence of security and development” with the participation of Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov.As for the situation in Afghanistan, Ashikbayev mentioned three main aspects in the solution of the Afghanistan problem, which could serve as a further model for application in other conflict areas: the close relationship between security and development, regional approach to solving various problems and a comprehensive development strategy between the UN structures. He also noted that the solution of the Afghanistan problem is of particular importance for ensuring long-term stability and security for the countries of the region.In January, on a traditional basis, the Council will hold open and closed discussions of the situations in Syria, Libya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Darfur, West Africa and the Sahel, South Sudan, Mali, Somalia, Cyprus and Colombia under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan. On January 25 there will be quarterly open debates of the UN Security Council at the level of the permanent representatives of the UN member states on the theme “The situation in the Middle East, including the question of Palestine.” It is scheduled to adopt a number of resolutions and presidential statements.The Deputy Minister also spoke about the results of the first year of Kazakhstan's membership in the UN Security Council. The Kazakh delegation contributed to the adoption of 61 resolutions, including 11 co-authorships and 27 statements by the chairman of the Security Council. There were voiced the issues that are in priority for Kazakhstan, including preventive diplomacy and the strengthening of confidence-building measures, non-proliferation, conflict resolution, countering international terrorism, and others. Thus, Kazakhstan acts in the common interests of the whole world as a fair mediator.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/28401?lang=kk

On January 15, 2018 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia – Permanent Representative to the African Union H.E. Mr. Yerlik Ali and African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security H.E. Mr. Smail Chergui signed the Agreement on providing humanitarian assistance to Somalia.Within the context of the Agreement, Kazakhstan allocated 215 thousand dollars US to the Commission of the African Union for providing humanitarian assistance to Somalia. The objectives of the Agreement relate to allocating finances for the implementation of two clean water projects in the Southwest of the country – in regions controlled by the African Union AMISOM peacekeepers.In accordance with the Agreement, the Kazakh side will undertake the inspection visit to Somalia during the second half of 2018 – in order to verify the implementation of the mentioned projects.The decision to provide humanitarian assistance to Somalia through the relevant African Union structures is based on the assumption that social and economic situation in the country are extremely difficult - due to the civil war and the destructive activity of the Al-Shabab terrorist group.The agreement was signed in the framework of policy on providing voluntary contributions by Kazakhstan to international organizations.In addition, the decision to provide humanitarian assistance to Somalia corresponds with the Kazakhstani priorities as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, which were formulated in the Address of the President of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev, and submitted on January 10, 2017 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs K.Abdrakhmanov at the debate The UN Security Council (to promote the peaceful and stable development of Africa).In addition, the situation in Somalia is part of the responsibility of the Republic of Kazakhstan in its capacity of the chairman of the Security Council's sanctions committee for Somalia and Eritrea (Committee 751/1907).Besides, these projects on providing water to the affected population correspond to the four priorities of Kazakhstan in the UN Security Council: nuclear, water, food and energy security.Kazakhstan since November 2014 is an observer of the African Union, which unites 55 states of the continent with a population of over 1 billion people.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/28285?lang=kk

New York, January 19, 2018 – On January 18 a Special high-level event was held at the UN headquarter devoted to the presentation of the initial draft Code of Conduct to achieve a world free of terrorism, initiated by the President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The document was officially launched by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Kairat Abdrakhmanov. The event aroused great interest in the UN. Delegations from more than 100 member states of the UN took part in the presentation of the draft and its discussion. Among the high-level participants were the deputy Prime Minister – the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah and the deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan Hekmat Karzai. The reports were delivered by the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office Vladimir Voronkov and the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Miroslav Jenča. The Head of the Kazakh foreign ministry Kairat Abdrakhmanov, while opening the meeting, highlighted the significance of goals and main content of the work on the Code initiated by Kazakhstan as a contribution to countering international terrorism. The major goals of the document are the creation of a broad international coalition of partner countries on counter-terrorism and the achievement of a world free of terrorism by the 100th anniversary of the UN in 2045.V.Voronkov highly appreciated the efforts of Kazakhstan which brought its unique experiences in ensuring security and sustainable development. He particularly noted the work and role of Astana in the UN Security Council, especially the successful presidency of this main global body in international security and leadership of three sanctions committees related to the fight against terrorist structures. According to a high-ranking UN diplomat, counter-terrorism is one of the top priorities of the Secretary-General's reform proposals. He hopes that the implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (UNGCTS) will ensure better concurrence, capacity building and reliable partnership.In this context V.Voronkov welcomed the adoption of the Joint Action Plan (JPoA) for the implementation of the Global UN Counter Terrorism Strategy in Central Asia and Kazakhstan's contribution as a donor. He also highly appreciated the initiative of Astana to prepare the Code of Conduct which will be further developed during the following biennial review of the UNGCTS implementation and the meeting of heads of counter-terrorism structures of member states, which will be held by the UN in late June 2018.Miroslav Jenča in his report noted that the goals of Kazakhstan and the UN on counter-terrorism coincide, and wished success to Astana in its endeavor. Having shared the experience of adopting the JPoA in 2011 when he headed the Regional Center for preventive diplomacy in Central Asia, he praised the plan as a model for other parts of the world. At the same time, the relationship between long-running conflicts, violent extremism and terrorism was stressed, as well as the need to regularly update comprehensive measures in order to prevent armed conflicts in the modern world, including through the use of preventive diplomacy. The deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan highly estimated the draft Code of Conduct as an important step toward strengthening international cooperation and the counter-terrorism architecture of the UN. He was particularly impressed by some especially important points of the document, such as non-provision of territory for committing terrorist acts, zero tolerance for terrorism, a comprehensive approach, containment of terrorism. Mr. Karzai stressed that the Code of Conduct deserves collective support of the international community and expressed hope for further transparent discussions on the text of the document.The delegations of the Security Council member states who spoke at the meeting actively supported the initiative of Kazakhstan and expressed their readiness to continue the substantive discussion of the draft for the purpose of further development and reconciliation with the appearance of a comprehensive document that is to become an important basis for strengthening international cooperation in countering terrorism.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/28253?lang=kk

January 19, in New York, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kairat Abdrakhmanov met with Chairman of the Global High-Level Group on Water and Peace, the former President of the Republic of Slovenia, Danilo Türk.D. Türk presented the report of the group headed by him under the general title A Matter of Survival, which notes that the global water problem is not only related to development and human rights, but also to the most pressing issues of peace, security and the very existence of life on Earth and urgently requires an integrated and comprehensive solution.The head of the Kazakh foreign ministry confirmed the importance of water issues for our country and the entire region of Central Asia and expressed support for the activities of the High-Level Group.At the same time, it was stressed the critical importance of promoting the conclusions drawn by the members of the UN Security Council and within the framework of the General Assembly. The solution of problems related to the use of transboundary rivers and water resources on the basis of international law and the experience of different regions are of particular importance.The High Level Panel on Water and Peace was established in 2015 at the initiative of Switzerland. Today the group includes Hungary, Ghana, Jordan, Spain, Kazakhstan, Cambodia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Morocco, Oman, Senegal, Slovenia, Switzerland, France and Estonia.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27932?lang=kk

New York, January 24, 2018 - Kazakhstan chaired a Security Council briefing on the situation in Somalia.Michael Keating, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Somalia, and Francisco Madeira, Special Representative of the African Union Commission, were the keynote speakers.The speakers informed about the progress made by the new federal authorities of Somalia with the assistance of the international community. Thus, despite the existing difficulties, a national agenda was developed that provides for the financial reform, creation of new jobs, involvement of various population groups in the political process, resolution of the conflict and security sector reform. Notable progress was achieved in matters of political transformation and enhancing interaction between the central government (the Government of Somalia) and the local authorities, as well as the improvement of the complex humanitarian situation.The speakers emphasized that the terrorist group Al-Shabaab continues to pose a threat to stability and security in the country, questioning peacebuilding and strengthening of statehood in the country. It was noted that Somalis still face a number of complex political and humanitarian problems, as well as serious security challenges. In this regard, the speakers highlighted the positive role of the African Union Mission, the national security forces and international partners in Somalia, which contribute to the country's progress.The Special Representatives also informed the Council that last year Somalia managed to prevent famine. However, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating due to the drought.In their statements made after the briefing, the UN Security Council members reaffirmed the importance of accelerating the implementation of the national security architecture and the gradual transition of responsibility from the African Union Mission in Somalia to the national security forces of the country.Kairat Umarov, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan, together with the Council members, welcomed Somalia's commitment to security policy, economic and political reforms, urging the Somali government to ensure high-level dialogue with federal member states to make progress on key issues including the constitutional review, elections, fiscal federalism, and power and resource sharing.Concern was also expressed about the continued vulnerability of millions of people, notably children and the internally displaced, to the ongoing risk of famine in Somalia, and the need for generous support to the Humanitarian Response Plan was recognized.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27925?lang=kk

Astana, February 1, 2018 – Kazakhstan has completed its presidency of the United Nations Security Council.Since January 1 over the course of a month, Kazakhstan steered the work of one of the main UN bodies, guided by President Nursultan Nazarbayev's policy address to the UN Security Council called Kazakhstan's Concept Vision on Sustaining Global Partnership for Secure, Just and Prosperous World, as well as its pragmatic national interests.The Kazakh presidency of the UN Security Council ensured smooth day-to-day work of the Security Council with the assistance of the UN Secretariat and performed the functions under its mandate.The Kazakh presidency held about 30 consultations, briefings and debates, which resulted in resolutions and press statements of the Council President.The flagship event of Kazakhstan's presidency of the UN Security Council was a high-level thematic briefing Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: Confidence-Building Measures held on January 18 and chaired by President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. The meeting demonstrated that confidence-building measures, as well as the strengthening of preventive diplomacy tools, can serve as a starting point for making progress on many critical issues that may notbe resolved in a timely manner due to the political situation in the relations of world powers.The Statement by the President of the UN Security Council (S/PRST/2018/1) adopted at the end of the meeting is devoted to acomprehensive conflict prevention strategy. In addition to early warning, preventive deployment, mediation, peacekeeping, post-conflict peacebuilding, and, accountability measures, this document included for the first time the problems of the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. This is what makes the adopted document unique.Kazakhstan, being the first Central Asian state elected to the UN Security Council, during its presidency continued actively promoting the interests of all states of our region.The central event was the ministerial debates of the UN Security Council held on January 19 focusing on Building Regional Partnership in Afghanistan and Central Asia as a Model to Link Security and Development chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Kairat Abdrakhmanov. The meeting was attended by Foreign Ministers of Kuwait, Russia, Poland, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, deputy foreign ministers of Great Britain, the Netherlands, the United States, Equatorial Guinea and Afghanistan, as well as delegations of the UN Security Council member states and the European Union. UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a keynote address.The meeting resulted in the adoption of Presidential Statement S/PRST/2018/2. The document stresses the importance of advancing regional, interregional and international cooperation to achieve long-term peace, stability and sustainable development in Afghanistan and Central Asia and supports the joint efforts of countries of the region towards the enhancement of a zone of peace, cooperation and prosperity.An important event of Kazakhstan's presidency was the visit of the UN Security Council delegation to Kabul on January 12-15. During the visit, meetings were held with the country's top leadership, representatives of political parties and civil society. In the course of the visit, the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan to address a wide range of interrelated problems were considered and it was determined how the Security Council could further promote efforts on the ground.The field mission to Kabul was the Security Council's first visit to Afghanistan since 2010, gave insight into the situation and an objective understanding of the real interests and priorities of the country and its civilian population.On January 18, Kazakhstan held a special high-level event at the UN headquarters to launch the draft Code of Conduct for the Achievement of a Terrorism-Free World. The main goal of the document is to achieve a terrorism-free world by 2045 and create a broad international coalition of partner countries. The UN leadership and counterterrorism-related committees of the Security Council, heads and representatives of more than a hundred delegations of Member States supported the relevance and significance of the Code.The Kazakh presidency held planned activities (briefings and consultations) on the situation in the Middle East and Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Colombia, Darfur (Sudan), West Africa and the Sahel, Libya, Mali, Somalia and Southern Sudan, on the efforts of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, as well as arranged the trip of the UN Security Council members to Washington to meet with the leadership of the United States.One of the initiatives of Kazakhstan's presidency was the official ceremony to mark the start of a new term for six newly-elected UN Security Council members: Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Peru and Poland on January 2, who solemnly placed their flags in front of the UN Security Council Chamber.Overall, Kazakhstan has impartially, openly and transparently presided over the UN Security Council, focusing on practical results and striving to make a constructive contribution to the Council on all issues on the agenda.Taking into account involvement in many global and regional processes, itsproactive stand in mediation and confidence building, Kazakhstan will continue to act as an honest broker, known for its effective balanced approach and neutrality to all international actors, states and organizations as part of multilateral diplomacy.The success of the events initiated by the Kazakh delegation during its presidency and the adoption of outcome documentsdemonstrated negotiation skills and relevance of the peacekeeping potential of our country, constructive approaches to the biggest challenges of today's world, and was due to the credibility of Kazakhstan and its President.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27886?lang=kk

On February 2, 2018 we celebrate the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the European Union, an anchoring point for our close and mutually beneficial cooperation.In the last 25 years Kazakhstan and the European Union have built up a solid framework of relations, with the signature on 21 December 2015 of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the European Union (EPCA).The Agreement, which entered into provisional application on 1st of May 2016, marks a qualitatively new phase of bilateral relations and significantly expands the legal framework of cooperation in numerous areas for the benefit of our citizens. Kazakhstan is the first Central Asian country signing such an Agreement with the EU.The Agreement is meant to be a driving force in the intensification of relations between Kazakhstan and Europe for the long run. It provides for a new level in the quality of our trade, economic and investment cooperation, as well as a broadening of our political and human rights dialogues.The EU and Kazakhstan jointly support the implementation of the EU-Central Asia Strategy, in which a special emphasis has been given to the human capital development, education, environment protection, rational use of water resources, efficient transport and logistics infrastructures in the region, and combating challenges and threats.Kazakhstan and the European Union are confident of the enormous potential for further joint work, based on shared values, and express their readiness to continue to consistently improve all forms of partnership and cooperation.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27805?lang=kk

Astana, 5 February 2018. Co-Chairs of the Kazakh-Greek Intergovernmental Commission on Economic and Technological Cooperation, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko and Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic Georgios Katrougkalos, who arrived in Astana for a working visit, discussed relevant aspects of bilateral political and trade and economic cooperation today. The Greek delegation also included representatives of the business community.The talks have confirmed there is an understanding between Astana and Athens in all spheres of bilateral cooperation. The sides identified promising areas for further joint work and considered projects for deepening economic and investment cooperation.Special attention was paid to facilitating the European Union visa regime for the citizens of Kazakhstan. The sides unanimously agreed that simplifying visa procedures corresponds to their mutual interests of enhancing business, educational, cultural and tourist exchanges between the EU and Kazakhstan.The sides also engaged in a detailed exchange of views on topical international issues: Kazakhstan's role as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, the Astana Process of talks on Syria, prospects of cooperation between the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union, and other matters.During the visit, Vice Minister for Investments and Development of Kazakhstan Arystan Kabikenov and Georgios Katrougkalos took part in a Kazakh-Greek Business Forum that brought together some 100 entrepreneurs from the two countries. During the event, the Chamber of Commerce of Kazakhstan and the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises “SEV" signed a Cooperation Agreement.In addition, Georgios Katrougkalos held meetings with Vice Minister of Agriculture Gulmira Isayeva and Governor of the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC) Kairat Kelimbetov.During his stay in Astana, Georgios Katrougkalos visited the administrative center of Kazakhstan's Metropolitan District and the Assumption Cathedral. The distinguished guest from Greece was briefed on the history of its construction, which was supported by President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece praised Kazakhstan's achievements in building interethnic peace and interfaith harmony.For reference: 1) In 2017, the volume of trade between Kazakhstan and Greece increased by 10.6%, compared to 2016 ($980.6 million: exports from Kazakhstan to Greece – $964 million, imports from Greece to Kazakhstan – $16.6 million). In 2016, that amount was $886 million (exports – $872.8 million, imports – $13.2 million).Kazakhstan's exports to Greece include hydrocarbons, grain, salt, soil, stones, gypsum, cement, copper, copper products, etc.Products from the chemical and metallurgical industries, plastics, fur and knitwear, footwear, machinery and equipment, electronic materials, bicycles, etc. are imported from Greece to Kazakhstan.2) Last year was also marked by an increase in mutual contacts:On 24-27 May 2017, Prosecutor General of the Supreme Court of Greece Xeni Dimitriou, visited Astana. As part of the visit, the Prosecutor General's Offices of Kazakhstan and Greece signed a Memorandum of Understanding;On 21 July 2017, Minister of Economy and Development of Greece Dimitriou Papadimitriou took part in celebrations to mark the National Day of Greece within the framework of EXPO-2017;On 27-30 August 2017, Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports of Greece George Vassiliadis, visited Astana to sign a Declaration of Cooperation in sport and a modern Olympic Truce Declaration;On 9-10 October 2017, in Athens, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko took part in the business conference “EU-Eurasia-China";On 19-20 October 2017, Abai Tasbulatov, Co-chairman of the “Kazakh-Greek" interparliamentary friendship group, and Aikyn Konurov, a member of the friendship group, visited Greece.3) Presently, about 10,000 ethnic Greeks live in Kazakhstan. At the same time, Greece is home for about 60,000 ethnic Greeks, former citizens of Kazakhstan, with whom close friendly ties are also maintained.There is also an Association of Greek communities of Kazakhstan “Philia" (meaning “Friendship" in Greek).Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27803?lang=kk

February 16, 2018, Astana – The results of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union, as well as plans for the current year, were considered at the working meeting of Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov with the heads of diplomatic missions of the EU member states accredited in Kazakhstan.The agenda of the meeting of the minister with the EU ambassadors covered a wide range of both bilateral and multilateral issues interaction.In his remarks, the minister dwelled in detail on the results of EXPO2017, one of the main events last year, in which the EU countries took an active participation. He noted the main task for the upcoming period is to preserve and consolidate the legacy of the expo. In this context, the minister informed the European diplomats about the upcoming activities of the Astana International Financial Center, the “Future Energy" International Center and the International Park of IT Startups.Considering the potential for cooperation with foreign official and business circles, Minister Abdrakhmanov called on the European partners to cooperate with these new platforms.The participants of the meeting discussed the results of Kazakhstan's presidency in the UN Security Counciland its main events– a high-level thematic briefing chaired by President Nursultan Nazarbayev on the development of confidence-building measures in the field of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as ministerial debates on Afghanistan and Central Asia. The diplomats were of the opinion that the adoption of important documents – the statements by the President of the UN Security Council on the results of the abovementioned events contributed to the successful fulfillment by Kazakhstan of its mission in this authoritative structure.Among other foreign policy achievements of the country during the past period were the ongoing negotiations on the settlement of the Syrian crisis within the Astana Process and the opening of the IAEA Bank of Low Enriched Uranium in August 2017.In general, according to European diplomats, the events held in Kazakhstan and abroad were organized at a high level, and their results pose even more ambitious goals for the country.As priorities for foreign policy in 2018, the Minister outlined the completion of the country's membership in the UN Security Council, the organization of high-level meetings in Kazakhstan in various multilateral formats, including the summit of the Caspian littoral states, ensuring the participation of foreign partners in celebrating the 20th anniversary of Astana, and holding the 6th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.The meeting focused on the dynamic development of cooperation with the European Union. It was noted that the European Union remains the largest trade, economic and investment partner of Kazakhstan (the EU retains leadership among trade partners of Kazakhstan with a share of 49.8% in total; in 2017 trade turnover between Kazakhstan and the EU grew by $6 billion, exceeding $30 billion). Kazakhstan's interest in diversifying trade with the EU and the need to find possible ways to expand non-oil exports from Kazakhstan to European countries was underscored.One of the significant results of fruitful cooperation is the conclusion of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) between Kazakhstan and the EUin 2015, the beginning of its partial application since May 2016, as well as the good pace of its ratification by the EU member states (21 of the 28 the EU member states) and consent by the European Parliament. Ratification of the Agreement by all EU countries is necessary for the full entry into forceof the EPCA, covering 29 spheres of cooperation.In the light of the state-of-the-nation address by the President of Kazakhstan titled “New Opportunities for Development under the Fourth Industrial Revolution," the minister called on representatives of European countries to make more active use of existing opportunities in the most promising sectors such as modernization, digitalization, innovation technologies and business climate.Another priority task in the development of cooperation with the European Union is the facilitation of the visa regime, which is actively discussed between Kazakhstan and the European Union, showing significant progress in resolving this issue.During the discussion, European diplomats received answers to questions related to the implementation of an institutional reform in Kazakhstan aimed atensuring the rule of law and the improvement of legislation in various spheres of public life. The Foreign Minister drew the ambassadors' attention to the openness demonstrated by the Kazakh authorities to cooperation with international experts and non-governmental organizations specializing in legal issues. Particular importance is attached to constructive interaction and explanatory work on any cases of concern. This position of Kazakhstan finds understanding and support among the majority of foreign partners.The participants welcomed the process of updating the EU Strategy for Central Asia, which is to be completed in 2019. Minister Abdrakhmanov stressed Kazakhstan's readiness to actively join the process of updating the strategy in order to ensure its effectiveness, proceeding from the interests of all countries of the region. Among the priority areas, the Kazakh side noted the development of small and medium-sized businesses, transport and logistics infrastructure, energy efficiency, environmental protection, education and others.On February 2, 2018, Kazakhstan and the European Union celebrated the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27798?lang=kk

ALMATY, February 16, 2018 – Cooperation with the UN remains priority direction of Kazakhstan's foreign policy from the first days of independence. This was stated by the Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov, speaking at the high-level meeting “Kazakhstan-UN: Experience, Achievements and Prospects for Cooperation" held in Almaty. The event was dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the opening of the first United Nations office in Kazakhstan.K.Abdrakhmanov in his speech noted that the key international initiatives of the President Nursultan Nazarbayev had been introduced from the UN rostrum. The global organization is the main platform for promoting large-scale anti-nuclear and anti-war initiatives of the Head of State.“UN organizations and programmes have made, and are still making an outstanding contribution to Kazakhstan's socio-economic development. At the same time, the UN provided technical and financial assistance to our country within the framework of such important projects as rehabilitation of the former Semipalatinsk test site, revival of the Aral Sea," – K.Abdrakhmanov said in his speech.The Foreign Minister stressed that Kazakhstan and the United Nations are actively working together in promoting gender equality, protecting children's rights, healthcare, ecology, migration, combating drug trafficking and other fields.K.Abdrakhmanov paid special attention to the recent presidency of Kazakhstan in the most authoritative body of the organization – the UN Security Council, which focused on peacekeeping initiatives of the President Nazarbayev and measures to create a zone of peace, security and development in Central Asia.During the meeting, the UN supported the idea of Kazakhstan to establish the UN Hub in Almaty, designed to promote the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals in Central Asia until 2030.The exchange of views on UN activities in country and regional dimensions enabled the participants to systematize the Organization's multifaceted work and outline the prospects for interaction within the framework of the Kazakhstan-UN joint action plan approved by the meeting for 2018-2020.The Akim of Almaty Baurzhan Baibek, heads of UN agencies in Kazakhstan, representatives of the diplomatic corps, veterans of the diplomatic service, and representatives of the academic and expert communities also took part in the anniversary event. The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Akim of Almaty opened a memorial plaque in the hotel "Kazakhstan", where 25 years ago the UN Office in our country began its work.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27797?lang=kk

Astana, 22 February 2018 – The goals outlined in the Address of President Nursultan Nazarbayev to the People of Kazakhstan, entitled “New Opportunities Under the Fourth Industrial Revolution", and the ongoing three-pronged modernization of the country's political, economic and social life open up new frontiers of cooperation with the European Union in spheres such as economic digitalization, energy efficiency, and improved education, among many others. This was the main message of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Kairat Abdrakhmanov, speaking today in Astana at the opening of the international conference “25 Years of European Union - Central Asia Relations: From the Past to the Future".Mr. Peter Burian, the European Union Special Representative for Central Asia, together with a delegation from the European External Action Service, public sector representatives, non-governmental organizations, the diplomatic corps, and experts from renowned research centers and universities from Kazakhstan, Central Asia and Europe are among the conference attendees, which was organized as part of the process to update the EU Strategy for Central Asia first adopted in 2007.In his address to the conference the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Mr. Kairat Abdrakhmanov, noted that “Kazakhstan supports the decision of the European Union to update the EU Strategy for Central Asia and is ready to make concrete proposals on its actualization".It is expected that this program document will be published by the middle of 2019. It will define the main priorities for further cooperation.Kazakhstan is paying special attention to its partnership with the European Union as it works to complete tasks that had been set by President Nursultan Nazarbayev in his annual Address to the People of Kazakhstan.Kazakhstan proposes to focus on increasing the practical impact of the new EU Strategy for Central Asia by hinging the program document's development on prioritizing the needs of the regional countries. In this regard, the development of private entrepreneurship, small and medium business, and transport and logistics infrastructure were identified as priority areas for cooperation.“We suggest for the EU to develop new mechanisms that will help attract private European capital to various projects in Central Asia. This will open up new opportunities for European companies to enter the regional market and strengthen the position of the EU in the region," the Foreign Minister said.Other promising fields of cooperation are energy efficiency, educational cooperation, environmental protection, rational use of water resources and climate change. Taking into account the latest global developments, digitalization was also named as a special priority for cooperation.Speaking about the development of the region's transit and transport potential, the Foreign Minister noted that Central Asia should not remain simply as a transit hub. In this respect, he called for using the experience and assistance of the European Union to achieve effective economic diversification in Central Asian countries and the creation of highly-demanded high-tech industries.Kazakhstan believes that strengthening security and stability should remain an important priority for cooperation between Central Asia and the European Union. In this context, the country's top diplomat drew attention to Kazakhstan's priorities as a member of the UN Security Council for the 2017-2018 period and, in particular, its Presidency of the UNSC this past January.The Foreign Minister appealed to the European Union to be more ambitious and expand its presence in Central Asia in order to increase the practical impact of interregional cooperation.Kairat Abdrakhmanov drew attention to the potential role that the European Union can play in implementing Astana's plans to further support Afghanistan by continuing a large-scale educational program for the latter's citizens.The conference participants had an opportunity to exchange views on a wide range of issues covering EU activities in country and regional contexts, as well as to conduct a practical review of achievements and tasks for the continued development of cooperation between the countries of Central Asia and the European Union.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27789?lang=kk

The delegation of Kazakhstan to the UN addressed on the humanitarian situation in Syria at the emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. None of the agreements reached in Astana should remain a dead letter, they must be strictly implemented, the representative of Kazakhstan said. The meeting of the UN Security Council was convened on February 22 at the initiative of the Russian delegation.The delegation of Kazakhstan urged all parties of the conflict to agree to cease military operations in East Ghouta and assist in strengthening the ceasefire in the zones of de-escalation. It was stated that it is necessary for the involved and interested parties to join forces to end military actions throughout Syria to allow the provision of humanitarian aid and the medical evacuation of the wounded personnel in accordance with international law.Kazakhstan spoke in favor of the importance of reaching a consensus and the early adoption of a UN Security Council Syria Cessation of Hostilities resolution, which is currently being considered by the members of the Council.During the videoconference from Geneva, a briefing was given by Mark Lowcock, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.The members of the Security Council expressed concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Syria, including the situation in East Ghouta, Idlib and North Hama provinces, Rukban and Raqqa. At the present day, humanitarian aid, including medical care, is required by more than 13.1 million people in Syria, of which 6.1 million are internally displaced persons, 2.5 million people live in hard-to-reach areas, and hundreds of thousands of people are still in besieged areas.Kazakhstan supported the "five requests" identified by the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator M. Lowcock on January 11, 2018, following his visit to Syria, and called on all parties to facilitate their implementation, as well as other measures envisaged in Security Council resolutions in order to ensure sustainable improvement of the humanitarian aid delivery to Syria in 2018.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27787?lang=kk

Kazakhstan's delegation headed by the First Deputy Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi took part in the UN Security Council meeting dedicated to the Iraq issue on February 20, 2018. Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Iraq Ján Kubiš delivered a report on the situation in Iraq after the victory of the people of that country over the ISIS / DAESH terrorist organization.Speaking at the meeting, Tileuberdi noted the effectiveness of the Iraqi security forces and international coalition in combating the ISIS/DAESH terrorist organization. He commended the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq and other UN specialized agencies in Iraq (UNAMI) led by Special Representative Ján Kubiš. Kazakhstan's delegation also stressed the importance of the UNAMI's work in achieving interreligious and interethnic harmony among various political parties and movements.Iraq's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mohammad Hussein Ali Bahr Aluloom praised the international coalition headed by the USA, Russia and other states for effectively fighting the ISIS/DAESH terrorist organization. The Iraqi representative briefed the Security Council members on Iraq's Socio-economic Development Plan for 2018-2022 being developed by the Iraqi Government. He informed the Security Council members that the International Donors' Conference held in Kuwait on February 12-14 this year made it possible to secure the allocation of US $30 billion for Iraq's restoration. He also thanked Kazakhstan for its efforts as the UNSC President in January 2018 to ensure international peace and security.The UN Security Council members urged the Iraqi authorities to stick to the principle of inclusion and take into account the interests of national and religious minorities in the process of building a new peaceful Iraq. The Council stressed the importance of transferring the entire arsenal of weapons possessed by various small tribes and other armed groups operating in the country to the control of a special committee headed by the Prime Minister of Iraq.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27748?lang=kk

Political, trade, economic, investment, cultural and humanitarian cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the State of Qatar was discussed within the first round of political consultations between the foreign ministries of the two states.Kazakh delegation was headed by the Deputy Foreign Minister Akylbek Kamaldinov, and Qatari delegation was headed by the Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi.The parties outlined ways for cooperation development and expansion in bilateral and multilateral formats, discussed interaction within international and regional organizations to coordinate positions and address current issues, as well as mutual support for each other's foreign policy initiatives. In this context, Kazakhstan and Qatar delegations noted the importance of joint efforts within the United Nations in light of Kazakhstan's non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council.The meeting also noted the importance of cooperation within the Joint High-Level Commission and implementation of joint projects aimed at attracting investment to Kazakhstan's economy.The parties agreed on setting a closer cooperation for implementing joint projects in the fields of culture, education and science.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/27738?lang=kk