During his visit to the Republic of Turkey, the Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Kairat Abdrakhmanov, was received by the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.The Kazakh Foreign Minister conveyed the greetings and best wishes to the Turkish leader on behalf of President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Mr. Abdrakhmanov emphasize that Kazakhstan notes Recep Erdoğan's role in strengthening the Kazakh-Turkish strategic cooperation. Thanks to joint efforts, the leaders of Kazakhstan and Turkey made a statement to intensify conciliatory processes in the Islamic world. Minister Abdrakhmanov recalled that Astana held the first OIC Summit on Science and Technology in September 2017 during Turkish chairmanship ofthe Organization.Mr. Erdoğan expressed his confidence that the official visit of President Nazarbayev to Ankara, planned for the summer, will give a great impetus to all-round cooperation between the two countries. He noted the need to further intensify the work of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council chaired by the leaders of the two states. Kazakhstan is Turkey's largest trading partner in Central Asia and, in this regard, President Erdoğan proposed to set a new goal of increasing the trade turnover to $10 billion.The President of Turkey expressed support for the Astana process on Syria, which, in his opinion, increased the credibility of Kazakhstan onthe world stage. According to Mr. Erdoğan, the guarantor countries will seek to stabilize the situation in Syria, as agreed by the leaders of Turkey, Russia and Iran during the meeting in Ankara on April 4. The Turkish leader also thanked Nursultan Nazarbayev for Kazakhstan's contribution to rendering humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya people.In Ankara, Kairat Abdrakhmanov also held a meeting with the Speaker of the Turkish Parliament, İsmail Kahraman, during which they considered issues of inter-parliamentary relations and interaction between the two countries in international parliamentary organizations.The Kazakh Foreign Minister held a roundtable with representatives of major Turkish companies and honorary consuls of Kazakhstan in Turkey. The Minister briefed them on the economic initiatives of President Nazarbayev, described in the State of the Nation Address New Development Opportunities in the Context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Address Five Social Initiatives. According to the Minister, the Government of Kazakhstan is working to strengthen the stability of its legislation, protect foreign investors and improve the conditions for doing business in the country. Kairat Abdrakhmanov drew their attention to the opportunities connected with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Belt and Road Initiative, as well as the Astana International Financial Centre.To date, the Turkish business community has invested more than $2 billion in the Kazakh economy, while the volume of Kazakh investments in Turkey is approximately $1 billion. Honorary consulates of Kazakhstan operate in the Turkish provinces of Adana, Bursa, Nevşehir, Mersin and the city of Alanya.As part of his visit, the Kazakh Foreign Minister also held a meeting with the heads of political centers and observers of the Turkish media, where they exchanged views on the geopolitical situation in Central Asia and the Middle East.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26603?lang=kk

BEIJING, April 24, 2018 - The Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states agreed on the agenda for the upcoming Summit to be held in June this year in Qingdao.During the meeting in Beijing, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan discussed the future activities of the SCO in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres, and considered a draft Qingdao Declaration and a number of other decisions on the current activities of the organization. The parties carried out an extensive exchange of views on topical issues on the international and regional agendas. They also considered implementation progress of the agreements reached at the SCO Summit in June 2017 in Astana.Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov also noted in his speech the urgency of ensuring food security, and the development of roads and railways, taking into account the extensive system of transport routes of the SCO member states. He also stressed that Kazakhstan supports full involvement of the SCO Business Council and the SCO Interbank Consortium in broader cooperation with the mechanisms of the ministerial meetings and working groups, and proposed to conduct an inventory of the adopted documents in the trade and economic domains and ensure their further implementation.On the eve of the meeting, the heads of delegations met with the President of China, Xi Jinping. He noted that China considers development of the SCO as one of the priorities of its foreign policy and is ready jointly with the other member states of the organization to provide mutual political support, as well as to ensure security and stability in the region, deepen cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road program, and expand humanitarian exchanges.In general, the Foreign Ministers noted that the SCO, drawing on the 'Shanghai spirit' – mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, mutual consultations, respect for the diversity of cultures and the desire for joint development – proved to be a credible international organization of a new format and an influential participant in the global community.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26588?lang=kk

ALMATY, April 27, 2018. - Kazakhstan and Poland are focused on further strengthening mutually beneficial trade and economic, cultural and educational cooperation, as well as contacts between citizens of the two countries. This was discussed on April 27, 2018 at the meeting between Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Andrzej Papierz, who arrived in Almaty to take part in the 100th anniversary of the restoration of Polish statehood.During the meeting, the parties discussed various issues of bilateral cooperation, expressing satisfaction with the high level of political, economic, cultural and humanitarian collaboration between two states. It was noted that regular visits at the highest level gave a strong impetus to the development of Kazakh-Polish relations. Thus, the state visit of President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to Poland in August 2016, as well as the return state visit of President of Poland Andrzej Duda to Kazakhstan in September 2017, gave a significant boost to the development of relations, laying a solid foundation for strengthening further cooperation. The Kazakh side expressed special gratitude for the participation of the President of Poland in the high-level debate on Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: Confidence-Building Measures under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan held on January 18, 2018 in the UN Security Council. Having wished success to the Polish chairmanship in this important body, which starts this May, Deputy Minister Vassilenko assured his colleague in Kazakhstan's readiness to ensure a high level of participation of the Kazakh side in key events within the framework of the upcoming chairmanship.The meeting also noted the establishment of regular contacts at various levels. It particularly highlighted the importance of the visit of Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki to Astana and his participation in the World Mining Congress this June. Furthermore, the sides discussed the upcoming 8th session of the Kazakh-Polish Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation scheduled for June 20, 2018 in Astana. It is expected that during the upcoming meeting the parties will discuss issues related to extension of cooperation in the field of renewable energy sources, science and technology, agriculture and tourism development.Generally, economic cooperation between the two countries has been developing dynamically since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Poland; today more than 100 Polish companies operate in Kazakhstan, the largest one is POLPHARMA, whose head is a member of the Foreign Investors Council under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as SELENA, which is actively investing in the economy of our country. The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Poland in 2017 amounted to more than $900 million with an increase by 19 percent compared to 2016.No less importance during the negotiations was given to the issue of visa regime facilitation for citizens of the two states. Mr. Vassilenko expressed his gratitude to the Polish side for all-round support in promoting negotiations on the facilitated visa regime for the citizens of Kazakhstan, stipulated in the framework of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Kazakhstan and the European Union.The sides also discussed development of cooperation in the field of education between Kazakhstan and Poland. As is known, about 800 Kazakh students study in Poland today. The Deputy Foreign Ministries also discussed a number of cultural events to be held this year for strengthening historical and cultural ties between the two countries.In general, the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the main issues of the bilateral agenda to promote development of prolific cooperation.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26556?lang=kk

The Astana Economic Forum - 17–19 May 2018 - hosts decision makers in politics, business, science, sport, economics and the arts to discuss the opportunities and risks facing the worldAstana, the capital city of the Republic of Kazakhstan, will welcome world renowned experts and leaders – including Ban Ki-moon, eighth General Secretary of the United Nations and Chairman of the International Olympic Committee's Ethics Commission, Hans Timmer, Chief Economist for the Europe and Central Asian region of the World Bank, and former French President Francois Hollande - to the 11th Astana Economic Forum, Eurasia's leading economic conference, on May17-19.As the Global Challenges Summit 2018, this year's Forum positions Kazakhstan at the heart of the international debate on the opportunities and risks for the future of the planet at a time of remarkable and accelerating change.The unprecedented technological revolution of recent years created world changing megatrends which are affecting every country, business and human being on the planet. Economic growth and resource resilience, digitalisation and urbanisation, longevity and the financial revolution, global security and cultural shift – will all be discussed at the Summit.The Summit brings together more than 200 international speakers from over 27 countries to debate the world's most important challenges and discuss solutions to create a safer and more sustainable planet.Participants include Michio Kaku, physicist, co-founder of the string field theory and populariser of science, Jim O'Neill, former chief economist of Goldman Sachs who is known for coining the BRIC acronym, Parag Khanna, international relations expert and visionary strategist of urban development, Mikheil Janelidze, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Toomas Ilves, ex-president of Estonia, Krzysztof Zanussi, film director and winner of the Golden Lion, the highest prize of the Venice Film Festival, and many others.The Astana Economic Forum will see the most senior executive officials of the Republic of Kazakhstan and chief executives of state-owned companies and development agencies discussing the country's strategies for adapting to the rapidly changing world and its role in developing the Central Asia region.The Global Challenges Summit 2018 follows Astana's successful Future Energy Expo 2017 which provided the backdrop for Kazakhstan to announce its large-scale Third Modernisation pushing the country into the top 30 of the world's strongest economies by means of breakthroughs in innovative development, bold institutional reforms, and extensive international integration.The Astana Economic Forum will be held at the EXPO Congress Centre and Hilton Astana.Prospective participants are invited to register at the Congress website: forum-astana.org.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26459?lang=kk

DHAKA, May 5, 2018 – Kazakhstan's delegation headed by the Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov is taking part in the 45th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Dhaka, Bangladesh.The meeting is themed “Islamic Values for Sustainable Peace, Solidarity and Development". The agenda traditionally covers the widest range of issues that are currently relevant for the Islamic world in terms of security and its further enhancement.One of the main issues on agenda is the large-scale humanitarian crisis that resulted from a mass exodus of Rohingya people from Myanmar, Bangladesh's neighbor. As Abdrakhmanov noted in his speech, Kazakhstan is fully committed to the collective will and responsibility to protect Rohingya people. In April this year, Kazakhstan's government provided $500,000 worth of humanitarian aid to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, which was delivered to the places where Rohingya are located in.Touching upon the main topic of the session, Abdrakhmanov stressed the paramount importance of strengthening tolerance in relations between Muslim countries and ensuring readiness for interstate dialogue. In this regard, Kazakhstan stresses the Islamic Rapprochement initiative proposed by the presidents of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016. The draft resolutions were submitted for the ministerial council's consideration. Their adoption is expected on the second day of the meeting.Abdrakhmanov also highlighted the Astana Process on Syria, which fully supports the UN-led Geneva talks and has proved to be the only platform where practical results were achieved in four de-escalation zones in significantly reducing violence, maintaining ceasefire and returning to peaceful life.“The belief of Kazakhstan in a prosperous future of the Islamic world was the main rationale behind the proposal of the President of Kazakhstan, H.E. Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev to hold the 1st OIC Summit on Science and Technology in Astana in September 2017 and it is my pleasure to convey a gratitude to all OIC Member States, which were well represented in that historical Assembly," said Abdrakhmanov.The Kazakh minister informed about the launch of the work of the Secretariat of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) in Astana. It was facilitated by the entry into force of the IOFS Statute after it was ratified by ten member states of the organization. In addition, Kazakhstan has ratified the Agreement On the Headquarters of the IOFS between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the IOFS.Meanwhile, the new organization's work requires a high degree of interstate interaction to address the issue of food scarcity. This should be facilitated by the effective implementation of Kazakhstan's Islamic Infrastructure Initiative (Triple I). Its main goal is the maximum integration of OIC transport and logistics systems through linking the three special development programs of the Islamic Development Bank for Central Asia, Africa, and the Middle East and North Africa. At the same time, Kazakhstan's Nurly Zhol program and China's Belt and Road Initiative will gain new impetus.The second day of the OIC ministerial in Dhaka is expected to adopt a Declaration and a package of resolutions on key issues on the Organization's agenda, including staff appointments.The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which was named the Organization of the Islamic Conference until 2011, was established in 1969. The Organization received its present name by the decision of the 38th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers held in Astana on June 28-30, 2011. Kazakhstan became a full member of the Organization in 1995. At present, 56 countries are members of the OIC, five countries and five international organizations have the observer status.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26455?lang=kk

DHAKA, May 5, 2018 – Kazakh diplomat Askar Musinov was elected Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for Science and Technology at the 45th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Dhaka (Bangladesh).Musinov is a career diplomat who held various positions in the Kazakh Foreign Ministry, served as ambassador to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, executive secretary and deputy foreign minister. He was delegated by the Government of Kazakhstan as the head of the Peace and Conflict Resolution Unit in the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.“This appointment became possible due to the high authority of the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev in the Muslim world and his active work on developing the Islamic world. The election of a Kazakh diplomat for this important post is of particular importance in the light of the implementation of the results of the first OIC summit on science and technology held in September 2017 in Astana," said Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov.The victory in the elections is also significant because Kazakhstan's representative has never held such a high-level position in the OIC. Kamrul Ahsan, a Bangladeshi diplomat was Musinov's opponent at the elections. Twelve out of 18 members of the OIC Asian group voted for the representative of Kazakhstan.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26451?lang=kk

The 45th meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Dhaka (Bangladesh) adopted a Declaration and several resolutions.“We express our profound satisfaction that after over four decades of its establishment, the OIC as the overarching multilateral body of the Muslim world, has continued to raise its profile and visibility at the international level and has become a strategic dialogue partner in the maintenance of international peace and security as well as countering emerging challenges and threats across the OIC space," reads the Declaration.The OIC ministerial was held under the theme “Islamic Values for Sustainable Peace and Development". The final Declaration covered a wide range of urgent issues of the Muslim world. The Declaration calls on member states “to actively implement the outcome of the OIC Summit on Science and Technology held last year in Astana, Kazakhstan." A separate resolution highlights the role of the OIC STI Agenda-2026 adopted during the Summit, which outlines the priorities and recommended actions to promote science, technology and innovation. The document recognizes the significance of the EXPO 2017 exhibition in Astana themed “Future Energy", which “would provide impetus to the development of Science and Technology in the OIC Member States".The resolution on Agriculture, Trade, Tourism and Transportation expresses appreciation to the Government of Kazakhstan for facilitating the early take-off of the Secretariat of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS). The IOFS is to undertake appropriate measures for the timely and effective implementation of its five-year Plan of Action. Support was expressed for the development of a comprehensive strategic program (roadmap) on practical implementation and resource mobilization for the “Islamic Infrastructure Integration Initiative", proposed by Kazakhstan.The Foreign Ministers Council welcomed “the initiative of the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to create a new communication platform G-Global as the most influential force in setting international economic policy through expanding the number of countries participating in the search for global anti-crisis solutions." The resolution “calls upon the OIC General Secretariat and IDB in coordination with other OIC relevant institutions to consider the issue of participating in G-Global."A separate document welcomes the joint declaration of the presidents Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Islamic Rapprochement.The Council of Ministers “reiterates the OIC's support to the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, convened triennially on the initiative by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, and encourages religious leaders of the OIC Member States and the international community to actively participate in the VI Congress to be held in Astana on 10-11 October 2018 under the slogan of “Religious Leaders for a Secure World", reads a resolution.The Resolution on the Situation in Syria welcomes “the cooperation and efforts of Turkey, Russia and Iran in consolidating the ceasefire, establishing the de-escalation areas and adopting confidence-building measures through the Astana process in order to ensure calm for political negotiations."The Resolution on the Regional Arms Control and Disarmament welcomes the entry into force, on 21 March 2009, of the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia, “which became the first such zone made up entirely of OIC Member States." The document supports Kazakhstan's initiative to elaborate further the issue of the international legal status of the nuclear-weapon-free zones, including security assurances and appropriate preferential status of States Parties to such zones. Hope is expressed that the Protocol to the Negative Security Assets Treaty, signed by five members of the UN Security Council on May 6, 2014, will enter into force in the very near future.Upon Kazakhstan's initiative, a Resolution was adopted on the Former Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site and the International Day against Nuclear Tests and the Rehabilitation of the Aral Sea Region.The Resolution on Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons “supports the initiative of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the adoption of the Universal Declaration of a Nuclear-Weapons-Free World in prospect as an important step towards the adoption of the Nuclear Weapons Convention.A Kazakhstan's delegation headed by Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov took part in the OIC ministerial. The Dhaka meeting elected a prominent Kazakh diplomat Askar Musinov as OIC Assistant Secretary General for Science and Technology.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26445?lang=kk

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan informs that the guarantor states of the Astana Process have confirmed that the Ninth International High-Level Meeting on Syria will be held on May 14-15, 2018 in the capital of Kazakhstan.Apart from guarantor states of Iran, Russia and Turkey, the delegations of the government and opposition groups of Syria were invited to the meeting, with the UN, the USA and Jordan acting as observers.According to the information received from the guarantor states, during the Astana talks, the sides intend to consider the current situation in Syria, including in the de-escalation zones, discuss humanitarian and confidence-building measures, and coordinate further steps to promote crisis settlement in Syria.Bilateral and multilateral consultations are planned for May 14, and a plenary meeting is scheduled for May 15.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26441?lang=kk

The Islamic Republic of Iran, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey as guarantors of the observance of the ceasefire regime in the Syrian Arab Republic:1.Reaffirmed their strongcommitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria. Highlighted that these principles should be universally respected and any action that might violate them and undermine achievements of theAstana format should be avoided.2.Emphasized the importance of the implementation of the Memorandum on the creation of the de-escalation areas in the Syrian Arab Republic of 4 May 2017 and other agreements reached within the framework of the Astana format. Took stock of the developments of the situation on the ground a year after signing the Memorandum.3.Underlined the key role that the de-escalation areas play in maintaining the ceasefire regime, reducing the level of violence and stabilizing the overall situation in Syria and highlighted that the creation of these areas is a temporary measure that under no circumstances undermines the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria.4.Underscored the need to encourage efforts that help all Syrians to restore normal and peaceful life and to this end to ensurerapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access, to delivernecessary medical aid and humanitarian assistance and to create conditions for safe and voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their original places of residence as well as free movement of local population.5.Reaffirmed their determination to fight terrorism in Syriain order to ultimately eliminate DAESH/ISIL, Nusra Front and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al‑Qaeda or DAESH/ISIL as designated by the UN Security Council.6.Welcomed the convening of the second meeting of the Working Group on the release of detainees/abductees and handover of the bodies as well as the identification of missing persons by three Guarantors` representatives with the participation of the UN and ICRC experts. Took note of the Working Group`s progress report and reaffirmed the necessity to continue joint efforts aimed at building confidence between the conflicting parties in Syria. Agreed to hold the next meeting of the Working Group in Ankara in June 2018.7.Guided by the provisions of the UN Security Council resolution 2254, reaffirmed their determination to continue joint efforts aimed at advancing the process of the political settlement, through facilitating the implementation ofthe recommendations of the Congress of the Syrian National Dialogue in Sochi. In this regard agreed to hold joint consultations of their high-level representatives with the United Nations Secretary‑General's Special Envoy for Syria as well as with Syrian parties in order to create conditions to facilitate the beginning of the Constitutional Committee`s work in Geneva as soon as possible and to carry out such meetings on a regular basis.8.Expressed their sincere gratitude to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, His Excellency NursultanNazarbayev and the Kazakh authorities for hosting in Astana the 9th high-level International Meeting on Syria.9.Decided to hold the next high-level International Meeting on Syria in Sochi in July 2018. Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26437?lang=kk

15 May 2018, New York – Kazakh delegation took part in an emergency special session of the UN Security Council on the agenda item “the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question".Kazakhstan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Kairat Umarov said Kazakhstan received with deep concern the reports of civilian casualties during the suppression of Palestinian protest actions on the border between the Gaza Strip and the State of Israel. “Kazakhstan calls on the international community to take comprehensive measures to put a prompt end to violence that led to numerous victims," Umarov said.In the statement, Kazakhstan also called on both sides to be calm and restrained in order to avoid actions destroying peaceful efforts and contributing to further escalation of tensions between the Palestinians and the Israelis. In addition, Kazakhstan called on the parties to maintain the historical status quo of Jerusalem in accordance with previously reached international agreements. In his statement, the Permanent Representative noted that “reaffirming its commitment to decisions and resolutions of the UN Security Council and General Assembly, the Republic of Kazakhstan inalterably consistently supports the early full-scale Middle East settlement within the framework of peaceful political process."The Permanent Representative called for ensuring Palestine's right to statehood and Israel's right to security, using appropriate preventive diplomacy instruments, including the use of broad confidence-building measures in the political, economic and environmental dimensions and in the area of new challenges and threats.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26366?lang=kk

Astana, May 17, 2018 - Kazakhstan's delegation took part in the regular meeting of the UN Security Council on the political track in Syria.Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria Staffan de Mistura briefed the members of the Security Council on his participation in the ninth round of the Syrian talks held on May 14-15 in Astana. The UN Special Envoy noted that he was encouraged by concrete discussions on de-escalation within the 9th High-Level Astana Meeting and, in particular, on the issue of Idlib. The diplomat said the Syrian negotiations brought useful results in terms of rapprochement of the opposition and the government and expressed deep gratitude to the leadership of Kazakhstan for the excellent organization of the meeting.Staffan de Mistura expressed hope for progress in revitalizing the political process to resolve the Syrian conflict and called for intensified efforts by all stakeholders in this regard. In his view, today is the time for high diplomacy of the parties involved, when summits should help advance the peace process in Syria.In his speech, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN Kairat Umarov informed the members of the Security Council about the outcomes of the 9th round of the Meeting on Syria and noted that the parties considered, inter alia, intensification of efforts to ensure compliance with the relevant agreements reached at the last eight rounds of negotiations in Astana. Kazakhstan's delegation agreed with Staffan de Mistura on the Idlib issue. Its resolution is of paramount importance at the present stage. On behalf of Kazakhstan, Umarov also praised the activities of the UN humanitarian personnel in Syria, namely, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC). It was emphasized that the conflict can be resolved only by revitalizing the political process through dialogue between the parties and confidence-building measures.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26293?lang=kk

Erlan Idrissov, the non-resident Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Ireland, presented his credentials to Michael D. Higgins, the President of Ireland on May 17 and conveyed to him the greetings of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.The Ambassador's meeting with the Irish President was held following a ceremony which focused on bilateral trade, economic and investment co-operation. It also centred on the development of bilateral relations in the areas of IT, digitisation, as well as education and innovation.The Ambassador briefed President Higgins on the broad economic and political reforms taking place within Kazakhstan's modernisation programme. These included President Nazarbayev's State of the Nation address entitled 'New Opportunities under the Fourth Industrial Revolution'; the launch of the Astana International Financial Centre, the Centre for Green Technologies and the Astana International IT Startup Hub, all of which have now opened on the the premises of the EXPO 2017.President Higgins praised Kazakhstan's development under the leadership of President Nazarbayev, as well as Kazakhstan's role in strengthening international peace and security.The Ambassador's visit included meetings with Niall Burgess, Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, F. Smith, Director, UN issues, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Irish businesses executives.Representatives of Irish political and business circles stressed that Kazakhstan has become a key driver of economic development in Central Asia and a leader of many international projects, a centre for stability and integration, as well as a venue for global political and economic events.Ambassador Idrissov once again thanked Ireland for its support for Kazakhstan's bid for membership in the UN Security Council and briefed the President on the fruitful results of Kazakhstan's work within the organisation. Ambassador Idrissov emphasised that given Ireland's experience in developing a unified governmental innovation management system, Kazakhstan is interested in cooperating on IT educational programmes and startups and innovations development. He also highlighted the need to further expand bilateral treaties.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26288?lang=kk

Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov met on May 16 with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Paraguay Federico Alberto Gonzalez Franco, who came to Astana to participate in the Ministerial Meeting of Landlocked Developing Countries on Trade and Transport.The sides discussed opportunities of exchanging experience and cooperating on challenges Kazakhstan and Paraguay face being among countries with no access to sea. They also exchanged views on the issues of international security, including Syria, North Korea and the Middle East. Gonzalez praisedthe initiatives proposed by Kazakhstan as a non-permanent member of UN Security Council and within the Astana Process on Syria.Abdrakhmanov noted that the first round of Kazakhstan-Paraguay consultations held during the EXPO2017 in Astana between the foreign ministries laid a solid foundation for widening and strengthening bilateral relations on political, economic and humanitarian tracks. The sides agreed to continue developing the mechanism of bilateral political consultations and widening the legal basis for cooperation, including on easing the visa regime, on education and other issues.The Kazakh diplomatsaid the established positive dialogue with Paraguay will have a favorable influence on the trade and economic relations between the two countries. He also invited entrepreneurs from Paraguay to visit Kazakhstan for a more detailed investigation of business opportunities. Abdrakhmanov also pointed outthe importance of advancing cooperation between the largest regional economic blocks and noted the market potential of the Eurasian Economic Union for Latin American and Caribbean basin states and organizations, including the CARICOM, the MERCOSUR, the Andean Community and the Latin American Economic System.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26105?lang=kk

From May 21 to 24, 2018, Astana hosted the 51st meeting of the Special Working Group on the development of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea at the level of deputy foreign ministers of the Caspian littoral states (SWG).The delegations of the Republic of Azerbaijan (headed by Khalaf Khalafov), the Islamic Republic of Iran (headed by Ebrahim Rahimpour), the Republic of Kazakhstan (headed by Zulfia Amanzholova), the Russian Federation (headed by Igor Bratchikov) and Turkmenistan (headed by Murad Atadzhanov) participated in the negotiations.The meeting, which was devoted to the preparation for the Fifth Caspian Summit, scheduled to be held this year in the Republic of Kazakhstan, was opened by the statement of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kairat Abdrakhmanov.The participants of the SWG meeting agreed on the provisional agenda and the draft political outcome document of the forthcoming Summit, as well as discussed progress in the coordination of draft five-sided sectoral documents and preparation for their signing at the Fifth Caspian Summit, along with the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea.The completion of negotiations on the following drafts of five-sided documents was noted with satisfaction: the Agreement between the Governments of the Caspian Littoral States on Transport Cooperation, the Agreement between the Governments of the Caspian Littoral States on Trade and Economic Cooperation, the Agreement on Prevention of Incidents in the Caspian Sea, the Protocol on Cooperation in Combating Terrorism in the Caspian Sea, the Protocol on Cooperation in Combating Organized Crime in the Caspian Sea, the Protocol on Cooperation and Interaction of Border Agencies to the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Security in the Caspian Sea.The participants welcomed the proposal to hold the extraordinary session of the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea in this July in Moscow, as well as the intention to adopt and sign the Protocol on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context to the said Convention within the framework of this session.The delegations commended the outcomes of the talks and expressed their gratitude to the Republic of Kazakhstan for the high level of organization of the meeting.The next meeting of the Special Working Group will take place in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The timeframe will be coordinated through diplomatic channels.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/26090?lang=kk

We, the participants of the International Conference “Astana: The City of Peace", congratulate President Nursultan Nazarbayev and the people of Kazakhstan on the 20th anniversary of the capital city of Astana.Over the last twenty years, Astana has become not only a political, economic and cultural center of the independent Kazakhstan, but also a major center of diplomacy, peacemaking and international development.It was here in 2010 at the historic Summit of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe that the heads of state and government put forward a vision of “a free, democratic, common and indivisible Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian security community stretching from Vancouver to Vladivostok, rooted in agreed principles, shared commitments and common goals”. We call on all OSCE participating States to work steadfastly to achieve this goal.The Congresses of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions held in Astana contribute greatly to the promotion of inter-religious and international dialogue for the sake of peace, justice and security in the 21st century. The young capital of Kazakhstan has also hosted summits important for regional security and cooperation, including the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, as well as the First Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia. It also hosts large inter-parliamentary forums.Astana serves as a negotiating platform to end violence in Syria,and we hope that international efforts will lead to a nearly restoration of peace on the Syriansoil. Astana's peace buildin gefforts are reflected in the work of the UN Security Council, where Kazakhstan is represented as a non-permanent member.The number of foreign diplomatic missions and representative offices of international organizations is increasing in the capital every year, which indicates the transformation of Astana into a leading political center of the region.The capital of Kazakhstan has become a rostrum from where large-scale initiatives of economic cooperation, such as the Silk Road Economic Belt, are announced. The treaty establishing the Eurasian Economic Union was also signed here. Astana hosted the first Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Science and Technology and adopted a forward-looking document - Astana Declaration on Science, Technology, Innovation and Modernization in the Islamic World. On June 28-30, 2011, Astana hosted the 38th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Thus, Kazakhstan took over the chairmanship of respected international organisation. The meeting became a historic milestone as it was decided to rename the Organization of the Islamic Conference into the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. In addition, a Special Commission on Human Rights was established and the OIC Plan of Action for Cooperation with Central Asia was adopted for the first time in the history of the organization.Furthermore, the Astana Economic Forum, the Eurasian Media Forum and the Astana Club discuss the most important global problems and put forward ideas to address them.We congratulate the government and people of Kazakhstan on the success of the International Specialized Exhibition EXPO 2017, which focused the attention of the world community on future of energy and sustainable development. We welcome the creation of the Astana International Financial Center, the International Center for Green Technologies and Investment Projects, and the International Technopark of IT Startups on the territory of the EXPO 2017 infrastructure, and we wish them successful work for the benefit of Kazakhstan, the Central Asia region and the world.A presentation of the IAEA Low Enriched Uranium Bank facility took place last year in Astana and Ust-Kamenogorsk. We believe that Kazakhstan, as the country most affected by nuclear tests, and which voluntarily renounced the world's fourth largest nuclear arsenal, makes a worthy contribution to achieving a world free of nuclear weapons.The consistent policy of President Nursultan Nazarbayev towards confidence-building, security and collaboration at the regional and global levels is the basis of these developments. This policy was elaborated in the “The World. The 21st century" Manifesto, which calls for humankind to get rid of the scourge of war forever.Peaceful dialogue and meaningful talks based on the principles of equal responsibility for peace and security, mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs should be a key pillar for the resolution of all disputes between states.We are confident that Astana, as a modern, beautiful and dynamic city in the heart of Eurasia, will continue to play an important role in strengthening international peace, security and prosperity.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/25879?lang=kk

Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko met with State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia Iztok Mirosic on June 6, 2018.The sides discussed at length the state and prospects for the development of Kazakh-Slovenian relations, noting the absence of any problems and the need to further develop trade and economic cooperation. An agreement was reached to continue expanding the legal framework of bilateral cooperation.Pharmaceuticals, transport infrastructure, logistics, tourism, rehabilitation healthcare, green technologies and other spheres are considered aspromising sectors of cooperation.The sides commended the Slovenian companies' work in Kazakhstan, which are leaders in their domains and have representative offices around the world – KRKA (medicines), Iskratel Group (IT solutions), Gorenje (home appliances), Bisol Group (solar batteries).The meeting participants discussed extensively the prospects and opportunities within the Belt and RoadInitiative. In this regard, State Secretary Mirosic briefed the Kazakh side about Slovenia's work as a coordinator for economic cooperation with China in the 16+1 format (Central and Eastern Europe).The meeting allowed for an exchange of views on a wide range of topical issues on the international and regional agenda, including the processes taking place in Central Asia and the Balkan region.As co-chairman of the intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, the Slovenian diplomat also reported the outcome of the 4th meeting of the Commission held on June 5 in Astana. Minister of Healthcare Elzhan Birtanov co-chairs the IGC from the Kazakh side.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/25854?lang=kk

ALMATY, June 11, 2018 – Within Kazakhstan's chairmanshipin the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Almaty hostedthe regular meeting of the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers.The event was attended by delegations of all CSTO Member States: Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Andrei Dapkiunas, Kazakh Minister of Foreign Affairs Kairat Abdrakhmanov, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Aibek Omokeev, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin, as well as CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov.The participants exchanged views on the international agenda and the further development of foreign policy cooperation within the Organization.As it was stated following the Councilmeeting, the participantsexchanged viewson the current state and prospects for the development of the situation in Afghanistan. The meeting confirmed the general position that the crisis in Syria could be resolved only through political and diplomatic means. In this regard, the role of the Astana Process in stabilizing the situation in Syria was particularly emphasized.The sides expressed their hope that the upcoming talks between the leaders of the United States and the DPRK would be an important step in resolving issues related to the DPRK nuclear program, global disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.Furthermore, the agenda included the development and strengthening of cooperation between the CSTO and international agencies. It is symbolic that Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the CSTO coincided with its membership in the UN Security Council. Thus, Kazakhstan is working closely to align the agendas of the two organizations.In his statement, Minister Abdrakhmanov noted that Kazakhstan's chairmanship focused on the implementation of the priorities put forward by President Nursultan Nazarbayev at the anniversarySummit in Minsk last November.They include such relevant issues as the development and strengthening of military and military-technical cooperation, the Organization's involvement in creating an international counter-terrorism system, the development of joint approaches to counter cybersecurity threats, and specific measures to combat illicit drug trafficking.Kazakhstan considers necessary to further enhance the cooperation of the CSTO with the CIS, CARICC, CICA, other international organizations and agencies. It is notable that most of the CSTO ministerial meeting participants arrived in Almaty from Qingdao that hosted the SCO Summit.Another important area of cooperation with CSTO partners is the further implementation of the initiative of the President of Kazakhstan to develop a code of conduct to achieve a terrorism-free world, which is being actively promoted in the UN Security Council. The main objectives of this document are to create a broad international coalition of partner countries to counter terrorism and achieve a terrorism-free world by 2045.The Council of Foreign Ministers paid special attention to the Organization'sfurther institutional strengthening. In particular, the draft Protocol onAmendments to the Agreement on the Legal Status of the CSTO was agreed upon.During the meeting, the parties adopted a joint statement on the 30th anniversary of the entry into force of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. “Kazakhstan, as a party to this historic treaty, confirms its full commitment to this document and calls on all parties to preserve it and strictly observe it,”Minister Abdrakhmanov said.Overall, the CSTO ministerial meetingagreed on a number of practical documents, the most important of which will be submitted for consideration by the heads of state at the CSTO Summit in Astana this autumn, which will also be chaired by Kazakhstan.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/25850?lang=kk

ASTANA, June 18, 2018 – Ensuring the constitutional rights of citizens is the cornerstone of large-scale reforms on modernizing the public administration system initiated by President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. This was stated by Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov at a meeting with the Italian delegation visiting Kazakhstan. Member of the Senate of the Italian Parliament Roberto Rampi and President of the Italian Federation for Human Rights Antonio Stango attended the meeting.According to the foreign minister, strategic relations between Kazakhstan and Italy, complementary economic potential, shared positions on regional and global security, dialogue between civilizations and religions, and combating international terrorism open new opportunities for deepening bilateral cooperation.During the meeting, the Italian side learned more about the institutional reforms aimed at ensuring the rule of law and respect for human rights in Kazakhstan.Minister Abdrakhmanov said active collaboration with national and international human rights organizations demonstrated Kazakhstan's commitment to values and principles of human rights protection.MP Rampi assessed the work of human rights mechanisms in Kazakhstan and their impact on the promotion of sustainable development issues in our country. “We are not here to teach, but to jointly promote human rights protection throughout the world,” the senator said.The sides also discussed the ratification of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Kazakhstan and the European Union. The Italian MP expressed his willingness to assist in expediting the ratification of this document laying the foundation for a qualitatively new agenda in relations with the European Union.The program of the visit of the Italian delegation to Kazakhstan also included meetings with Senate member Byrganym Aitimova, representatives of the Prosecutor General's Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/25824?lang=kk

ASTANA, June 21, 2018 - President Nursultan Nazarbayev's decision to declare Shymkent a city of national significance is of historical international value. It will facilitate the practical implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in our country, including through viable urban management, providing housing to people and improving urban environmental planning of one of the largest Kazakh cities.The creation of the Turkestan region with Turkestan as the administrative center also plays a critical role in enhancing all-round regional cooperation in Central Asia, since the region is situated in the middle of this vast region. It is a meeting point of major railway lines and the Western Europe-Western China international highway corridor.Cities in southern Kazakhstan are well-known destinations of inbound tourism that house the ancient architectural monuments and sacral sites of the Muslim and Turkic world. Ancient Turkestan, a UNESCO World Heritage site, will now have more opportunities to enhance its tourism infrastructure. Turkestan's important role in history and in modern times will undoubtedly be discussed during the international Cities Mayors Forum Global Silk Road to be held in Astana on July 2-3, 2018.According to international experts, President Nazarbayev has been consistently implementing his visionary policy of creating new growth points for the Kazakh economy, which will be beneficial for the neighbors in the region and will create the environment for the successful implementation of the five social initiatives of Elbasy.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including diplomatic missions of Kazakhstan around the world, will continue to provide comprehensive assistance to the akimats of the regions and cities of Kazakhstan in strengthening international relations, attracting technologies and investment, promoting trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation of the regions.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/25779?lang=kk

On June 28, 2018, a telephone conversation took place between Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kairat Abdrakhmanov and the U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo.Both foreign ministers noted with satisfaction consistent implementation of the arrangements achieved during the official visit of H.E. Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the U.S. in January 2018. Michael Pompeo stressed the importance of the visit of the Kazakh leader and noted that the U.S. President Donald Trump appreciates the agreements reached in Washington and the development of bilateral partnership with Kazakhstan.The parties discussed in detail the wide range of issues related to the development of the Enhanced Strategic Partnership between Kazakhstan and the United States, in particular, the prospects for strengthening cooperation in the trade, economic and investment, energy, agriculture and other areas. The schedule of bilateral contacts at various levels, including within the framework of international forums, was considered.Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister and the U.S. Secretary of State held a detailed exchange of views on topical issues on the regional and international agenda.It was stressed that Kazakhstan's experience in getting rid of the fourth largest nuclear arsenal is an example, including for the settlement of the situation related to the North Korean nuclear program and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.Both parties stressed the importance of fruitful cooperation in the regional format, as well as the cooperation of Kazakhstan and Central Asia with the United States and other partners to help stabilize and ensure the sustainable development of Afghanistan. The Kazakh diplomat drew attention to the successful implementation of the educational program for the Afghan students atKazakhstan's universities, as well as the Regional Conference “Empowering Women in Afghanistan", which take placein Astana.The Kazakh Foreign Ministerreconfirmed his invitation to Michael Pompeo to visit Kazakhstan at the State Secretary'sconvenience.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/25718?lang=kk