Astana calling no.451

1. A WEEKLY ONLINE PUBLICATION / WWW.MFA.GOV.KZ
ISSUE NO. 451 / FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016
PresidenttoSummit:WorldMustFocus
onNuclearDisarmament
PresidentSignsLabourAccord,
DiscussesInt’lIssuesinCuba
Also InThe News
GreaterEU-CentralAsianCooperation
UrgedatRigaSymposium
In Focus:
Foreign Policy Priorities

2. PresidenttoSummit:WorldMustFocusonNuclearDisarmament
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Creating a world free of nuclear weapons must be humanity’s
main goal in the 21st century, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan
Nazarbayev told global leaders at the opening session of the fourth
Nuclear Security Summit April 1 in Washington, DC.
“The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty [CTBT] has not yet
entered into force. The testing of nuclear weapons and missiles is
happening on the Korean peninsula. A number of politicians publicly
discuss who can ‘wipe others into nuclear dust’ and who can ‘strike
first,’” Nazarbayev said. “Many have started to forget a simple truth:
in the nuclear age, no one will win a global war. All will lose, because
our planet will be destroyed! Humankind’s central task should be to
become a world free from the threat of war as a means of interstate
relations. This is the only way we will ensure a breakthrough in
promoting genuine and sustainable nuclear security of the planet.”
Summits that support ongoing dialogue on the topic have a crucial
role to play, the President noted. Kazakhstan is ready to host such
discussions, he told the group of more than 50 world leaders and
heads of the United Nations, the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA),Interpol,andothermajorinternationalorganisationsgathered
in Washington.
During the summit, Nazarbayev outlined his vision for a sane
nuclear future, focusing on the CTBT, the role of the IAEA Low-
Enriched Uranium (LEU) Bank and the adoption of the UN Universal
Declaration on the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World.
He also announced the publication of a special manifest, “The 21st
Century: A World Without War.” Its proposals include adapting
nonproliferation and disarmament activities to contemporary
conditions by including into the “nuclear club” all de jure and de facto
nuclear states, to counter the perception that many international
decisions adopted these days favour only the five UN Security
Council permanent members with their nuclear arsenals, and to
encourage them to work together to actually reduce their nuclear
weapons stockpiles, not stop merely at nonproliferation, as has been
the case for nearly two decades. It also suggests legally prohibiting
the use of scientific discoveries for the creation of new weapons of
mass destruction and developing an international convention for that
purpose.
ThePresidentalsoreviewedthehumanitariancostofnuclearweapons
and Kazakhstan’s achievements in nuclear security.
“People of Kazakhstan know the disastrous costs of the military
atom,” he said. “There are still tens of thousands of people suffering
from diseases caused by radiation. There are 1.5 million hectares
of radioactively contaminated soil. … We seek the expansion of
systematic international support on the rehabilitation of our people’s
health and the decontamination of land and water at the former
[Semipalatinsk] test site.”
Now, Kazakhstan is among the 20 countries with the highest level
of security of nuclear facilities and materials, Nazarbayev said, and
hosting the IAEA LEU bank is part of his country’s commitment to
nuclear security and sanity.
During the summit, 18 nations, including the U.S., the U.K., Germany
and others, issued a joint statement welcoming the establishment of
the bank in Kazakhstan and highlighting the importance of the bank in
assuring a supply of safe nuclear fuel.
Another joint statement was issued by the U.S. and Kazakhstan
confirming mutual commitments to continue work on strengthening
nuclear safety and security procedures together.
Nazarbayev also met bilaterally with leaders to discuss nuclear issues.
He and Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe issued a joint statement
on achieving the early entry into force of the CTBT, calling on all
states to sign and ratify the treaty. The two nations co-chair the Ninth
Conference on Article XIV of the CTBT.
Nazarbayev also met the leaders of Finland, Hungary, China, Turkey,
Azerbaijan, Jordan, Armenia, Lithuania, Chile, India, Singapore and
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and attended a formal dinner for
world leaders hosted by the U.S. president.
During the summit, 18 nations,
including the U.S., the U.K., Germany
and others, issued a joint statement
welcoming the establishment of the
bank in Kazakhstan and highlighting
the importance of the bank in
assuring a supply of safe nuclear fuel.
A session of the recent Nuclear Security Summit in Washington

3. PresidentSignsLabourAccord,DiscussesInt’lIssuesinCuba
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Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Cuban President Raul
Castro discussed a wide range of bilateral and international issues
during the Kazakh leader’s April 2 official visit to the island nation.
Among the primary topics covered were the expansion of bilateral
cooperation in trade, education, culture, sports, agriculture and
policy dialogue. The two presidents also signed a memorandum of
bilateral understanding on labour, employment and social protection.
The sides separately focused on cooperating in healthcare,
pharmaceuticals and biotechnology and noted the need to exchange
experience between Kazakh and Cuban experts in these areas.
During discussions of international issue, Nazarbayev thanked the
Cuban president for supporting Kazakhstan’s candidacy to become
a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council
of 2017-2018.
The meeting between the presidents was attended on the Kazakh
side by Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov and Minister of Energy Kanat
Bozumbayev and on the Cuban side by Cuban ministers of Foreign
Trade and Investment Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz, Energy and Mines
AlfredoLopezValdesandInterimForeignMinisterMarcelinoMedina.
Bozumbayev noted following the meeting that the sides also agreed
on the potential supply of oil supplies to Cuba, Kazapravda.kz
reported.
“Today, with Valdes we have signed a memorandum on joint actions
in the spheres of the oil and gas industry, exploration of oil deposits in
the coastal zone of Cuba, as well as possible supply of Kazakh oil to
the Cuban refinery,” Bozumbayev noted.
IdrissovandMedinametattheCubanforeignministry’sheadquarters.
The two countries share other priorities of mutual trade, including
medicine and renewable energy sources, according to Kazapravda.kz.
“As well as other Latin American countries, Cuba seriously engaged
in scientific developments in order to compensate the energy
deficit. In some Latin American countries, the share of renewable
energy reaches 90 percent. Today, we discussed this topic during the
meeting. Cuba holds large scientific research to increase renewable
energy sources,” head of the National Company Astana EXPO 2017
Akhmetzhan Yessimov informed.
In 2014, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding
for cooperation in education, science and sports.
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev (left) and Cuban President Raul Castro
In order to strengthen tourism and bilateral economic relations, the
two countries signed in December 2015 an agreement for exemption
of short-stay visas.
Prior to meeting with Castro, Nazarbayev paid tribute to Cuban
independence hero Jose Marti, visited the memorial museum and left
a note in the book of honourable guests. Nazarbayev told the media
that Kazakhstan has great interest in Cuba and acknowledged that
he had long wanted to visit the country as he belongs to a generation
that has always admired the Revolution and Fidel Castro.
“As well as other Latin American
countries, Cuba seriously engaged
in scientific developments in order
to compensate the energy deficit. In
some Latin American countries, the
share of renewable energy reaches
90 percent. Today, we discussed this
topic during the meeting. Cuba holds
large scientific research to increase
renewable energy sources.”
- Head of the National Company Astana EXPO 2017
Akhmetzhan Yessimov

4. GreaterEU-CentralAsianCooperationUrgedatRigaSymposium
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“EU Global Strategy and Central Asia: Vision and Instruments” was
the theme of the April 1 conference hosted by the Latvian Institute
of International Affairs (LIIA). The Riga symposium was held in
cooperation with the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European
Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) and Friedrich-Ebert-
Stiftung.
As the title implied, the seminar focused on the European Union’s
(EU) new global strategy and the organisation’s role in Central Asia
from its point of view and those of countries within and beyond
the area. Participants included representatives of China, the EU,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, the United States and
Uzbekistan.
“Our meeting today is very important in terms of a better and
thorough understanding of the demands of the EU member states
in regards to the Central Asian region, including the conditions and
modalities of cooperation at the regional and bilateral level in the
framework of the EU strategy for Central Asia,” said Kazakh Deputy
Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko.
He noted Kazakhstan has consistently supported fully implementing
thestrategyandpushedtofurtherexpanditsscope.Kazakhproposals
were considered in preparing the European Council’s conclusions.
“Inter-regional cooperation with the European Union absolutely
is one of the priorities of the foreign policy of the Central Asian
countries; therefore, we want to ensure our cooperation stays
mutually beneficial and fair. We believe that this approach in
international relations is imperative, especially given the situation in
neighbouring regions,” he said.
In his address at the 70th anniversary session of the United Nations
(UN) General Assembly, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev
spoke about wider cooperation in Eurasia. His nation is serving this
year as chair of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), a post which
will allow for developing constructive EU-EAEU cooperation.
Vassilenko noted the possibility of creating a logistics base in Latvia,
which would provide for shipping cargo from Kazakhstan, China and
other CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries to
and from European markets. He added Kazakhstan is prepared to
cooperate in numerous business, defence and energy-related areas.
“Our common goal should be to ensure that Central Asia is
transformed from being ‘landlocked’ into becoming ‘landlinked’
through the large-scale development of the national infrastructure of
land trade routes,” he said.
Vassilenko also spoke about the March 22 terrorist attacks in Brussels,
asking international society to react to the danger and arrogance of
the criminals.
Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics noted the EU
global strategy was instrumental in developing a more coherent EU
CommonForeignandSecurityPolicyandstrengtheningitsworldwide
role. In the context of recent EU security challenges, Europe needs to
“pay greater attention to ensuring stability and development both in
its Southern and Eastern neighbourhood and in Central Asia,” he said.
Rinkevics added Latvia remained committed to advancing the
initiatives aimed at “promoting cooperation between the EU and
Central Asia in border security, education, the rule of law and
environmental protection” launched during the Baltic nation’s
Presidency of the EU Council.
In his address, EU Special Representative for Central Asia Peter
Burian called on Afghanistan to be “engaged in the EU-Central Asia
cooperation so that the regional security issues could be dealt with
more successfully.”
Burian met with Kazakh representatives in light of the March
30 negotiations in Brussels between Nazarbayev and European
Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Discussions centred
on collaboration based on the Kazakhstan-EU enhanced Partnership
and Cooperation Agreement, the visa regime for Kazakh citizens
and aspects of scheduled visits to Kazakhstan this year by high-level
European delegations.
Vassilenko’s March 31 agenda included a meeting with Latvian
Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary of State–Political Director Eduards
Stiprais regarding various aspects of bilateral and multilateral
cooperation. The sides noted their similar positions on major regional
and international issues. The Kazakh-Latvian intergovernmental
commission, business council and working group on transport will
continue the talks later this year.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko at the conference

5. InFocus: Foreign Policy Priorities
The sides signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Malaysian
Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) and the GreenTech
Malaysia Research Centre following a round table with those
organisations.
Read the full text here: http://www.mfa.gov.kz/index.php/ru/so-y-
zha-aly-tar/129-novosti/6183-zelenye-tekhnologii-malajzii-budut-
predstavleny-na-ekspo-2017
Boxer Golovkin named EXPO 2017 ambassador
Chairman of the Astana EXPO 2017 National Company Akhmetzhan
Yessimov named boxer Gennady Golovkin an ambassador of EXPO
2017 in a ceremony in Washington, DC, March 31.
The event was attended by representatives of the Embassy of
Kazakhstan to the United States, students from Kazakhstan and
young athletes.
“EXPO 2017 ambassadors promote the ideas and values of the
exposition, as well as the exposition theme, Future Energy. I
am sure that our champion, Kazakhstan’s pride, Golovkin, will
adequately represent EXPO 2017 in the global arena, and Gennady’s
achievements in the field of sport and public life will increase interest
to the exhibition,” Yessimov said.
Golovkin expressed his gratitude and promised to properly represent
the main ideas of the upcoming expo. He also urged the youth to take
an active part in promoting EXPO 2017.
Read the full text here: https://expo2017astana.com/news/2016/mart/
mart/gennadij-golovkin-stal-poslom-vyistavki-ekspo-2017
Welcoming Investment
New projects to be implemented in Akmola
Fifty-two projects worth 24 billion tenge (US$69.5 million) will
be implemented in the Akmola region through public-private
partnerships, Akim of Akmola Sergey Kulagin said at a press
conference April 4.
“In the first phase, we plan to implement seven projects: the
construction of seven kindergartens,” Kulagin said.
He also added that through cooperation with the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development, it is planned to implement three
projects of housing and communal services worth 18 billion tenge
(US$52.1). (inform.kz)
Turkish delegation visits Pavlodar SEZ
DuringthevisitofaTurkishdelegationtoKazakhstan,Chairmanofthe
Committee for Investments of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Investments
and Development Erlan Hairov met with representatives of the
Turkish companies Burak Alüminyum, Pensan A. Ş, Avrupa Peyzaj
Ltd, Uzmanlar Platform and N’Dustrio.
TheTurkishdelegationwillvisitPavlodarregion,includingthePavlodar
Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and other promising sites. Turkish
companies plan to invest in projects in the sphere of metallurgy and
the petrochemical industry in the region. (kazpravda.kz)
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Strengthening UN & Int’l Security
FM issues statement on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry made a statement concerning the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict April 3.
“Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry is attentively monitoring the situation
around Nagorno-Karabakh. We express serious concern about the
violation of a ceasefire regime in a zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and the reports on human losses. We call on the parties to
show restraint and to strictly observe the ceasefire arrangements,”
the statement said.
“Supporting the efforts of the OSCE [Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe] Minsk Group on the settlement of Nagorno-
Karabakh conflict, we reaffirm our position on the need to resolve the
conflict peacefully. Kazakhstan supports the intensification of the
process on finding a compromise solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and hopes for a constructive attitude among stakeholders in
making progress on settling the conflict,” it stated.
A ceasefire between the combatants has been agreed a few days
after the statement was made.
Representative of Kazakhstan addresses UN Disarmament
Commission
The Substantive Session of the United Nations Disarmament
Commission(UNDC)istakingplaceinNewYorkApril4–22.Speaking
at the opening ceremony, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan
to the United Nations Kairat Abdrakhmanov informed delegations
about the important initiatives of President of Kazakhstan Nursultan
Nazarbayev and approaches that Kazakhstan has taken in the field of
nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.
Read the full text here: http://www.mfa.gov.kz/index.php/ru/so-y-
zha-aly-tar/129-novosti/6188-v-nyu-jorke-prokhodit-ezhegodnaya-
sessiya-komissii-oon-po-razoruzheniyu
Hosting Astana Expo 2017
Expo commissioner visits Malaysia
Commissioner of EXPO 2017 Rapil Zhoshybayev paid a visit to
Malaysia April 4–5. In Kuala Lumpur, he met with Chief Secretary
to the Government of Malaysia Ali Hamsa; Secretary General of the
Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water Resources Loo
Gee; and representatives of the scientific and business circles of the
country.
Zhoshybayev and Hamsa discussed bilateral cooperation in trade,
economy and science, including implementing green technologies
and attracting Malaysian tourists to EXPO 2017. They also discussed
the participation of Malaysian companies in the coming exhibition.
Back to Contents

6. Also InThe News...
• Ministry of National Economy considers services to small- and
medium-size businesses
Kazakhstan’s Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs has
approached the Ministry of National Economy with a suggestion
on providing services to public-private partnership representatives
of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), noted National
ChamberDeputyChairman of theBoard Tulemis Shotanov.“Today,
there are eight types of services that are provided to the business
community: legal, accounting, customs, public procurement,
management, marketing, quality management system, evaluation
and IT. We have analysed that this type of service, which is the
development of a quality management system, is not as much
in demand as we would like it to be. This suggests that today
business needs a few other things. In particular, there is a very good
law admitted at the end of last year; it is about a public-private
partnership (PPP),” he said. Shotanov added the law provides real
opportunities for the nation’s business should financial resources
be lacking. “Entrepreneurs come and ask how to develop a project
where they can apply the rules of law. In this regard, we have come
up to the Ministry of National Economy with the proposal to enter
the PPP consultation as one of the services. This proposal is now
under consideration,” he said. He added many entrepreneurs are
interested in giving and receiving various documents, permits and
notices. (primeminister.kz)
• First Kazakh trade house opens in Afghanistan
The first Kazakh trade house in Afghanistan opened March 31 in
Kabul.ThepavilionwaslaunchedwithassistancefromtheChamber
of International Commerce and Kazakh Embassy in Afghanistan.
“We want to expand trade with Afghanistan through various trading
blocks. Opening the trade house will pave the way to business
people of both countries for the development of close ties in the
sphere of trade. We hope that the government of Afghanistan
will be able to achieve big economic growth by the development
of trade relations with Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan can represent a
good alternative for food import along with other countries,” said
Kazakh Ambassador to Afghanistan Omirtay Bitimov. According
to results of the last few years, Kazakhstan imported $3 million in
goods from Afghanistan. Kazakh exports to Afghanistan, mainly
flour and oil products, have generated $333 million. “Opening of the
trading house is a good start for the development of trade relations
with Afghanistan. Domestic producers will be able to expose their
own production in the largest trade exhibition hall, the Afghanistan
Expo Centre, free of charge. The representatives of the pavilion are
ready to act as business partners for Kazakhstan producers in the
local market,” said Chamber of International Commerce Chairman
Meirbek Mazhitov. (kazchamber.net)
• Russia’s Polymetal signs $100 million deal with Kazakhstan’s
Kazzink, Ltd concerning Komarovskoe gold field
Russian company Polymetal International has signed a deal with
Kazakh company Kazzink Ltd. regarding acquisition of the Kazakh
Komarovskoe gold field for $100 million. Polymetal International
has also entered into a binding agreement with Kazzink Ltd. and
Glencore subsidiary to acquire Orion Minerals, which owns the
license for the Komarovskoe gold deposit. Komarovskoe field
is located in the northeast portion of Kazakhstan, 10 kilometres
from the town of Zhitikara. Its total area measures 104 square
kilometres. As of Dec. 31, in accordance with the JORC Code, the
field’s estimated resources are 28 million tonnes with the content
of 1.5 grams per tonne (about 1.4 million ounces) of gold. The total
remuneration to Orion, to be paid when the transaction is closed,
will be $100 million in cash, which will be extinguished at the
expense of the available money and credit lines. Kazzink Ltd. will
also earn the postponed reward (royalty) from future Komarovskoe
production attached to the price of gold. (tengrinews.kz)
• Astana conference focuses on ‘Civil Service Excellence’
The civil service regional hub in Astana held a conference April
4 on “Partnership for Civil Service Excellence.” Regional hub
steering committee chairman Alikhan Baimenov, United Nations
(UN) resident coordinator and United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) resident representative in Kazakhstan
Norimasa Shimomura, Kazakh Minister for Civil Service Affairs
Talgat Donakov and European Union (EU) Kazakh delegation head
Traian Hristea opened the conference with introductory remarks.
“Since its establishment, the hub has become a recognised multi-
institutional platform for the incessant exchange of experience
and knowledge in the field of civil service, aimed at stimulating
the transformation of civil service in the region through capacity
building and dissemination of innovative approaches in the field
of civil service,” said Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD) Director for Public Governance
and Territorial Development Rolf Alter. In their speeches, the
Ambassadors to Kazakhstan from Canada, France and South
Korea noted the hub’s significance in strengthening civil service
bilateral and multilateral cooperation. The participants exchanged
views and experience on civil service excellence and discussed
ways of strengthening regional partnerships and developing expert
networks. (regionalhub.org.)
• Kazakh exporters present goods, sign deals in Dushanbe
The Kazakh business trade and economic mission was held March
30-April 1 in Dushanbe. The event was organised by the Kazakh
Chamber of International Commerce with the support of the
Kazakh Embassy in Tajikistan and Kazkommertsbank- Tajikistan.
The business negotiations helped a number of Kazakh companies
find direct buyers for their products, with the total value of the
signed contracts amounting to more than $4 million. The first
export shipments are expected to be sent in April. The Kazakh
producers successfully presented products from Shiver-Tajikistan,
the company which launched Auchan, the largest hypermarket
in Central Asia. To supply goods directly from Kazakhstan, the
national companies signed contracts with five transport companies
that allow direct purchases with the production sites without
mediators.
• Kazakhstan, Turkey improve educational cooperation
Kazakhstan and Turkey have improved educational cooperation,
including a visit by representatives of Istanbul University to Al-
Farabi Kazakh National University (KNU). The Turkish delegation
became acquainted with KNU activities and was impressed by the
scale of the university’s work. According to KNU Rector Galimkair
Mutanov, the goals and objectives of universities in the two Turkic
countries are similar. During discussions of general issues in
educational and scientific cooperation, the sides signed a contract
on cooperation between the two leading universities. The parties
also reached an agreement to support KNU’s Yunus Emre Cultural
Centre and create the Al-Farabi Centre at Istanbul University.
This year, 20 students from Turkey are expected to arrive at KNU.
(kaznu.kz)
• Lithuanian universities help train Kazakh servicemen
Since 2008, Lithuanian universities have trained about 50
servicemen of the Kazakh Armed Forces. The Defence Ministries
of Kazakhstan and Lithuania discussed the prospects of military
cooperation and regional security aspects. According to Kazakh
Defence Ministry Chief of International Cooperation Colonel Adil
Bekov, one of the priorities of the Ministry of Defence is to train the
Armed Forces’ servants through studying foreign countries’ military
security experience. After the meeting the Lithuanian delegation,
headed by the country’s Ministry of National Defence Department
of International Cooperation and Operations Director Robertas
Shapronas, delivered lectures at the National Defence University.
(Kazpravda.kz)
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