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A WEEKLY ONLINE PUBLICATION / WWW.MFA.GOV.KZ ISSUE NO. 357 / FRIDAY, JUNE 06, 2014

Turkic-Speaking States Summit Focuses on Tourism

Kazakhstan, Hungary Advance Bilateral Relations

Kazakh, Argentinian FMs Sign Visa-Free Agreement

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Turkic-Speaking States Summit Focuses on Tourism

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Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev recently visited Bodrum, Turkey to participate in the 4th Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States (CCTS), which focused on cooperation in tourism development.

The summit, which began June 5 and was ongoing at the time of publication, is being attended by the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan.

Opening the forum, Turkish President Abdullah Gul thanked the delegates for their participation. He also expressed confidence that the 4th Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States will give a new impetus to cooperation among member states. Gul noted the importance of partnership in various areas, including the economic, social and cultural spheres as well as in the tourism industry.

The council has agreed to adopt a joint tourism package called, “Turkic Council is a Modern Silk Road,” according to the Secretariat of the Turkic Council. The council has also agreed to hold joint educational programmes and training courses.

Nazarbayev also met with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on June 4. During the meeting, the leaders discussed bilateral cooperation and international issues. They addressed efforts to deepen relations in the economic, trade, oil and gas, transport and logistics sectors, and the parties stressed the need to increase trade volumes to maximise economic potential. The two presidents reviewed the progress of cooperation within international and regional organisations, including the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking States.

The same day, Nazarbayev took part in an informal meeting of the heads of state of the CCTS. At the meeting, the leaders discussed the agenda for the upcoming summit and areas of multilateral cooperation within international and regional organisations.

A meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the CCTS was also held on the eve of the summit. The foreign ministers discussed economic, educational, transport and cultural cooperation. They also discussed international issues, including issues faced by nations in the region and concerns related to Afghanistan, Syria, Iran and Ukraine.

Turkish Foreign Minister Akhmet Davutoglu praised the idea of Nazarbayev to convene the Conference on Interaction and

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev (third from right at table) meets with the heads of the member states of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States in Turkey

Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). Davutoglu also noted the results of the Shanghai Summit and thanked Nazarbayev for the initiatives that he has proposed that help unite Turkey and Kazakhstan.

“The main subject of the CCTS is tourism. I am confident that its results will allow more actively developed cooperation in this industry,” said Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov.

Idrissov also suggested strengthening CCTS’ economic component to make it more attractive to other Turkic states. This could be done through humanitarian, educational, scientific and cultural cooperation. The International Organisation of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) and the Turkic Academy, which will soon receive international status, work in these spheres.

“We work in the field of culture and art, the academy will deal with deeper, more meaningful issues of science, publication of scientific books, scientific conferences,” said TURKSOY General Secretary Dyusen Kaseinov.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev (centre) with Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov (left) and Assistant of the President Yerzhan Kazykhanov (right) during the 4th Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States in Turkey

Kazakh, Argentinian FMs Sign Visa-Free Agreement

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Kazakhstan and Argentina reached an agreement on a visa-free regime in Astana on May 30. The agreement is the latest in a series of deals with countries in Latin America and elsewhere that Kazakhstan is developing to make travel easier for its citizens.

Argentinian Foreign Minister Hector Timerman and Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov signed the agreement during Timerman’s recent visit, the first by a foreign minister from a Latin American country.

The agreement, which allows visa-free travel for citizens of both countries, is expected to give a powerful impetus to deepening comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. Last year, Kazakhstan signed a similar deal with Brazil. Idrissov also announced that the Kazakh foreign ministry will continue efforts to establish a visa-free regime with countries around the world, in particular with Chile. Kazakhstan and Chile last year signed an agreement on visa-free travel for official delegations from the two countries.

Agreements on visa-free travel require ratifications before entering into force. The deal with Brazil has yet to enter into force, although Brazilian authorities have simplified the visa regime for citizens of other countries for the World Cup that is starting on June 13.

“We are pleased that Argentina is planning to send a large business delegation during

the second half of this year. From our side, we will prepare a busy schedule for Argentinian

business people so that they can start substantive cooperation with their Kazakh

counterparts.” - Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov

Idrissov and Timerman discussed a wide range of bilateral cooperation issues during their meeting in Astana, including economy, trade, investment and tourism as well as international issues.

“Our countries have much in common. We have similar views and approaches to challenges faced by humanity, be it issues of sustainable development and the environment, nuclear safety and

Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov (right) meets with Argentinian Foreign Minister Hector Timerman during Timerman’s recent visit to Kazakhstan

strengthening the multipolar world,” Idrissov said, according to a Kazakh foreign ministry press release.

“We are glad to acknowledge our mutual support in various UN agencies, and I am especially grateful to my colleague for Argentina’s support for Kazakhstan’s candidacy for nonpermanent membership on the UN Security Council in 2017-2018. The support of your country is very valuable for us, and we intend to defend our common interests while being a part of the UN Security Council,” Idrissov said.

The two ministers also focused on developing cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture and innovation, where there is strong potential.“We are pleased that Argentina is planning to send a large business delegation during the second half of this year. From our side, we will prepare a busy schedule for Argentinian business people so that they can start substantive cooperation with their Kazakh counterparts,” Idrissov noted. He also announced plans to establish a bilateral commission on trade and economic cooperation and negotiations on Argentina’s support for Kazakhstan’s accession to the World Trade Organisation.

Timerman, in turn, noted the active development of bilateral relations and confirmed Argentina’s interest in cooperating in mining, agriculture and nuclear industries. He noted the special importance of the first visit of a Latin American foreign minister to Kazakhstan and the importance of the visa-free agreement in establishing direct contacts between the two countries’ peoples.

One day earlier, Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov and Speaker of the Senate Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also met with Timerman. Tokayev, in particular, proposed establishing direct ties between the Parliament of Kazakhstan and Argentina’s National Congress. They also noted the need to establish cooperation groups in the upper chambers of the two parliaments.

Tokayev also requested that Argentina participate in EXPO 2017 in Astana and expressed hope that Buenos Aires will continue to support Kazakhstan’s candidacy for nonpermanent membership on the UN Security Council.

According to a Senate press release, Timerman said Kazakhstan deserves such a status and its active involvement in the workings of the UN will help change things for the better, including in conflict resolution.

Kazakhstan, Hungary Advance Bilateral Relations

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Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Speaker of the National Assembly Laszlo Kever during his official visit to Hungary on June 3, during which he attended a number of meetings in Budapest.

Relations between Kazakhstan and Hungary are based on the close historical and cultural ties that exist between their peoples, mutual understanding and a shared commitment to strengthening Eurasian and global security and stability, democracy, national progress and human rights and freedoms.

During the talks, the parties noted that Kazakhstan is Hungary’s largest trading partner among the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The heads of both governments noted the major potential for expanding bilateral cooperation, especially in the trade and economic spheres. Hungary strongly supports Kazakhstan’s accession to the World Trade Organisation, which will create more opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.

‘We need to bring Kazakh-Hungarian relations to a qualitatively new level of strategic partnership,’ Massimov said. The legal framework and other prerequisites to do this are all in place, he added. Orban expressed interest in mutually beneficial cooperation with Kazakhstan in various industries.

The outcome of the meeting was a number of documents regarding the countries’ partnership, one of which was the joint declaration on strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Hungary.

According to the declaration, key strategic areas of political and economic cooperation are trade and the economy, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, the oil and gas industry, agriculture, the development of non-oil sectors of the economy and the investment sphere.

The parties also welcomed the close cooperation that exists already in the field of energy and support its deepening in accordance with their mutual interests. In addition to the use of fossil fuels, they pay special attention to further development of cooperation in nuclear energy and renewable energy sources.

The partners will mutually encourage the participation of their businesses in tourism events to be held in Hungary and Kazakhstan, cooperation between their organisations engaged in tourism and the exchange of experiences and best practices in tourism.

Among the main areas of economic cooperation, like trade and the oil and gas sector, are agriculture, heavy machinery and seed production, as well as the pharmaceutical sector. Hungarian pharmaceutical giant Gedeon Richter is currently considering opening a factory in Atyrau.

The parties will promote the development of governmental and non-governmental relationships between their countries. They will regard the further development of cooperation between higher education institutions as a priority area, which may have a positive long-term impact on relations established in the fields of research and innovation.

As for cooperation in science and technological development, both sides agreed that they will deepen their cooperation in industrial innovation and develop cooperation in the field of legislation.

During the meeting with National Assembly Speaker Kever, the sides discussed promoting trade and economic cooperation and interparliamentary cooperation. They stressed the need to further strengthen political, economic and cultural ties between the two countries.

Massimov invited Orban to pay a return visit to Kazakhstan, and the invitation was accepted with gratitude.

During his visit, Massimov also took part in a ceremony to mark the opening of Astana Street in the centre of Budapest and the memorial bust of Abai Kunanbayev.

The monument to the Kazakh poet was created and given as a gift to the municipality of Budapest by the East Kazakhstan region. A location for the monument was chosen on Astana Street, a pedestrian street located in Varoshliget Park. Abai Kunanbayev is a symbol of Kazakh poetry; a writer who paved new ways to develop the Kazakh language. Abai was also a composer and a folk music expert. His works have been translated into 60 languages.

Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov (right) with his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban during a recent visit to Budapest

Also In The News...

• AveragewageinAstanaincreasesby6.4percent;foodpricesriseAccording to the Department of Statistics of Astana, the average wage in the capital is 21,760 tenge (US$118.57), 6.4 percent higher than last month and 6.8 percent higher in comparison with the same period last year. According to the agency, most expenses are for the purchase of fish and meat. About 15 percent of wages are spent to purchase dairy, fat and oil products and eggs, as well as fruit and vegetables; 7.3 percent goes to bread and cereal products and almost 2 percent for tea and sweets. Food prices have increased by 1.5 percent on average this month. The most notable price increase is for fruit and vegetables, which rose in price by 7.3 percent. The cost of sugar has fallen by almost 2 percent. (inform.kz)

• Affordable Housing 2020 programme begins acceptingapplicationsOn June 2, the Affordable Housing 2020 programme began accepting applications at Centres for Population Services (CPS). The programme provides young families with places to live. This year, 672 families will receive new apartments. In order to apply for housing, families must have children of at least two years of age and be headed by spouses no older than 29. The same rules apply to single-parent families as long as they have been registered as living in Astana for at least two years. All regions of Kazakhstan enacted the Affordable Housing 2020 programme in 2012; under it, 63 million square metres of housing will be built in the country by 2020; 35 million square metres of secondary housing will be modernised and the share of domestically produced building materials on the domestic market will be increased from 65 to 90 percent. (astanatimes.com)

• AlmatybiddingtohostFISNordicSkiWorldChampionshipin2019Almaty has been declared a candidate to host the FIS Nordic Ski World Championship 2019, reported the press-office of the Executive Directorate of the Almaty Universiade 2017. On June 2, the 49th International Ski Federation (FIS) Congress was officially opened in Barcelona, Spain, to assess candidates for the next FIS championships. Over three days, candidate cities will present their expositions. On June 5, FIS will select the official host of the FIS World Championship in Nordic Events 2019 and declare their choice at the congress’s closing gala dinner. Oberstdorf, Germany; Planica, Slovenia and Seefeld in Tirol, Austria are also in the running. (tengrinews.com)

• KazakhEmbassyinItalymarksInternationalChildren’sDayThe Embassy of Kazakhstan in Italy celebrated International Children’s Day over the weekend of June 1, organising games, sports and dances for Italian families who have adopted children from Kazakhstan. The embassy regularly organises meetings with families who have adopted children from Kazakhstan and their kids to maintain the children’s cultural ties to Kazakhstan and their knowledge of their native language and their country of origin. (mfa.gov.kz)

• AlmatyhostsInterSport2014exhibitionThe second InterSport International Exhibition, InterSport 2014, opened on June 5 in Almaty. The event will present the latest designs in the sport industry, including sport gear and supplements and gym equipment. Kuranbek Sarsenov, head of the sport department of the Almaty city administration, said at the opening ceremony that this year’s InterSport is expected to bring together more than 40 domestic and foreign companies.‘This is the second time the expo has been held in Almaty City. It is set to promote sport and a healthy lifestyle in Kazakhstan,’ Sarsenov said. (inform.kz)

• Internationalfigure skating starsperformwithDenisTen inAstanaOlympic and world figure skating champions participated in Denis Ten’s ice show, Denis and Friends: Olympic Energy, on May 29-30 in Almaty and on June 1 in Astana. Ten, the Kazakhstan-born figure skater and bronze medal winner at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, gathered major figure skating stars, including Olympic champions Maxim Trankov, Tatyana Volosozhar and Evan Laysachek as well as world champions Mao Asada, Daisuke Takahashi, Karolina Kostner and Stefan Lambiel. Many of the skaters were visiting Kazakhstan for the first time. (astanatimes.com)

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