A bi-weekly online publication of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan www.mfa.kz Issue # 69 Tuesday, 15 June 2010 [PDF]

President Hu’s Visit to Astana Boosts Kazakh-Chinese Strategic Partnership

Astana and Beijing agreed on building and jointly financing a gas pipeline and deepening atomic energy ties during the talks between Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Chinese President Hu Jintao in Akorda. At the invitation of President Nazarbayev, on June 12-13, President Hu paid a state visit to Kazakhstan.

In the course of negotiations both parties underlined the fact that political cooperation between the two countries continues showing positive dynamic. In recent years, the China-Kazakhstan strategic partnership has developed rapidly as frequent high-level exchanges helped deepen political mutual trust. The current meeting is the fifth one in the last 12 months.

Kazakhstan and China actively cooperate within the various international organizations, foremost within the UN and the SCO. China supports Kazakhstan's foreign policy initiatives, including the Kazakh OSCE Chairmanship, Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, etc.

During the talks President Hu praised the pace of economic and political formation of Kazakhstan.

“Since Kazakhstan’s independence, under your wise leadership the Kazakh people successfully and steadily follow the path of development, corresponding to the real conditions of their country,” Chinese leader claimed, addressing President Nazarbayev. “Kazakhstan preserves stable social and political environment, its economy is growing and living standards are steadily increasing. Kazakhstan’s position in the international arena is strengthening”.

The main topic of the talks was economic cooperation, which reached the level of practical implementation of strategically important industrial projects. The gas pipeline “Turkmenistan - Uzbekistan - Kazakhstan – China” and the oil pipeline “Kenkiyak-Kumkol” are already operating. Currently, Chinese companies already actively participate in the oil production in Western Kazakhstan.

In addition, within the scope of agreements reached during President Nazarbayev’s visit to Beijing in April 2009, Kazakhstan has successfully implemented large-scale infrastructure projects - construction of Moinak hydroelectric plant, Pavlodar electrolysis plant, plant for the production of road bitumen in Aktau, complex for the production of aromatic hydrocarbons in Atyrau refinery, modernization and reconstruction of refinery “PetroKazakhstan Oil Products”, the construction of the first phase of the largest gas-chemical complex for the polypropylene production in Kazakhstan.

During the talks the sides discussed measures to enhance trade, the volume of which last year amounted to US$ 14 billion.

In foreign trade of Kazakhstan, this figure exceeded 13% in 2009, and China became Kazakhstan’s second biggest trade partner following the Russian Federation. In its turn, for China, Kazakhstan is the second trading partner among the CIS countries (after Russia).

“Our trade in the Q1 of this year grew by 56%. We're going to make it reach pre-crisis period, that is, over US$ 17 billion,” Nazarbayev stressed.

Both sides agreed to deepen economic and investment cooperation, to expand the structure of mutual trade. Kazakhstan and China are determined to strengthen cooperation in energy, peaceful uses of atomic energy, petrochemicals, transportation, agriculture, development of border trade, as well as in the supply of Kazakh grain and other agricultural products to China. The issues of sustainable use of water resources and its conservation were discussed in a constructive way.

Both leaders touched upon the other important issue of security and stability in Central Asia, in particular, the situation in Kyrgyzstan and rendering humanitarian assistance to the Kyrgyz people on the part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. It was mentioned that a coordinated approach to solving the pressing issues of the region meet the interests of both states.

During the talks, Nazarbayev with his counterpart also exchanged views on international and regional cooperation. They underlined that the views of Astana and Beijing on most issues of the international agenda coincide.

The negotiations resulted in adopting a Joint Communiqué of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the People's Republic of China. The sides signed intergovernmental agreements on the peaceful uses of atomic energy, the basic principles of design, financing, construction and operation of the second part of the pipeline "Kazakhstan - China", and the agreement between JSC “Kazatomprom” and “China Guangdong Nuclear Power Corporation" on uranium concentrates sale.

Concluding the negotiations, both parties expressed confidence in the fact that President Hu's visit to Kazakhstan would give new impetus to bilateral relations and consolidate the positive trends in expanding cooperation in implementing joint industrial projects, as well as lay emphasis on non-commodity areas of economic interaction.

Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the People's Republic of China were established on January 3, 1992. Developing good-neighborly and friendly relations with China is one of the priorities of Kazakhstan's foreign policy.

Astana Seeks to Consolidate Regional Efforts to End Violence in Kyrgyzstan

On June 11, the same day as ethnically-charged violence erupted in the southern Kyrgyz town of Osh, the acting head of OSCE issued a statement, in which he expressed his deep regret at the violent clashes.

Saudabayev noted that, from the first days of the political crisis, President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Kazakhstan’s OSCE Chairmanship had made every effort to promote a peaceful settlement and supported the Interim Government's steps in this direction.

He added, however, that the latest events showed that the current situation in the country remained far from stable.

“I call on all parties to refrain from violence and to resolve the existing problems through dialogue and compromise,” Saudabayev said.

The OSCE Chairmanship, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and its Field Office in Osh declared their readiness to help in resolving the problems in ethnic situation Kyrgyzstan.

As the clashes claimed more of new victims, Saudabayev held telephone consultations with the Head of Kyrgyzstan’s Provisional Government Roza Otunbayeva on June 12, offering condolences for the loss of many lives in Osh and expressing serious concern over the continuing violence.

Saudabayev also held telephone consultations to discuss the situation in south Kyrgyzstan in detail with the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, whose country holds the rotating European Union presidency, and Foreign Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu.

Saudabayev said that, since the beginning of the conflict, the OSCE Kazakh Chairmanship and Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev have been focusing on finding a solution to the crisis and today, in view of the present difficulties, stand ready to take all the necessary measures.

Saudabayev announced his decision to send his Special Envoy, Zhanibek Karibzhanov, to Kyrgyzstan, as well as a senior official of the Vienna-based OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre. The UN and EU representatives also said that they were ready to send their own special envoys to Kyrgyzstan. The OSCE, the UN and the EU, which have already worked together in Kyrgyzstan in close co-operation with Karibzhanov, have agreed to further coordinate their efforts.

Karibzhanov, Deputy Speaker of the Majilis (lower house of Parliament) of Kazakhstan, and Chairman of the Kazakh-Kyrgyz inter-parliamentary group, has played a key role in April in preventing the escalation of the armed confrontation between supporters of ex-President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and the Interim Kyrgyz Government. The Kazakh OSCE chairmanship and President Nazarbayev, in coordination with Presidents Barack Obama of the US and Dmitry Medvedev of Russia and with the consent from the Interim Government, mediated then a departure of Bakiyev, which greatly eased tensions in the neighbouring country.

In Bishkek again, Karibzhanov met on Monday with Interim Kyrgyz President Roza Otunbayeva, The sides exchanged opinions on what’s going on in the country’s south, and discussed ways to collaborate on stabilising the situation.

He also held a number of meetings with Kyrgyzstan’s acting heads of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and State Service for National Security, Special Representative of UN Secretary General Miroslav Jenca, Russian President’s Special Representative on Kyrgyzstan Vladimir Rushailo, leaders of political parties and NGOs, ambassadors of Russia, US, China, France, and Germany, to discuss multilateral efforts in helping Kyrgyzstan.

On June 15, the Kazakh chairmanship convened a special session of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna. Following it, the statement was issued in which 56 OSCE participating States called for the rapid restoration of peace, public safety and the rule of law in Kyrgyzstan and offered to build on assistance to resolve the crisis.

In the statement, the OSCE States, taking note of the early warning issued by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities on the situation in the southern parts of Kyrgyzstan, expressed deep concern over developments and urged “all communities in Kyrgyzstan to refrain from violence and exercise restraint”.

The States said the OSCE stood ready to “assist Kyrgyzstan upon its request in resolving the current crisis, preventing the spillover of tensions in the region, and in promoting post conflict rehabilitation, and to work in close co ordination and co operation in this respect with the UN and other relevant international actors on the ground, and urges the international community to provide immediate humanitarian aid”.

Ambassador Kairat Abdrakhmanov of Kazakhstan, who chairs the Permanent Council, welcomed the statement. “The consensus statement shows that all 56 OSCE participating States are united in recognizing the urgent need to restore peace in Kyrgyzstan and prevent further violence and loss of life,” said Abdrakhmanov. “The adoption of this statement is particularly important in the context of the strong appeal to the OSCE for assistance made yesterday by the Delegation of Kyrgyzstan at the Permanent Council meeting. I trust that the OSCE will be able to step up its support to the people of Kyrgyzstan, hand in hand with all other international actors.”

“In that context, I warmly welcome the address by the High Commissioner on National Minorities made yesterday at the Permanent Council, in particular his practical suggestions. I call on all participating States to consider these ideas, together with other eventual proposals for action from OSCE structures. I sincerely hope that we will also be fast in making decision on concrete actions and on allocating the necessary resources for their implementation.”

A special session was convened based on the 12 June early warning issued by Ambassador Knut Vollebaek, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities. The High Commissioner’s mandate calls for such warnings if, in his judgment, tensions involving national minority issues have the potential to develop into conflict. The High Commissioner has invoked this article only once before, in response to the situation in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in 1999.

Astana is also using its membership in other regional arrangements, foremost in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), to facilitate a joint response to the latest crisis in the troubled Kyrgyzstan.

The Secretaries of Security Councils of CTSO member-states gathered in Moscow on Monday and shaped a unified view that the organisation was ready to take all measures deemed necessary and defined by its mandate to help establish stability in South Kyrgyzstan, if such a decision is taken by heads of OSCE states.

SCO member states discussed the situation at their leaders’ summit on June 11 and appealed for calm and restraint in the region affected by ethnic violence. Further consultations were launched to seek shaping a common stance and taking necessary measures toward peace and order in south Kyrgyzstan.

State Programme on Supporting Kazakh Segment of the Internet Launched

Promising websites of the Internet’s Kazakh segment now have an opportunity to win state support in the form of free hosting in KazakhTelecom, government-owned national company providing telecommunication services, Minister of Communications and Information of Kazakhstan Askar Zhumagaliyev said at a meeting dedicated to the theme in Almaty on June 4. His agency has already presented owners of six sites with certificates granting them free hosting.

The meeting gathered representatives of the Ministry of Communications and Information, JSC “Kazcontent” and members of the ALE “Internet Association of Kazakhstan”.

In his  speech, Minister Zhumagaliyev noted the importance of this meeting in developing the Kazakh Internet segment. "Today, the development of Kaznet is one of the priorities of the Ministry, since this industry is now at a stage of rapid growth and is commercially attractive to the business," Zhumagaliyev said.

During the meeting Chairman of the Board of JSC “Kazcontent" Azamat Omarov presented a report on the State Support Program for Kazakh sites and announced the launch of this programme.  Its main aim is to support the owners of Kazakh sites by providing VPS (virtual personal server) free web hosting to domestic resources, thus enabling them to use the savings on resource promotion.

“By providing free web hosting, we, in fact, offer an opportunity for site owners to develop further, in other words, they do not spend money on site accommodation, and use these funds in developing its content,” Minister Zhumagaliyev stressed.

In order to participate in the programme a web-site should meet following requirements: it should belong to .kz domain zone, presented in the Kazakh, Russian, and English languages, the count of unique visitors should be over 6,000 per month. Moreover, the site must be operating no less than 3 months since its registration.

Meanwhile, corporate web sites, online shopping sites, sharing services, as well as sites supported by third parties are not permitted to participate in the competition. Detailed information about participation in the state programme can be found on JSC “Kazcontent” website: http://kzcontent.kz.

President of Internet Association of Kazakhstan Shaukhat Sabirov underlined in an interview that under the agreement, free hosting will be provided at least for one year.

Announcing the launch of the program, Zhumagaliyev named the first six websites (www.minber.kz, www.comport.kz, www.kzmz.kz, www.mama.kz, www.night.kz and www.uchi.kz), which have received state support, and presented their authors and owners certificates for free hosting.

Apart from the State Programme, the participants discussed suggestions of ALE "Internet Association of Kazakhstan” to improve the legal framework of the Kazakh Internet segment. At the same time, the meeting attendees presented proposals for the development of a hosting service in Kazakhstan. JSC “Kazcontent" together with the Ministry and the JSC "Kazakhtelecom" are now discussing the possibility of improving conditions for local hosting sites.

The representatives of Kazakhstan's Internet community noted the fruitfullness of these meetings, and expressed hope for further cooperation between the Ministry and Kaznet representatives.

It is worth reminding that this is the third meeting on Kaznet development. The last one was held on May 5, where participants discussed possible ways of state support for Internet resources, and approved the draft programme.

JSC “Kazcontent” is a subsidiary production unit of the Zerde National information and communicational holding. The company’s main objective is to develop the Kazakhstan Internet segment. ALE "Internet Association of Kazakhstan" is a non-profit organization established in May 2009, which considers as its mission the "transforming of Kazakhstan into a full and respected member of the global Internet community".

Unified National Testing Results Bring Education Issues to Public Attention

Education is taking centre stage this week in the attention of Kazakh mass media, and civil society after the Ministry of Education and Science announced the results of the Unified National Testing (UNT) taken by school graduates during a week from June 4 to 10. According to the latter, Kazakhstan has achieved a substantial improvement in the mechanism of knowledge evaluation and preparation of the young school graduates for entering the universities of the country.

The UNT is considered to be the principal form of final certifying examination for students of general secondary education institutions and is combined with the entrance examinations in educational organizations, giving postsecondary or higher education. This year 107,543 or 80% of the total amount of students passed the test held in 154 centers with 49 of those located in the cities and 105 in the regional centres of Kazakhstan.

The average testing score across the country amounted to 84.84 out of 125 possible against 74.9 in 2009. Students from Astana showed better results than the rest, followed by Pavlodar and East Kazakhstan regions. Their average score reached 97, 94, and 93 points, respectively.

A total of43 examinees gave correct answers to all questions, as compared to only eight such students last year. Out of 3,662 graduates pursuing to qualify for “Altyn belgi”, a distinction awarded to magna cum laude students, nearly 2,529 got over the required threshold thus proving to be eligible for “straight A-student” title.

Kazakh Minister of Education and Science Zhanseyit Tuimebayev noted this time the UNT was held quite smoothly.

“The main point is that today people trust the Unified National Testing system. The test is run honestly providing the most hard working and talented children a chance to enter the most prestigious universities of Kazakhstan”, Zhanseyit Tuimebayev believes.

Inasmuch as the reform of education, training and human resource development is an integral part of the transition to a democratic society and a market economy, since the first days of its independence Kazakhstan has been making steps forward in all these areas. The main challenge for the Ministry of Education and Science has been to promote and support changes that meet the needs of both the new economy and society and the interests of all young people in the face of a shortage of financial and human resources.

The on-going educational reform contains a number of measures with the purpose of changing the administrative, economic, legal, and structural and information components of the education system. Education reforms aim at further orientating the education system towards the demands of the free market economy and an egalitarian democratic society; preparing new curricula and textbooks in accordance with international quality standards; introducing new information technologies in education and administration; and developing different sources of funding.

 Despite the fact the process has not yet been fully completed, it took several years to update the entire system of education with the introduction of a Unified National Testing, more advanced modern technologies, and a wide range of programmes destined to increase access to education for rural and lower income populations. Kazakhstan has committed to the Bologna Process, which aims to harmonize European education standards, and is seeking international accreditation of its higher education institutions.

The best school graduates have higher chances of obtaining a Presidential “Bolashak” scholarship to study in best universities around the world, with most students choosing the UK, the USA, Canada, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Russia, Japan, China, and Malaysia. The project, fully funded by the Government of Kazakhstan and overseen by the Ministry of Education and Science, has been a top priority for President Nazarbayev. In keeping with the goal to develop and modernize society, this initiative is one of many bold educational reforms designed to foster democracy.

The country has achieved certain progress to date, both in broadening access and in ensuring equal participation for all in its tertiary education system, providing government grants, scholarships and merit grants from individual universities, and enabling about 16% of students to access tertiary education free of charge. According to the official data, today the Republic of Kazakhstan enjoys a 99 percent literacy rate.

Also in the News:

·         The OSCE Annual Security Review Conference is taking place under the Kazakh OSCE chairmanship in Vienna on June 14-16. Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Konstantin Zhigalov heads the delegation of Kazakhstan involving Special Representative of OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for Protracted Conflicts Bolat Nurgaliyev, Deputy Minister of Defence Bolat Sembinov and Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Amantai Aubakirov. The three-day meeting aims to enhance the dialogue on security among the Organization’s 56 participating States. The conference’s working sessions focus on transnational threats and challenges, the role of the Organization in conflict prevention and resolution, its contribution to stability in the region, and a review of OSCE police-related activities.

·         Kazakhstan has announced putting forward its candidature for the post of Asian non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2017-2018 at the UN headquarters in New York on June 1. Ten non-permanent members, elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms are not eligible for immediate re-election. The number of non-permanent members was increased from six to ten by an amendment of the Charter which came into force in 1965. The elections will take place in 2016.

·         The Kazakh government has adopted a decree on introducing the amendments to the Act dealing with validation check of the initiative groups willing to establish political parties and members of the political parties themselves. In compliance with the latter, the party’s structural subdivision should embrace 40,000 people, which is 10,000 less than previously required.

·         The Agency on Statistics released the results of social and economic development of Kazakhstan during the latest five months. According to it, the volume of industrial production increased almost by 12% from January till May this year, while the processing industry expanded by more than 20%. “Today we can say the inflation processes coincide with the government’s expectations and reaches about 6-8 per cent. If this dynamics remains the same, we think the inflation corridor will not change,” Chairman of the Kazakh Statistics Agency Alikhan Smailov said.

·         “Fitch Ratings” International agency has shifted its outlook on one of Kazakhstan’s three largest banks, Kazkommertsbank (KKB) from “negative” to “stable”, having assessed the long-term foreign currency issuer default rating to be at the “B-” level. The change in the bank’s rating reflects the decreasing pressure on its liquidity after the latest deposit inflow followed the repayment of debts by Kazcommertsbank in 2009. The rating agency also takes into account positive expectations regarding Kazakhstan’s economic development which substantially lowers the likelihood of decline in the bank’s asset quality in the nearest future.

·         The progress of implementing the second phase of the project on Regulation of the Syrdarya River Channel and Conservation of the Northern Aral Sea was discussed by the regional authorities in Kyzylorda on June 15. The participants of the meeting reviewed new approaches of supplying the Aral Sea with water, one of which implies connecting the 14-kilometer Kokaral dam built in the first phase of the project and separating the North Aral Sea (also known as “Small Aral”) from its southern section, which is effectively dying out. Continuing the implementation of this grand project, initiated by President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, gives a good chance to fully restore the Kazakh waters of the Aral Sea in future.

·         In Almaty, the Abay State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre celebrated The Russia Day with a concert organized through the efforts of Association of Russian, Slavic, and Cossack organizations of Kazakhstan on June 15. Representatives of the Diplomatic corps, international organizations, Akimat (City Major’s office), the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, and veterans were among the invited guests. Professional artists, soloists and amateur ensembles from Astana, Taldykorgan, Kyzyl Orda, along with guests from Novosibirsk performed on the Abay theatre stage. “This holiday symbolizes friendship, unity, harmony, and mutual respect between the peoples of Kazakhstan,” Consul General of the Russian Federation in Almaty Borislav Meschaninov said.

·         Kazakh alpine climbers are determined to continue their super route to the Mount Everest after the last month ascension to the Lhotse peak (8,516 metres), the national team’s member and winner of the Golden Ice Axe international prize Denis Urubko said during the press conference on June 15. Urubko with his team mate Boris Dedeshko demonstrated to journalists the prestigious prize, awarded annually by the French magazine Montagnes and Groupe de Haute Montagne. He also said he planned two new climbs this summer in the Himalayas, referring to the Hidden Peak (8,068 m) and the Mount Gasherbrum-2 (8,035 m)

·         “Astana” cycling team holds the first place in the world’s Pro Tour list, published by the International Cycling Union (UCI), the cycling’s International Federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Due to the score points gained by Alberto Contador in the Criterium Dophine Libere, “Astana” pulled ahead of the Russian “Katusha” and Italian “Liquigas”. Two sportsmen from the Kazakh cycling team also entered the world’s top ten individual rating. Kazakhstan is ranked 6^th in the same ranking of the world’s leading cycling nations

Things to Watch:

·         The Committee of Customs Union (involving Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan) is to discuss the prospects of establishing the Unified Economic Space (UES) and sign a number of agreements on the foundation of the Customs Union during the meeting in Moscow on June 18.

·         The 5^th annual International Conference “Kazakhstan Growth Forum” and the 14th regular session of the Kazakh-British Trade-Industrial Council is taking place on June 15-17 in London. Umirzak Shukeev, First Deputy Prime Minister, and Sauat Mynbaev, Minister of Oil & Gas, are expected among other officials and business people to address the forum.

·         On June 17, in Saint Petersburg the Kazakh delegation with the Minister of Economic Development and Trade Zhanar Aitzhanova at the head will take part in the 46th session of the CIS Economic Council. The agenda includes 16 issues including the implementation of the first stage of the CIS Economic Development Action Plan for 2020.

·         OSCE’s 10th Alliance conference on trafficking in human beings for the purpose of domestic servitude will take place in Vienna on June 17-18. The overall aim of the 10th Alliance against Trafficking in Persons conference is to make visible a hidden form of labour exploitation

·         The 10^th session of the Kazakhstan-EU Cooperation Committee will take place in Brussels on June 18. Deputy Foreign Minister, National Coordinator on interaction with the European Union Konstantin Zhigalov will head the Kazakh delegation. The meeting aims at further strengthening the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the European Union.

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