Official Statements:

February 28, 2009 The Senate of the Kazakh parliament ratified on Thursday 26 February the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It thus became the 184th nation to approve the international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in December 1997 and signed by Kazakhstan in 1999. Kazakhstan was the last signatory that had not ratified it.

Under the Kyoto protocol, Kazakhstan will be able to sell emission rights to other countries who would otherwise exceed their pollution quotas.

“The ratification will allow to protect its energy policy by means of participation in talks at the sides’ conferences which will directly influence the energy policy of the whole world,” Minister of Environmental Protection Nurlan Iskakov believes. Besides, according to him, expected receipts with the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol will amount to 400-700 million dollars a year. “Within two or three years after it is put into force, we’ll attract at least 1.5 billion euros to our country in the form of technologies and equipment,” the minister said.

The law is transferred to the Kazakh head of state for signature

February 25, 2009. President Nursultan Nazarbayev hold a Working Meeting with Participation of the Prime-Minister, Financial Sector Top Officials of the Government, National Bank and Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund.

Nursultan Nazarbayev listened to the reports on the course of implementation of the Anti-Crisis Program of the Government for 2009-2011 on each from five directions – support of financial and building sector, small and medium-sized enterprises, agricultural sector as well as innovation and industrial development sphere.

The President was reported that the money amounted to US$ 4 billion and allocated under the program on financial sector stabilization transferred to the second tier banks. The head of state emphasized once again that the money should be channeled to the borrowers through a minimum number of agents.

The President highlighted the necessity of supporting domestic manufactures, in particular by putting priority to them whilst distribution of state orders and by increasing Kazakhstan’s participation in joint projects with foreign companies. Deputy Prime Minister Umirzak Shukeyev and Chairman of the Samruk-Kazyna Fund Kairat Kelimbetov were instructed to take this issue over their personal control.

The head of state also gave a number of instructions aimed at prevention of unemployment growth and jobs reduction at domestic and foreign enterprises operating in Kazakhstan.

A special emphasis was given to the issues relating to support for the agriculture. Nursultan Nazarbayev emphasized the necessity to meet the requirements of agricultural produce processing companies in turnover means.

Having listened to the Government report on the results of the work on solving the issue on shared construction of housing, the President instructed to accelerate the work in this direction.

The head of state highlighted that despite of declaring moratorium on checking small and medium-sized enterprisers the issue on execution of revenues plays a special part at present.

The President showed the necessity of cutting public expenditure and reducing the number of large scale events devoted to various dates, having emphasized that in the time of crisis the national and local budgets should start saving up.

Nursultan Nazarbayev disproved the allegations on further tenge devaluation or denomination and cancellation of licences for some banks, having emphasized the absence of prerequisites for such sweeping measures.

February 23, 2009. In an article published in the Russian publication Rossiiskaya Gazeta (February 2), President Nazarbayev wrote of the current global crisis and how the planet's economic foundations are shifting.  According to the President, the crisis has highlighted the weaknesses of the world' currency system; and he writes that a new global currency would support the development of a free, competitive and more equable system. If respectful of seven principles (see below), the new currency would be a source of sustainable development and prosperity. In the article, the President calls the period the world is going through 'the Great Transit'.

President Nazarbayev believes that a new currency system should be based on seven principles:

    * The first step would be to lay the foundations for a global law on world currency, signed by Heads of states and ratified by Parliaments, which would establish and legitimise the currency

    * Democratic bodies should be established to administrate the currency issuance and issuers in line with the suggested global law

    * Supervisory bodies would maintain a free and competitive balance between demand and supply of the currency. The World Antimonopoly Currency Committee could enforce and control rules of conduct of the different players, while the World Market Freedom Committee would supervise the global currency market

    * Rules should be set on the basis of a common agreement by all players

    * Major currency users could have the right to establish permanent instruments to control its generation, issuance and circulation.

    * In response to some issues raised by the crisis, all legitimate issuers should be held accountable for their actions before a World Currency Court of Arbitration.

    * Lastly, actual results of the new global currency should contribute to the highest goals of sustainable development and prosperity.

Kazakhstan first suggested a single currency – the Altyn – to the EurAsEC (Eurasian Economic Community) back in 2003. President Nazarbayev believes that Kazakhstan, along with its partners from EurAsEC and the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation), was ready to establish a regional centre with a single supranational Eurasian currency

In the Rossiiskaya Gazeta article, President Nazarbayev also wrote of Kazakhstan's difficult reform process following the collapse of the USSR, and of how his country is therefore prepared to face all current crises. The Kazakh President concluded his essay by underlining the importance of global and regional integration initiatives to prevent protectionism.

Read article...

February 16, 2009. According to Mukhtar Dzhakishev - head of KazAtomProm - Kazakhstan will be the world's top uranium producer in 2009 if its production output reaches 11.9 thousand tons.  "This is what is envisaged in the company's production plans" said Mr Dzhakishev, and even more uranium can be produced should there be a substantial deficit in the market.

The launch of new mines is in line with schedules, added Mr Dzhakishev; by mid-2010, all preparatory work will be accomplished to enable a potential annual production of 27 thousand tons of uranium in the Central Asian republic.

In 2008, Kazakhstan produced 8521 tons of uranium - against 6637 tons in 2007 – representing a consolidated earnings growth of 37%. In 2007, KazAtomProm's corporate income reached over KZT 118 billion (USD 968 million).

BACKGROUND: KazAtomProm is Kazakhstan's national exporter of uranium and other dual-purpose materials. 100% of equity is owned by the state through the Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources. KazAtomProm is a holding company involved in different areas of operations: exploration, uranium extraction, metallurgy, power generation. The company incorporates Ulba Iron & Steel Works (90%), Gornorudnaya Companiya (mining company), Volkovgeologiya (exploration entity; 90%), MAEC-KazAtomProm (power generating in West Kazakhstan), Institute for High Tech... In addition, KazAtomProm holds stakes in JVs, notably in Inkai, Catco, UKR TVS, Zarechnoye.  KazAtomProm also operates Stepnogorsk Mining & Chemical Works.  In 2006 KazAtomProm produced 5280 tons of uranium (taking into account the company's stakes in JVs and production output at Stepnogorsk Mining and Chemical Works), while in 2005 the figure reached just 4346 tons.

February 3, 2009. President Nursultan Nazarbayev visited the Federal Republic of Germany

The program of the visit started with participation of Nursultan Nazarbayev in Kazakhstan-German business forum. Addressing the representatives of business community of the two states, President Nazarbayev emphasized the progressive advance of bilateral relationship.

The European Union Strategy on Central Asia was organized at the initiative of German government. Germany is providing a great support to Kazakhstan’ chairing the OSCE in 2010. The joint long-term plans and tasks of the two states were reflected in Joint Statement on Partnership for the Future signed in September, 2008 in Astana.

Germany is a long-established largest economic partner of Kazakhstan. More than 540 enterprises were opened with participation of German capital.

The total volume of German investments in Kazakhstan’s economy accounted for about US$ 3.5 billion. Among companies represented in Kazakhstan’s market are such world’s corporate groups as “Volkswagen”, “Siemens”, “Daimler”, “MAN”, “RWE”, “EADS”, “Bayer”, “BASF”, “Bosch”, and etc.

The head of state stressed that Kazakhstan has a direct interest in the extension of business collaboration with Germany, particularly in sectors such as manufacturing, mechanical engineering, agriculture and the food industry.

The President then held a meeting with a politically exposed person, ex-Chancellor of Germany Hans-Dietrich Genscher. The sides discussed world political and economic situation.

The perspectives of strengthening bilateral relations were discussed during the meeting of the President with Federal President of the FRG Horst Koehler. Moreover, the sides exchanged opinions on a wide range of international issues.

The working lunch of President Nursultan Nazarbayev with Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel also took place within the framework of the visit.

Kazakhstan acclaimed with interest the German leader’s initiative on elaboration of new rules for providing a global economy regulation and on establishing a World Economic Council under the auspices of the UN. In its turn, the German side is attentively examining the initiative of the head of state on necessity of introducing a common world monetary accounting unit.

The opening ceremony of the Year of Kazakhstan in Germany was a culmination of the visit. The agreement on holding this Year was reached during the state visit of Federal President Horst Koehler to our country in September, 2008.

Such event was held by our country beyond the CIS for the first time.

The program of the Year of Kazakhstan in Germany includes a great number of events, such as political meetings at a high level, economic forums, scientific conferences, cultural and humanitarian, and educational projects.

Besides Berlin, the events to be held during the Year of Kazakhstan in Germany will take place in many parts of Germany for the residents of the country to become acquainted with modern Kazakhstan.

Speaking at the solemn opening ceremony, President Nazarbayev expressed confidence that the Year of Kazakhstan in Germany will give a new impetus to the relations between the two countries, create the beginning of a qualitatively new phase of bilateral cooperation, and bring the Kazakhstan and German peoples even closer together.

February 20, 2009. the regular meeting of the SOC of the CICA took place under the chairmanship of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nurlan Yermekbayev in New Delhi. Similar meetings had been already held in Bangkok (2007) and Seoul (2008).

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, who joined the Conference in August 2008, for the first time took part in the meeting of the Committee as its legitimate members. The expansion of the Conference facilitates the growth of its authority as a representative and multilateral mechanism in the sphere of security and regional cooperation.

The participants reviewed and approved recommendations of the Special Working Group’s meetings preceding the SOC meeting.

As is known, Kazakhstan’s mandate as the CICA Chairman expires in 2010. Kazakhstan has chaired the Conference since 2002. In this regard, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev suggested during the 3rd CICA Ministerial Meeting (Almaty, August 2008) to elect the Republic of Turkey to this post as one of the most active participants to the CICA. This initiative was put forward with due account for high level relations of the two brotherly states and Turkey’s working experience in various international and regional organizations and fora.

Ankara stated its agreement with Kazakhstan’s suggestion on the outcomes of the internal procedures in January 2009. This had been expressed in a Letter of President of The Republic of Turkey Abdullah Gul to President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev as the Chairman of the CICA. Turkey officially put forward its candidacy during the recent meeting of the SOC. It will be considered by the Member-States during the period of two months. In case of positive decision, in accordance with the Rules of Procedures of the CICA, the 3rd Summit of the Head of States and Governments of the CICA shall take place in this country in 2010.

The issues of implementation of the CICA Catalogue of the Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) had acquired good dynamics.

Earlier, only 2-3 specialized events had been occurring within the framework of the CICA on the annual basis, while current year envisages a number of practical meetings, seminars and forums to be held in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Azerbaijan, Republic of Korea, Turkey, Iran and Israel. Therefore, this is a breakthrough year in context of the subsequent development of the Conference.

Kazakhstan had been tasked to prepare the “Perception Paper for implementation of the CICA CBMs in military-political dimension (MPD)”. Document titled “Cooperative Approach for implementation of the CICA CBMs in MPD”, reflecting the unified position of all the Member-States, will be formed on its basis later.

In economic dimension “Concept Paper on cooperation in the area of tourism” that had been prepared by Tajikistan as a coordinating country in this field, was approved by the SOC.

Kazakhstan, as a coordinating country in the sphere of implementation of CBMs in human dimension, distributed the Calendar of events for 2009 within the framework of implementing the CICA Action plan on CBMs in human dimension.

Mongolia was approved as a coordinator of environmental dimension. Turkey, as a coordinating country in the area of new threats and challenges, stated its intention to hold a meeting of the heads of police agencies of the Member-States on its territory in the second half of 2009.

The decision to hold an event under the CICA aegis in the “second track” format, in level of academicians, had been adopted for the first time in the history of the Conference. It will be the Conference in Kyrgyzstan (3-4 September, 2009) titled “World Financial Economic crisis and its impact on entire Asia”, to be participated Member-States and leaders of a number of Asian regional and sub-regional organizations and fora.

The participants also discussed general issues of the Conference’s work. Calendar of CICA events for 2009-2010 was adopted. Analytical work titled “Study of CICA’s development” was also approved.

Thus, the members of the Conference undertake practical steps to implement the decisions of the 2nd Summit (2006) and the 3rd Ministerial Meeting (2008) and also on preparation for the 3rd Summit, scheduled for 2010.

The heads of delegations unanimously noted in their statements the timely and actual nature of the initiative of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to convene and strengthen the Conference, specifically taking into account recent global situation as a whole and the situation in Asia in particular.

The New Delhi’s meeting once again demonstrated the commitment of the participants to the Forum to promote the goals and objectives of the CICA in the name of security and sustainable development on the Asian continent.

Nurlan Yermekbayev met Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (Secretary, East) of the Republic of India N.Ravi on February 21, 2009. The issues of strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and India, including the spheres of trade, economic, scientific, technological and military-technological interaction and energy had been discussed during this meeting. In addition, there was an exchange of views on the implementation of the agreements, which were reached during the state visit of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to India in January 2009.