Official Statements:

H.E. Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan visited the Syrian Arab Republic and the United Arabic Emirates.

It is a notable fact that the first state visit by Head of State Nursultan Nazarbayev was held in the year of the 15th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relationships between the Republic of Kazakhstan and Syrian Arab Republic. After arrival to Damascus and official meeting ceremony in the Syrian President’s Palace, Nursultan Nazarbayev and Bashar Al-Assad had narrowed and enlarged negotiations.

During the negotiations, which were held in a constructive and warm atmosphere, the sides discussed ways of further development of bilateral co-operation in political, economic and cultural-humanitarian areas. Nursultan Nazarbayev underscored that Kazakhstan very high appreciates the authority of Syria in the Arab and Muslim worlds and its important role in regional policy in the Middle East. The sides also stated that Kazakhstan and Syria are ready to be partners in the international scale. President Nursultan Nazarbayev said that Kazakhstan supports the aspiration of Arab states to resolve the prolonged Middle East conflict. Kazakhstan is a partisan of achieving a fair and global solution for the Arab-Israel conflict in the framework of UN resolutions for the interests of peace.

The sides also discussed matters of trade and economic co-operation. The Heads of State noted that the volume of commodity turnover between Kazakhstan and Syria does not correspond to the potential of the two countries (the commodity turnover was evaluated to be at USD 19.5 million over the nine months of 2007).

Kazakhstan is interested in exporting production of metallurgical, mining and chemical industries, and also agricultural products to Syria.

During the negotiations, the sides also agreed to establish a joint Intergovernmental commission, which will consider perspective areas of interaction.

Head of State Nursultan Nazarbayev called Syria to participate in the work of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia and of the Congress of World and Traditional religions. In order to intensify economic co-operation, the first session of the Kazakhstani-Syrian Business Council was held in the framework of the visit by President Nursultan Nazarbayev in Damascus on 6 November.

Issues of cultural-humanitarian co-operation were one of the important aspects of the negotiations. Syria and Kazakhstan have ancient ties. For example, outstanding sons of the Kazakh Steppes Abu Nasr Muhammad ibn Al-Farakh Al-Farabi and Sultan Baibars al-Bunduqdari were buried in Damascus. In the Soviet period, many specialists from Kazakhstan worked in Syria, and many Syrian students studied in Kazakhstan.

The Heads of State expressed an opinion that it is necessary to develop co-operation between higher education institutions, national libraries in order to develop the cultural-humanitarian co-operation.

At the press availability on the outcomes of the negotiations at the highest level, Nursultan Nazarbayev emphasized the right of the Palestinian people to protect their interest and the necessity of returning the Golan Heights to Syria. At the same time, Kazakhstan recognizes the right of Israel and other states in the region to live securely and in peace.

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad said Syria supports Nursultan Nazarbayev’s global initiatives in Asia and in the world. Events on the Caspian Sea and in the Middle East are connected to each other. “We support the continuation of these processes, and Syria will take part in that,” Syria’s President said.

In the framework of Nursultan Nazarbayev’s state visit, the governments of Kazakhstan and Syria signed a treaty on co-operation in the area of science and education. Also the ministries of foreign affairs signed declaration on political consultations and ministries of agriculture signed memorandum on co-operation.

Head of State Nursultan Nazarbayev expressed his confidence that this visit to Damascus will give a new impulse to the development of the Kazakhstani-Syrian cooperation.

On November 7, 2007 President Nursultan Nazarbayev Arrived to the United Arab Emirates. In the airport of the city of Al Ain, Kazakhstan’s President was greeted by President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates. After that, the Heads of State held negotiations in the presidential palace.

During the meeting, the sides underscored that relations between Kazakhstan and the UAE develop in the atmosphere of friendship and mutual respect and this assist to the growth of economic co-operation. Large investment projects with the participation of the Emirates side including the Aktau City construction project on the Caspian Sea and multifunctional complex Abu Dhabi Plaza in Astana are shining examples of this.

The “Kazakhstan-UAE” Plan for joint actions in 2006 had great importance and implied intense co-operation in industry, transport and communications, construction industry, pharmacy and medicine. At the recent meeting in Shymkent, Nursultan Nazarbayev and Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed prospects of further co-operation and new concrete projects. Details of some of them were considered at the present meeting between the Heads of State.

Particularly, the agenda included the participation of Emirates investors in the construction of a large refinery plant, and also in promising projects in the area of gas processing and oil industry infrastructure. Besides, there are promising projects in the metallurgical industry. In this context, the Heads of State agreed that representatives of the Company for oil investments and Governmental Commission for investments will arrive in Kazakhstan from Abu Dhabi in order to develop concrete projects.

The Presidents very high appreciated the work of the Intergovernmental Commission and also supported the idea of multifaceted strengthening of ties between the private sectors of the two countries. In this regard, Nursultan Nazarbayev backed the establishment of the Kazakhstani-Emirates Business Council under the aegis of the trade-economic chambers.

The Heads of State also exchanged views on a variety of international issues of mutual interest, discussed some matters of interaction between the two states in the frameworks of international structures and initiatives and in cultural-humanitarian area.