Official Statements:

The Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Japan will host “Kazakhstan’s Cultural Festival in Japan”, to be held on 3-8 December 2008. Gala concert with performances of best Kazakh music will be held on Sunday, December 7, 2008 at Suntory Hall from 19.00. Local concerts will be held on December 6, 2008 at Persimmon Hall from 10.00 (Folklore Orchestra “Otirar Sazy”) and Fuji TV (Hachitama) from 19.00 (State Ensemble “Camerata of Kazakhstan”). We will be grateful if you can join with us on those days. No entrance fees please contact with us on tickets. Tel.: 03-3791-5275 / Fax: 03-3791-5279.

On September, 27, New York M. Tazhin held a meeting with the Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon.

On September, 27 within the framework of the 63rd Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations the Minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan M.Tazhin held a meeting with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

M. Tazhin has noticed that fact that “collaboration with the main international organization still remains as the one of the priority trends of the foreign policy”. The prestige of the UN, its universal principles and unique experience make it continue to be a coordinating authority in all international affairs as before.

The Minister noted that Kazakhstan, using its internal skills – model of maintenance and strengthening the interethnic concord, aspires to play a role as a universal “bridge” between West and East, and also invited the UN General-Secretary to take participation in 3rd Congress of Leaders of world and traditional religions, expected to be held under the auspices of the UN in September, 2009 in Astana, and in the International Forum of foreign ministers of Muslim and Western countries “Common World: Progress through Diversity”, forthcoming in the middle of October, 2008.

The General-Secretary of the UN expressed a high opinion of economy of Kazakhstan, noting the important role of the country in negotiation of grocery crisis, and also the role of the realization process of the Initiative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia” describing it as one of the measures of modern international intercourse aimed at providing global and regional security.

Since the day of the recognition of Kazakhstan as a new member of the UN our country takes active participation in the activity of this international organization and its institutions. March 2, 1992 went down in the history of the independent Kazakhstan as a significant date. This day the UN General Assembly and its 46th session unanimously adopted the resolution 46/224 that recognized Kazakhstan as a member of the UN.

Nowadays the participation of Kazakhstan in work of the UN system is one of the trends of the multi-vector policy of Kazakhstan promoting the strengthening of the sovereignty and independence of our country, and also creating propitious international strings for actualization of future transformations in socio-political, economic and other spheres of social life.

On September, 23 in New York the Minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan M.Tazhin took participation in the gathering of OSCE “Quintet” and held several dual meetings

On September, 23 in New York the delegation of the Republic of Kazakhstan at the head of the Minister of foreign affairs M.Tazhin has taken a participation in the 63rd Session of UN General Assembly opened that day.

In accordance with the agenda of the 63rd Session of UN GA principal emphasis is on the struggle against hunger and destitution, and also on the democratization of the United Nation organization.

A special emphasis is laid on such issues as climate reversal, grocery and energy crisis, terrorism, human rights, disarmament and nuclear armory control, women and children rights, maintenance of the cultural diversity.

Within the framework of the visit the Head of the Ministry of foreign affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan took participation in ordinary meeting of the OSCE “Quintet” of Ministers of foreign affairs.

The diplomats discussed a wide range of issues on the OSCE activity, connected on finding unified decisions on topical issues of the agenda of the organization, and the continuation of the priorities of future presidencies’ policy. The Ministers discussed the contribution of OSCE in termination of hostilities in Caucasus region, and also noted its important role in realization of cease-fire.

Later on the same day M.Tazhin held meetings with his colleagues from Spain Miguel Ángel Moratinos and from Lithuania Petras Vaitiekunas.

In the course of the meeting with M.Moratinos the Minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan gave consideration to the realization of agreements reached on a higher level during the visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.Nazarbayev paid to Spain in summer this year. The discussion also included the notification of the importance of the future official visit of the Prime-Minister of Spain José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero to Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstani Minister acquainted his colleagues on the beginning of the realization of the state initiative “Way to Europe”, concerning on accelerated modernization of kazakhstani society using the experience of law-institutional reforms conducted in European Union.

The Minister of foreign affairs of Kazakhstan has also invited the diplomats to join in in the Ministerial conference of Muslim and western states “Common world: progress through the diversity”, which will be held in Astana in October this year.

Annual oil production in Kazakhstan to reach 100 million tons by 2015

In 2007, oil and condensed gas production in Kazakhstan made up 67 million tons, 4% up against 2006. This was announced by Mr. Sauat Mynbayev, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, at the III KazEnergy Eurasian Energy Forum.

In 2008, production is expected to reach 70 million tons, which is 1.8% of global production. Given the ratio of reserves and production, there are bright prospects of growth, the Minister said.

”As for the internal market, domestic refineries processed over 12 million tons in 2007, 3.2% up against 2006. Oil exports in 2007 totaled 60 million tons; this year we expect this indicator to further increase; by 2015 we intend to produce about 100 million tons per annum, most part of which will be exported”, S. Mynbayev said.

Expansion of the CPC capacities is to be completed by 2012. “The issue of expanding the CPC capacities from the current 32.9 million tons (including 25 million tons for Kazakh oil) up to 67 million tons a year has been discussed for a long time and is almost finalized. May 7, 2008 Kazakhstan and Russia signed a respective memorandum, which was coordinated with key players of the project – Transneft, KazMunaiGaz, Chevron, Exxon and others. There are just some outstanding procedural questions to settle”, Mr. Mynbayev said.

“Natural gas is growing promising for Kazakhstan: its proven and estimated reserves (taking into account some new fields) stand at 3.3 trillion cubic meters; potential reserves could be 6-8 trillion cubic meters, which is 1.7% of global reserves. Most of the reserves are concentrated in fields ready for commercial development – such as Tengiz, Kashagan, Korolevskoye, and oil-and-condensed gas fields such as Karachaganak, Zhanazhol and some others”, Minister Mynbayev said.

”In 2007, Kazakhstan produced 29.6 billion cubic meters of gas; production is estimated to reach 42 billion cubic meters by 2010; 62 billion cubic meters”, the Minister said.

A priority is stable gas supplies in the domestic market. “At the moment, gas to northern regions is supplied by Russia. One of the acute issues as of today is to ensure stable gas supplies to southern regions that have been traditionally “fed” by Uzbek gas; in cold periods we suffer from gas shortages in these regions”, the Minister elaborated.

To boost energy security and decrease dependence on external supplies, the nation is considering construction of Beineu-Bozoi-Akbulak main gas pipeline to be completed by 2014. “The pipe will allow unhindered supplies of gas from western to southern regions… so far we are talking of 5 billion cubic meters”, S. Mynbayev said.