The astana times of 26 june 2013

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The Astana Times

Change, Leadership, Global Trends Discussed at Higher Education Forum

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

№ 11 (32)

Tashkent Visit Affirms Strong Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan Ties

By Yelden Sarybay

ASTANA – Experts discussed global trends and aspects of leadership, accountability and quality assurance in higher education at the Eurasian Higher Education Leaders Forum held in Astana on June 12-13. Prominent speakers from higher education institutions of the United States, the U.K., Germany, Ireland, Australia, Qatar, Belgium and Poland gathered to discuss strategy, competition, cooperation and issues arising from the expansion of higher education in Eurasia.

The theme of this year's Eurasian Higher Education Leaders Forum was “Global Trends in Higher Education and Their Impact on the Region.” Plenary sessions addressed “University Leadership, Governance and Accountability,” “Quality Assurance in Education and Research and Accountability” and “Trends in Global Education Hubs.” Keynote speakers Richard K. Miller, president and professor of the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering; Tom Boland from the Higher Education Authority of Ireland and Stephen P. Heyneman, professor of international education policy at Vanderbilt University, laid out experts' current thinking on the topics. Shigeo Katsu, president of the Nazarbayev University, welcomed academics and guests to the forum for the second time.

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President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov discussed a wide range of bilateral issues, focusing on ensuring security in Central Asia after the international coalition withdrawal from Afghanistan.

By Nadezhda Khamitova ASTANA – President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan and President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan held talks in Tashkent on June 14 during President Nazarbayev’s official visit there which focused on bilateral ties but also on pressing regional issues such as managing water resources and ensuring the security in Central Asia after the international coalition withdrawal from Afghanistan.

During a press briefing after the

talks, President Nazarbayev said that the visit is further evidence of strong ties between the two neighbouring countries and emphasised that Kazakhstan attaches great importance to its relationship with Uzbekistan.

“Our work has a constructive approach towards solutions on all issues. Peace and security in the region and further common prosperity will largely depend on the interaction and common positions of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Our summits on the highest level have become a tradition, and this is a very

good sign,” President Nazarbayev said. He also stressed the symbolism of the fact that the visit was taking place in the year of the 15th anniversary of the eternal friendship agreement between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Of the new agreements signed during the visit, President Nazarbayev said, “I am confident that the agreement on strategic partnership that we signed today will lead to a qualitatively new level of relations between our two countries.” He also said that his visit to Uzbekistan will

Well-Regulated Regional Integration a Pathway to Globalization, Top Official Says

By Michelle Witte Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Kairat Kelimbetov addressed the roundtable, “Regional economic communities: Integration to compete and pathway to inclusive globalization,” on June 20 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where he reiterated that regional organisations like the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and the Common Economic Space (CES) were not movements away from globalisation, but pathways for regions to join globalisation processes. He also noted that work is underway to develop regulatory measures and practices that adhere to best international practices and that

the first fruits of that work will be seen in May 2014.

Agreeing with previous speaker Tatiana Valovaya, member of the board and minister of principal areas of integration and macroeconomics of the Eurasian Economic Commission, who called integration a pathway to unification, Deputy Prime Minister Kelimbetov said, “Any regionalisation is probably an attempt by a cluster of countries... to join in the globalisation process. Before 2007, globalisation brought only positive trends: world economic growth, the credit boom, which then ended up with the events of 2007 and 2008, and postSoviet countries, at least, for the first time faced the threat of a global financial crisis... As a systemic

response, this regionalisation is in a way an attempt to respond to the challenges of today.” He commented on the overall growth of world trade and geographical specialisation and noted that Kazakhstan wants to diversify its specialisation beyond the export of minerals and other natural resources.

The deputy prime minister also stressed that Kazakhstan is continuing with the process of accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and continues to work with large, multilateral organisations.

“Working with many multilateral institutions like the World Bank and the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) is an integral part of the work of the Common Economic

Space and the future Eurasian Economic Union,” he said.

Kelimbetov also stressed that EEU was based on international best practices, as well as a desire to develop the region’s own best practices and maintain the members’ economic identities. He noted the example of the European Union and the long process of European integration, which he said was being carefully studied. “We need strict compliance with principles that form the basis of our organisation... The legislation of the CES will include laws without exceptions to the rules, rather than with exceptions. We’re working on this and by May 2014 we’ll have the first results.”

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contribute to strengthening of Kazakh-Uzbek relations.

President Karimov thanked the Kazakhstan president for accepting his invitation to visit the country, stressing that it is of strategic importance for the development of relations between the two countries.

“We consider the official visit of Kazakhstan’s delegation as an important step in the development of Uzbek-Kazakh multifaceted relations. It is a good opportunity to continue to exchange views on issues of our mutual interest,” he said.

President Nazarbayev noted that for the development of an economic partnership it is important to strengthen the work of the intergovernmental commission on bilateral cooperation and expand cooperation within the framework of the Business Council, which has been established at the instructions of the two heads of state. President Karimov also stressed that the foundation of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is their economic relationship, which should be developed in all areas.

President Nazarbayev reported that during the talks, a wide range of not only bilateral but regional and international issues were discussed, and noted common approaches to their solutions by the two countries.

Within the expanded meeting, President Nazarbayev praised the joint efforts and common achievements of the countries and expressed his confidence in the partnership. “We are close nations, and I am confident that we will negotiate a variety of issues for the benefit of our peoples,” he said.

Following the talks, the heads of state signed a strategic partnership agreement. This document sets out the basic principles and priority areas of bilateral cooperation in political, economic, trade, transport and communication, cultural, humanitarian, military, technical and other fields.

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Gov’t Works to Address Foreign Investors’ Issues, Establishes Investment Ombudsman

By Gulnaz Kalikhanova ASTANA – Kazakhstan is putting in its best efforts to ensure the continuing improvement of its business and investment climate.

The establishment of a task force on the protection of rights of foreign investors, the so-called “investment ombudsman”, is the most recent example of those efforts.

And on June 17, the Kazakhstan Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a roundtable discussion examining the activities of the investment ombudsman.

Senior representatives of state bodies, business associations, diplomatic missions and international organizations attended the event, which included discussions on issues such as identifying violations of investors’ rights, coordination among government bodies in considering investors’ appeals, solving disputes between investors, as well as state bodies and investors, and other issues of interest to foreign investors.

Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev, Minister of Foreign Affairs Erlan Idrissov and Managing Director of the Regional Cooperation Department of Kaznex Invest Nurbolat Seitmagambetov discussed the work of the new institution.

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Day of the Capital to Celebrate Astana’s Growth

By Anel Adilbayeva ASTANA – On July 6, Astana will celebrate its 15th anniversary as Kazakhstan’s capital. The celebrations of the Day of the Capital are seen as a way to demonstrate the city’s growth from provincial city to 21st century regional hub.

Week-long celebrations are being devised to show Astana as both a comfortable, stable city for business as well as a spiritual and cultural centre for the region and

the world. Astana city administration has implemented measures to improve the city ahead of the celebrations, which are focused on large-scale and affordable events intended to be within the reach of any citizen or visitor.

Planned concerts and performances are encouraged to promote Kazakh culture and ethnic features and emphasise the national spirit of the city.

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President Signs Pension Reform Law Raising Women’s Retirement Age From 2018

By Assem Kazybay ASTANA – On June 21, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev signed the law “On pension provision in the Republic of Kazakhstan,” aimed at creating the conditions for modernising the pension system, ensuring its financial stability, accumulating and growing pension savings and ensuring the transparency of pension savings management.

The president also signed the law “On amendments and additions to some legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on pension provision issues,” which brings some legislative acts into accordance with the pension provision law. In addition to other provisions, the law provides for the gradual increase in the re-

According to the new law, women’s retirement age will reach 63 years by 2028.

tirement age for women beginning on January 1, 2018. From the current retirement age for women of 58 years, the ceiling will be raised in increments of half a year for 10 years, so that by 2028, women’s retirement age will be 63 years, the same as for the men.

In a televised address to the people of Kazakhstan on June 7 concerning pension reform issues, the president said that he supported the draft law in general but believes that not all aspects of pension system reform have been fully considered. He has returned the draft law to Parliament for additional discussion and voting on the timing of the retirement age hike.

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Amazing shows and cultural programmes await residents and guests of Astana during celebrations of the Day of the Capital prior to and on July 6.

Inside Nation

EURASIA & WORLD

Consultative-Advisory Body Discusses Improvements for Legal, Judicial Systems New Law Encourages Development of Local Government

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Spain’s Defense Minister Discusses Military Cooperation, Regional Security

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EDITORIAL

OPINIONS

NATION & CAPITAL

Civil Society in Kazakhstan: Is It Happening?

BOUCHEZ: EU Supports Further Foreign Investment in Kazakhstan MAMI: Kazakhstan and Russia Form Foundation of Cooperation in Eurasia

Cooking Classes Showcase Norwegian Fish Exports Public Rides with Cycling Champions in Astana and Almaty

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US$1 = 151.44 KZT 1 Euro = 198.46 KZT 1 Rouble = 4.60 KZT

The Astana Times

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Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Nation

New Law Encourages Development of Local Government

By Assem Kazybay

ASTANA – President Nursultan Nazarbayev on June 13 signed into law legislation designed to ensure the constitutional rights of citizens within local governments.

The president’s signature will begin the implementation of a decree announced in November 2012.The purpose of the new law is to create legal conditions to ensure the exercise of the constitutional rights of citizens for local self-government, including encouraging small town and village residents to participate in community meetings involving local issues and government decisions. The law will also increase the role of Maslikhats, or local elected bodies, in the election of akims (mayors) in towns of regional subordinance, rural districts and villages, which are not included in rural district. Under the new scheme, around 90 percent of all akims in the country will now be

elected, beginning in the autumn of 2013.

The new law will also expand the financial and economic independence of small-town akims in solving local issues by granting them the right to establish their own revenue sources and to open special treasury accounts to track income and expenses related to local government functions. It will also transfer a portion of regional communal property to rural akims.

The president and lawmakers hope the new measures will increase the protections of constitutional rights of citizens by more actively involving them in government decisions through the use of community meetings and by holding elections for the akims (mayors) of towns of regional subordinance, rural districts and villages, which are not included in rural districts by regional Maslikhats.

It is hoped that this increased

participation will spur greater interest among the population in giving their input on local government decisions relating to such issues as housing and utilities services, public health and safety, as well as monitoring local governments’ use of public funds.

Granting small town akims a greater ability to use public funds and communal property, in conjunction with greater input from the public, is meant to improve the ability of local jurisdictions to solve community issues.

The law’s provisions will be implemented in two phases from 2013-2015 and from 2015-2020.

The president also signed on June 13 a new law meant to more clearly define the authority of various organs of government. The law is aimed at increasing the efficiency of government management, eliminating duplicate responsibilities and expanding the authority of local executive bodies.

President Signs Pension Reform Law Raising Women’s Retirement Age From 2018 From Page A1 President Nazarbayev proposed beginning a phased increase of the retirement age for women not from 2014, but from Jan. 1, 2018. “This will enable reform to the pension system by fully taking into account the interests of the Kazakh people,” he said. The president also requested additional social protection measures, especially for women of pre-retirement age, before the new law on the retirement system comes into effect.

Meanwhile, the president has received letters and telegrammes from Kazakhstan’s citizens in support of the decision to postpone the start of raising the retirement age for women.

The collective of the Aksai Nan baked goods factory expressed their gratitude for the attention to the issue of pension system reform. The authors noted that more than 70 percent of their staff are women. “On behalf of all the women of our factory and its affiliates we express gratitude for an informed decision taken on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of the various points of view on the new draft law on the pension reform,” the letter says.

President of the Zhanashyr International Public Foundation, Mrs. Apetova, also expressed gratitude for the decision to postpone the increase of the retirement age for women to 2018. “This decision is evidence of your foresight,

because now the government has enough time to fully consider all aspects of the measures aimed at creating favourable conditions for women of pre-retirement age,” she wrote.

Almaty resident Kuangan, one of the participants of the International Women’s Day meeting with the president on March 8 of this year, noted that this event is very important for her and her family. “Despite the fact that I’m still young, I was anxious about the new reform of the pension system in our country. However, after I heard your televised address to the people of Kazakhstan, I wish to express my sincere gratitude for the decision to send this draft law for follow-up revision,” she wrote.

The new law will also expand the financial and economic independence of small-town akims in solving local issues.

ConsultativeAdvisory Body Discusses Improvements for Legal, Judicial Systems

By Altynai Sultan ASTANA – On June 20, the Consultative-Advisory Body: Platform for Dialogue on the Human Dimension met for the second time, this time on the theme “Rule of law: the right to a fair legal process.” Under the chairmanship of Ambassador-atLarge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Usen Suleimen, CAB members discussed the improvement of the legal system, the relationship of citizens to the state in the legal sphere, the problems of judicial authority and maintaining human rights in the administration of justice. Topics on the reform of criminal, administrative and civil law were also discussed.

Reports were presented by former Supreme Court judge Dr. Raisa Yurchenko, President of the Fund for the Development of Parliamentarism in Kazakhstan Zauresh Battalova, Assistant to the Attorney General of Kazakhstan Olga Pakhomkova and president of the nongovernmental organisation International Legal Initiative Aina Shormanbayeva, among others. The representatives of civil society and officials offered a package of recommendations for consideration as part of the work of Strategy 2050.

These recommendations will be included in the final annual report of the CAB's work and sent to the government for consideration in preparing the National Action Plan on Democracy to 2020.

The third CAB meeting, on theme “Rule of Law,” is scheduled for July 19.

On June 14, Ambassador-atLarge Suleimen held a briefing for the diplomatic corps accredited in Astana and discussed the work of the CAB. According to the ambassadorat-large, the key objective of the CAB is to bring together the efforts of the government and NGOs to move Kazakhstan's development plans forward, including the main objectives of Strategy 2050.

The CAB was launched in late 2012 and began to take the form of a platform for substantive dialogue on the prospects of the political development of Kazakhstan. An action plan for 2013 was adopted in the beginning of this year.

“The CAB’s goals are clear. We work on establishing a greater synergy between the government, Parliament and NGOs in joint efforts to solidify a democratic foundation of Kazakhstan. We want to strengthen the culture of dialogue and political debate,” Ambassador-at-Large Suleimen said.

“Given the constant evolution of events, we decided to present recommendations to state agencies not by the end of the year, but as they develop,” he said at the June 20 event.

Dr. Yurchenko spoke of the need to focus on improving the objectivity, impartiality and independence of the judiciary, as well as to focus on the technical equipment of courts. She also agreed that the education of judges requires further advancement, especially their knowledge of international law.

The key objective of the CAB is to bring together the efforts of the government and NGOs to move Kazakhstan’s development plans forward, including the main objectives of Strategy 2050.

Zauresh Battalova emphasised the importance of applying the principles of international law in legislation and enabling practice.

During the discussion, President of the Editors-in-Chief Club ,Kenzhebolat Zholdybay, underlined the importance of providing media access to court proceedings, and representative of the Central Executive Committee, Arbol Argynov suggested strengthening efforts to increase the legal literacy of the population and the provision of psychological support to victims.

Summing up the discussion, Ambassador-at-Large Suleimen noted that the third meeting of the CAB, on the theme “Institutional support of the rule of the law,” is to be held in July.

In December, the CAB will hold a full membership meeting under the chairmanship of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Erlan Idrissov, to review the work in 2013, draft a list of recommendations for the government and outline plan of action for 2014.

The first thematic meeting of the CAB was held on May 27.

The agenda included issues such as political pluralism, civil society development and the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The meeting resulted in 19 recommendations, all of which will be included in the final document of the CAB for 2013 and sent to the government for consideration in preparing the National Action Plan on Democracy to 2020.

Domestic News in Brief ● On June 18, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev signed the law “On amendments and additions to the National Budget for 2013-2015,” the Akorda's press service reported. The law is aimed at specifying the macro-economic indicators of the country’s development in 2013. ● According to information provided by the head of the media group on preparing and holding the 15th anniversary celebration of Astana, Zhanar Kolbachaeva, the people of Kazakhstan will have three days of rest for the Day of the Capital.

Official events to celebrate the anniversary will begin on July 4 with a flag-raising and will last about 10 days. A detailed programme of the celebrations can be found on the official website of the capital in a special section. The overall programme of celebrations of the Capital Day consists of more than 100 events, including 20 concerts and festivals, about 50 street events, including sports, and Astana’s first 3-D mapping and light show, which will be held on July 6-8. The city will host about 20 cultural and educational events, as well as seven special campaigns for socially vulnerable segments of the population. ● The Aral Sea, which has been shrinking for almost 50 years, causing an environmental disaster in Central Asia, has finally stopped drying up, a Russian scientist said on Tuesday. “The sea is currently close to a balance, because its surface has shrunk so much that evaporation has gone down too, so that even the insignificant river and underground water flows balance the sea,” Pyotr Zavyalov of the Russian Academy of Science's Oceanology Institute told a panel of scientists. Divided between western Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, the Aral Sea began shrinking in the 1960s following a massive diversion of water for agriculture use from the two main rivers that fed it. ● The world premiere of the new opera and ballet theatre, Astana Opera, is scheduled for October 2013. It will open with Giuseppe Verdi’s “Attila,” Kazakh Minister of Culture and Information Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed said at a meeting of the government. The new theatre opened its season on June 21 with Mukan Tulebayev’s classic national opera, “Birzhan and Sara,” directed by Yuri Alexandrov. The new theatre will stage Tchaikovsky's “Sleeping Beauty” ballet on July 3 as part of the Day of the Capital celebrations. ● 16 cardiac surgery centres and departments have been put into operation in Kazakhstan over the past three years. Advanced technologies have been introduced and more than 20,000 operations have been performed, the Ministry of Health Care of Kazakhstan said. 20 stroke centres have been opened in the country for treating patients in accordance with international standards. 28 more centres will be opened by the end of the year. Currently, circulatory diseases cause more deaths and affect more people than any other disease in Kazakhstan. Previously, patients requiring cardiac surgeries were sent abroad, but now more than 1,500 open heart operations have been performed in the country. ● About 15 million young carp were released in the Vyacheslav Dam lake in Akmola oblast, Tengrinews.kz reported, citing the press service of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Environmental Protection. Another 300,000 carp less than one year old will be released into the dam lake later this year. The measures are intended to increase the reservoir's fish reserves as well as to form recreation areas for sport and amateur fishing near Astana, the press release said. This year’s plan is to release a total of over 158 million juveniles of such precious species as sturgeon, whitefish, carp, and grass and silver carp. The stocking is part of a project called Retaining and Reproduction of Fish Resources and Other Water Animals being implemented by fish breeding companies of the Fishery Commission of Kazakhstan’s Environmental Protection Ministry to supply the country’s water reservoirs with fish. Kazakhstan currently has 107 types of fish. By the end of the 1980s, the actual fish catch in the country’s water reservoirs was 85,000-95,000 tons, including 45,000-50,000 tons in the Ural-Caspian basin. In recent years the catch has been reduced by more than one half. Carp are a species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia.

The Astana Times

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

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Eurasia & World

External News in Brief ● The international seminar for civil servants’ advanced training on the subject of Strategic Planning held at the Academy of Public Administration ended June 14. The seminar was attended by civil servants of central and local executive state agencies. The lecturers were Matthew Stafford, dean of the Federal Executive Institute (FEI), and Rebekka Ayers, senior official of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The seminar ended with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the U.S. Federal Executive Institute. The signing of the memorandum with FEI opens new directions for development of programmes at the Academy of Public Administration. The training and advancement of Kazakhstan’s top civil servants, known as Corps A, is a key component of the country’s most recent civil service system reforms. The recent seminar was one of the first examples of cooperation between the FEI and the Academy.

During the seminar, participants received training on the application of the principles of strategic planning, understanding key concepts of the budget process and the application of financial knowledge in the development of budget requests. According to the results of the training, 29 participants were awarded certificates. ● On June 14, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization held its annual military exercises in Kazakhstan.

It has been reported that the exercise represented a continuation of the trend toward a lessening of the organization’s military importance.

The training mission involved a scenario in which forces from SCO member countries crack down on a terrorist group and rescue hostages through ground and aerial operations. “Of course, the scenario is possible. A terrorist is a terrorist. He can be armed with any weapon, so we need to work comprehensively,” said Nurtay Abykayev, chairman of Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee. It appeared that only Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan took part in the exercise, with other SCO member states (China, Russia, Uzbekistan) observing. The SCO did not announce how many soldiers took part. Last year’s exercise included 2,000 troops. “This year, the training is not massive in scale,” Wang Baofu, a professor from China’s People’s Liberation Army’s National Defense University, acknowledged.

Wang tied the scenario to what many in Central Asia are concerned about, which would be spillover from Afghanistan: “We know that the situation in Afghanistan is facing a critical point with unclear prospects, as the Taliban and NATO forces are engaging in fierce combat in important locations. Additionally, terrorists inside Afghanistan are operating effectively.

All these factors pose threats to Central Asian countries.” Abykayev echoed that concern, saying, “The time is such that after the Afghanistan events, when international forces leave there, these kinds of events can happen on our territory.” ● Some Tajik troops, like their Kyrgyz counterparts, will receive free training at the Kazakhstan Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Internal Troops Military Institute. Earlier it was reported that 10 Kyrgyz officers were to graduate from the institute on June 15. Kazakhstan Internal Troops Commander Ruslan Zhaksylykov recently talked with Internal Affairs delegations from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Officials from the three countries, on the basis of earlier agreements on personnel training, signed contracts under which the Kazakhstan MIA school will provide free training to some Kyrgyz and Tajik troops. ● On June 13, German car producer Adam Opel AG said it has signed an agreement to build its compact car Corsa in Minsk, Belarus, beginning in 2014. The cars will be manufactured at a production site of the U.K.-Belarus joint venture company UNISON and will be sold in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. The agreement, which runs until 2017, gives Opel the option of producing additional models there. “Manufacturing the Corsa in Belarus is consistent with our strategy to build cars where they are sold,” company board member Peter Thom said. The move will also help utilize excess capacity at the Eisenach and Saragossa plants, which will deliver spare parts to Minsk. The Corsa is an important sales generator for Opel, and the company will produce around 7,000 three-door and five-door cars in the first full year of production.

Spain’s Defense Minister Discusses Military Cooperation, Regional Security

By Rufiya Ospanova ASTANA – Spain’s Minister of Defense Pedro Morenes Eulate made his first official visit to Kazakhstan June 10-11 to discuss with his Kazakhstan counterpart and other officials expanding bilateral military and military-industrial cooperation as well as regional security in Central Asia.

Morenes was met at Astana International Airport by Kazakhstan Deputy Minister of Defense Major General Bagdad Maikeev and other officials, as well as a guard of honor from the Capital Air Assault Brigade.

Kazakhstan Defense Minister Adilbek Dzhaksybekov officially met the Spanish delegation after Morenes’s visit to the main representative office of the Airborne Forces Troops.

On June 10, a meeting was held to discuss issues of mutual interest in the field of defense, including prospects for security in the region and the expansion of industrial and trade cooperation in the field of defense between the two countries.

After the meeting, the two ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of military and military-technical cooperation between the Ministries of Defense of Kazakhstan and Spain. The memorandum lays the foundation for strengthening ties between the two countries in such areas as industrial cooperation, the purchase of military equipment, scientific and technical activities, military education, cooperation in defense policy, logistics and consulting on issues related to peace-keeping operations.

“Today, the Memorandum of Cooperation between our armed forc-

Ensuring the stability in Central Asia was a high priority topic during the meeting between Kazakhstan’s Defense Minister Adilbek Dzhaksybekov (second from left) and Spain’s Minister of Defense Pedro Morenes Eulate (second from right). es was signed. We also exchanged views on issues of international security and the exchange of information,” Dzhaksybekov said.

The ministers noted the two countries’ excellent bilateral relations in the field of defense as evidenced by the signing of two important agreements in 2009. The first was the Agreement on Strategic Association between Spain and Kazakhstan to strengthen bilateral

relations in the field of defense. The second was the Agreement on the Transit of Military Equipment and Personnel across the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan in connection with the participation of Spain in international efforts to stabilize and reconstruct Afghanistan.

Industrial cooperation in the field of defense was also strengthened during the Spanish defense minister’s visit. The Spanish min-

ister of defense visited the office of the National Company Kazakhstan Engineering, where Morenes familiarized himself with Kazakhstan’s defense industry industrial activities. Representatives of Spanish companies in the defense sector, including companies such as INDRA and MAXAM/EXPAL, which already have operations in Kazakhstan,. also attended the meeting

Change, Leadership, Regional Integration...

Global Trends Discussed at Higher Education Forum From Page A1

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In the first session, moderator Robert Zemsky of the University of Pennsylvania declared that “Leadership is an art, and is vastly different from management. Governance is also an art, requiring patience, wisdom and a willingness to take reasonable risks in order to achieve world-class results.” “The promotion of change—at times even change for change’s sake,” is part of the historical role of the university, Dr. Zemsky said. “The paradox of the modern university is that it is an institution with a keen sense of the past, but at the same time is expected to be an institution that welcomes change, even disruptive change. In a sense, the modern university is expected to be simultaneously an institutional anchor capable of preventing intellectual and procedure drift and a promoter of things that are new and untried.”

“The modern university is expected to be simultaneously an institutional anchor capable of preventing intellectual and procedure drift and a promoter of things that are new and untried.” – Robert Zemsky Not all shared the enthusiasm for change. Zhexenbek Adilov, rector of the Kazakhstan National Technical University, spoke about the need for “social stability,” quoting from the president’s annual address to the nation. His list of the responsibilities of a university included “preparation of elite society in the fields of politics, economy, science and culture,” and “the erosion of social barriers in society.” David Bridges, director of research at the University Of Cambridge Faculty Of Education, also provided his version of what a university should be, part of which was “respectful but fearless,” presumably with regard to authority. Later, as a moderator, he presented “What makes a university or university de-

partment an attractive and supportive environment for academic researchers? What might provide evidence of an excellent research environment?

How do you build or develop such an environment?” Among the answers were having the funds to support attendance at research conferences and an ambient buzz of research conversation in break rooms.

The second discussion in the first session, “Strategic leadership in a competitive higher education market,” was moderated by University College London's Michael Worton.

He outlined “Who can and should take strategic leadership in this environment and what are the characteristics of successful strategic leadership?” as well as stating “The changing nature of international higher education,” and asking “How can universities engage more effectively within an increasingly competitive environment?”

The third and final session of the forum was dedicated to “Trends in Global Higher Education Hubs.”

Stavros Yiannouka of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy; Sayasat Nurbek from the Centre for International Programmes, which administers the Bolashak scholarships; Guidi Langouche, University of Leuven, Belgium; Kadisha Dairova, Nazarbayev University; Martin O’Hara, KIMEP University and many others presented reports and statements to the delegates.

Kazakhstan is eager to develop a system of higher education equal to the best in the world. Nazarbayev University, established in 2009, is part of this ongoing effort. President Nursultan Nazarbayev has made promoting education a priority. “I am convinced that the Kazakhstan citizens of 2050 will represent a society of educated, free people speaking in three languages,” he said in his address to the nation in December 2012 on the topic of the “New political course of the established state.” During his speech, he emphasised the role of the national intelligentsia in taking on and developing his vision: “Intelligentsia can and must play a key role in drafting a model of the future of our country based on my vision of Kazakhstan 2050.”

Angel Gurría, Secretary General of the OECD, who spoke first after the initial remarks by moderator Viktor Khristenko, chairman of the board of the Eurasian Economic Commission, was very positive in his remarks about the potential of regional integration to boost the global economy. However, he also cautioned about the need for consistent regulatory structures within them, without exceptions.

“Let’s go for regional economic communities, absolutely, yes, but let’s not lose sight of the bigger target, which is a more multilateral trading system,” he concluded.

Addressing these comments about the regulatory structure of the EEU and other regional organisations, Deputy Prime Minister Kelimbetov said, “First and foremost, this is about regulation, about developing supranational regulators that will enable us to

moderate many processes more successfully and flexibly. Then, of course, acquiring new competencies, because we are somewhat technologically lagging today. We need to catch up. There are many methodologies of how to do that; we can see how transboundary clusters are created around the globe and what markets are targeted.”

The deputy prime minister noted the global economic shift toward Asia and Kazakhstan’s involvement in the economic processes of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, stressing that “Integration is underway at all levels.”

This year’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum focused on finding solutions to the challenges facing the global economy. In a message to participants, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, “The programme this year includes issues related to reforming the global financial system, improving the way national debt is

In January 2013, Spanish company Airbus Military, a member of the European corporate group EADS (with Spanish, French and German participation), delivered two C-295 military transport aircraft built in Spain. Taking into account the possible purchase of additional units of the model, Airbus Military offered assistance in the establishment of a regional center for the maintenance of that aircraft model carrying out operations in the region. National company Kazakhstan Engineering also announced it plans to maintain aircraft such as the C-295 and A-400M out of Astana.

The Spanish defense minister and Kazakhstan’s Chief of Staff of Land Forces Major General Adilbek Aldabergenov also visited an air-assault brigade where Morenes got acquainted with the conditions of service, armaments and equipment of Kazakhstan paratroopers. The Spanish defense minister praised the Astana air-assault brigade’s readiness and professionalism.

During the visit, the two ministers also discussed strengthening bilateral military-technical cooperation. The talks included increasing cooperation in the development of the defense industries of both countries and the participation of Spanish military troops in the peacekeeping training operation Steppe Eagle, scheduled for August.

“Today, the Minister of Spain visited our air-assault brigade, which is located near Astana. He was impressed by the gear, the professionalism of our troops and the conditions in which they are serving,” Dzhaksybekov said.

During his visit to Astana, the Spanish official also met Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov to discuss regional security in light of the upcoming withdrawal of the international coalition forces from Afghanistan.

managed, stimulating investment in the real economy, strengthening food security, and ensuring the sustainable development of global energy.” This year, the B20 summit of global business leaders, which generates recommendations and commitments from the worldwide business community, was also held within the framework of the St. Petersburg Forum.

The forum brought together more than 7,000 participants, including heads of major companies and representatives from key regions of the world. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte were among the participants. The forum this year resulted in the signing of 102 agreements worth 9.6 trillion Russian rubles (about $292.5 billion), including an agreement between Russian Railways JSC, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy and Belarusian Railways worth 202.7 billion Russian rubles (about $6.2 billion).

Kazakh, U.S. Officials and Scholars Look for Avenues for Cooperation

By George D. Gleboff ASTANA, June 25 – Kazakh and U.S. officials and scholars met in Astana today for the first meeting of the Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation seeking to explore avenues for collaborative efforts in such areas as biomedical research, green chemistry and natural resources and mineral management.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev co-chaired the meeting on the Kazakhstan side along with Dr. Kerri-Ann Jones, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.

The meeting brought together dozens of officials and scholars from the two countries.

The committee met in three working groups on biomedical research, green chemistry and natural resources and mineral management which on June 24 at the Nazarbayev University. The meet-

ing on June 25 took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to Kerri-Ann Jones, the most active cooperation so far has been noted between Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Environment Protection and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Among the results of the meeting are an agreement for the Nazarbayev University to work on a four-month joint stem cell research project with a U.S. university, and for young Kazakh doctors to participate in short-term training seminars in the United States on oncology treatment, especially for breast and cervical cancers. American participants also showed great interest in cooperating with their Kazakh counterparts on developing new antibiotics to replace those drugs to which viruses become adapted.

Moving on to the cooperation in green chemistry, scholars from the two countries focused on efforts that can advance Kazakhstan’s Green Economy Strategy as well

as policies and best practices that promote job creation in both countries.

So, at the conclusion of the meeting, USAID mission director Anne Aarnes and Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection Marlen Iskakov signed a memorandum of understanding on low-emission development strategies.

Commenting on the signing of the memorandum, Jones said “it was a very significant step.”

“This was a very productive meeting and coming from this meeting we are going to develop an action plan that will guide us to make sure that we move along,” she added.

Speaking on EXPO 2017 in Astana that will focus on future energy, Jones said: “We look forward to the EXPO 2017 because it is on such an important topic for the whole world and, certainly, because Kazakhstan and the U.S. are building partnerships in these areas that are very important for our energy future and the green economy.”

The Astana Times

А4

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Economy

Government Allocates Record Funding for Jobs Programme

By Maryam Turezhanova ASTANA – The Kazakh government is continuing its focus on job creation by allocating a total of 110.6 billion tenge ($731.2 million) in 2013 for the country’s Road Map of Employment 2020 programme.

The programme includes provisions to respond to additional global economic crises, as well as measures to spur domestic employment. According to the acting head of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Vice-Minister Tamara Duisenova, the jobs initiative includes three areas.

The first area involves increasing employment through the development of infrastructure and public utilities. This technique was used successfully in 2009-2010 as part of the previous jobs Road Map and includes the creation of temporary jobs in the construction and maintenance of government buildings and housing facilities. With overall funding for this part of the jobs programme at 57 billion tenge ($376.8 million), it is expected to generate approximately 22,000 jobs.

About 25.7 billion tenge ($169.9 million) has been allotted for the second part of the programme, which involves job creation through the development of rural enterprises. It is hoped that this part of the programme will generate 11,000 jobs through the use of

In all, 110.6 billion tenge ($731.2 million) will be allocated for the country’s Road Map of Employment 2020 programme to provide new jobs as a response to the global economic crises. tools, such as microcredit and the development of 11 supporting villages in six regions.

The third part of the programme involves training and resettlement.

It also clearly defines the division of responsibility between the state, employers, educational institutions and participants of the programme.

Implementation of this part of the programme will require 23.4

billion tenge ($154.7 million) and will involve 90.1 thousand people. In general, 110.6 billion tenge ($731.2 million) will be allotted for Road Map of Employment 2020 in 2013 “This document has been in development for a long time,” Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov said at a recent government meeting which reviewed the programme. “It takes

into account the best that was in the 2009-2010 Road Map and the Ministry of Labour should actively pursue this initiative.”

Addressing regional governors, the prime minister stressed that “people should have a clear understanding of the opportunities that

are available to them within the Road Map of employment.”

Akhmetov also instructed his deputy, Erbol Orynbayev, to hold a national workshop on the implementation of the programme on June 21 in the East Kazakhstan region.

Business Road Map Government Works to Address Encourages Increased Foreign Investors’ Issues, Entrepreneurship Establishes Investment

By Rufiya Ospanova

ASTANA – The People’s Democratic Party Nur Otan and representatives of the DAMU Fund launched a series of meetings on implementing the Business Road Map 2020 on June 12, during which they called on Astana entrepreneurs to press forward in their activities.

The campaign, launched at the Nazarbayev University, marked the beginning of this year’s business training programme supported by the Business Road Map 2020.

Astana’s entrepreneurs rarely turn to banks for funding for the development of their businesses, making this training especially important for them, said Dauren Sabdenov, director of the Astana DAMU Fund branch, at a meeting with representatives of second-tier banks held before the training.

“To be honest, currently, secondtier banks do not get applications for issuing loans. The state is trying to give you comprehensive assistance.

You should use it: help yourselves,” Dauren Sabdenov told the Astana entrepreneurs. “Dear businessmen, please become more active in this regard,” he requested.

The representative of the DAMU Fund attributes the current lack of activity to a lack of awareness on the part of potential programme participants. “Today, we are holding this campaign especially for this reason. I have called on our businessmen to press forward. This year, 600 million tenge was allocated for our city, which is a lot of money. We should use it. If we implement the funds this year in effective ways, in the following years, funding will increase and the city and manufacturers will develop,” he said. According to Sabdenov, in Astana, within the framework of the Business Road Map 2020, no project has so far been funded or launched.

At the training, entrepreneurs heard from experienced trainers, saw positive examples of entrepreneurship in Astana and learned about similar experiences in other countries. They also filled out questionnaires prepared by Duke University in the United States, in cooperation with Nazarbayev University, which intend to identify the problems faced by businesses and find ways to address them.

Morven McLean, a specialist in innovation and organised development, spoke at the training and shared her experience. She said she pays particular attention to strategies of innovation, entrepreneurship, design, organisational culture and human resource development.

Whether it is in activities with entrepreneurs, chief managers or other

specialists, her approach lies in researching new ideas. She has provided her services in the spheres of healthcare, construction, engineering, asset management, financial services and other areas in Britain, North America, Europe, China, the Middle East and Asia.

Dr. Robert Rosenfeld, another trainer, is a course manager and member of the Duke Corporate Education teaching staff. He is also currently the head of the Centre for Organisational Excellence, a leading institution in management training and the development of leadership qualities. His research includes understanding the processes of global changes and their relationship to overall competitiveness.

“Business activity passes from the stage of doing business to the stage of business growth, and this teaching programme unifies these complex tasks,” he commented.

Ramon O’Callaghan, dean of the higher business school of Nazarbayev University, elaborated on the training programme: “Our professional development programme for chiefs of small and medium enterprises offers businessmen various tools and strategies necessary for assessing new possibilities and determining commercial feasibility. It also instils confidence in the inception of new projects,” he said.

Several examples of positive experiences in the Kazakhstan market were also shown as part of the training programme. The management of the Good Agency spoke about the history and the process of development of their company, which has become one of the leading advertisement agencies in Kazakhstan.

Another positive example was the London-Almaty Insurance Company, whose head was looking for ways to develop the insurance company into a highly productive one based on the methods used by large enterprises such as Toyota.

Heads of small and medium enterprises began training under a professional development programme that has been in operation in Astana since 2011. Training is held as part of the state programme, Business Road Map 2020.

This year, the programme involves 420 participants, twice as many as in preceding years. This year’s training started with a three-day module at Nazarbayev University. After completion of this module, there will be a range of webinars with Kazakh experts in the field of legislation, finance and consulting services. .

Entrepreneurs with the best business plans will present their plans to a jury at a ceremony marking the end of their training, which is to take place in October 2013.

Ombudsman From Page A1 Ambassador of the Netherlands to Kazakhstan Peter Van Leeuwen, Ambassador and Head of European Union Delegation Aurelia Bouchez and American Chamber of Commerce in Kazakhstan Executive Director Doris Bradbury were also among the speakers.

(See guest commentaries by Peter van Leeuwen and Aurelia Bouchez on Page A6.)

“The creation of the investment ombudsman institution will allow us to introduce a systematic approach to resolving the problems of our investors who are already working in Kazakhstan,” Issekeshev said.

“According to statistics, about 65 percent of new investment comes from investors who already have holdings in Kazakhstan. That being said, quick responses to emerging problems and their solutions will promote the growth of the share of reinvesting among the companies working in our market,” he said.

Since gaining independence, Kazakhstan has attracted US$171 billion in foreign direct investment, 48 percent of which or US$81.6 billion, has been invested in the last four years, Issekeshev said.

Kazakhstan is currently working on more than 400 initiatives of foreign investors from 80 countries.

More than 80 of those initiatives worth approximately $10 billion have been implemented.

“The creation of the investment ombudsman institution will allow us to introduce a systematic approach to resolving the problems of our investors who are already working in Kazakhstan.” – Asset Issekeshev “Today, Kazakhstan has about eight thousand enterprises operating with foreign investment, including Fortune 500 companies, such as Chevron, Siemens, Microsoft, General Electric, Coca-Cola, Danone and Henkel,” the deputy prime minister said.

In his remarks at the event, Foreign Minister Idrissov said that the “investment ombudsman is

Asset Issekeshev designed to protect the rights of foreign and domestic investors and create favourable conditions for them in our country, which today ranks 49th in the World Bank’s Doing Business rating.” He also highlighted the importance of the issues raised at the roundtable and said the event itself was an effective platform to address existing problems.

Having shared the Dutch experience in attracting foreign investment, Peter van Leeuwen said, “We have to realize that the most important issue remains a change in mentality; this is always the biggest challenge, because the human nature is prone to stubbornness.”

“The Dutch have an expression “The farmer doesn’t like what he doesn’t know”. We have something with farmers and farming, but this is not only applicable to farmers, but very much to anybody. To overcome this, we need a learning process. Investors want to feel comfortable and at ease. It is important to realize that to attract them, you need to serve. To provide adequate services and to have real policy implementation are the main and most important challenges,” van Leeuwen added.

“We are pleased to note that the institution of Investment Ombudsman is to be established under the authority of the Deputy Prime Minister. We note also the intended close contacts with public and private actors, including local authorities, and the planned structure of its supporting administration,” added Bouchez. She called the creation of an investment ombudsman to seek an early resolution of problems “a major step forward.”

In general, the speakers noted that the establishment of the investment ombudsman is an important step for ensuring a continuing positive climate for business and investment.

The investment ombudsman held its first sitting on June 18 in Astana and plans to meet quarterly. According to the deputy prime minister, the institution was established on April 16 and was based on international best practices, in particular on the successful experience of South Korea where this institution had been functioning since 1999 and helped resolve all 4,500 complaints between 2000 and 2012 without any one of them reaching the courts.

“Any investor or embassy will be able to appeal to the investment ombudsman on specific issues and problems and file requests both through the Secretariat, located at the Investment Committee of the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies, and the Investors’ Support Center in KAZNEX INVEST,” the deputy prime minister said at the roundtable.

the institution was established on April 16 and was based on international best practices, in particular on the successful experience of South Korea where this institution had been functioning since 1999 and helped resolve all 4,500 complaints between 2000 and 2012.

The task force includes representatives of the General Prosecutor’s Office, Committee of National Security of Kazakhstan, Supreme Court, Ministry of Oil and Gas, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economy and Budget Planning, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Environment Protection and the Agency for Combating Economic Crimes and Corruption of Kazakhstan.

A working body of this task force will be the National Agency for Export and Investments KAZNEX INVEST, which is a part of the structure of the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Kazakhstan.

economy News in Brief ● On June 19, President Nursultan Nazarbayev approved amendments to state budget for 2013-2015. The head of state signed the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Introduction of Amendments and Additions to the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the National Budget for 2013-2015,” aimed at clarifying the macroeconomic development of the country this year. The revised forecast of real GDP growth in 2013 remained at the earlier forecasted level (6 percent), but the forecast for nominal GDP growth dropped from 15.8 percent to 13.5 percent. The forecast for the average oil price in 2013 was increased from $90 to $100 per barrel. Inflation projections remained at the earlier forecast of 6 to 8 percent by the end of 2013.

Transfers to the state budget were increased by 27.206 billion tenge ($178.2 million) to 1.544 trillion tenge ($10.1 billion) due to transfers from the National Fund in the amount of 25.5 billion tenge ($167 million) and transfers from regional budgets in the amount of 1.7 billion tenge ($11.1 million). The state budget’s expenditures for 2013 were decreased by 121.288 billion tenge ($794.4 million) and approved at 6.099 trillion tenge ($39.9 billion). The budget deficit for 2013 was increased by 85.397 billion tenge ($559.3 million) and hit 870.573 billion tenge ($5.7 billion) or 2.5 percent of GDP. ● Alberta Agriculture Minister Verlyn Olson was struck during his 10-day trade mission to Kazakhstan in May by the country’s similarities to Alberta. The Kazakhstan government has set aside $900 million to invest in its agriculture industry over the next few years. That’s equivalent to the value of 75,000 heads of cattle. “This country has great oil wealth,” Olson said.

“They definitely have money to spend and are wanting to diversify away from their oil economy.” Exports of Alberta agricultural goods to Kazakhstan, mostly cattle, pigs and horse meat, jumped to $5 million last year from $875,000 in 2011. However, a trade mission to Kazakhstan in 2012 was estimated to have generated an additional $25 million in livestock, genetics and goods and services. Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency board chair Dr. David Chalack said there are tremendous opportunities in Kazakhstan, especially in the cattle industry. Gordon Stephenson, general manager of the Canadian Hereford Association, has been to Kazakhstan three times, including the latest trade mission with the federal and Alberta agriculture ministers. About 4,000 head of Hereford genetics have been exported to Kazakhstan and Russia in the last four years. ● Kazakh Minister of Economy and Budget Planning Yerbolat Dossayev does not exclude the possibility of increasing the state’s share of the Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC). “The government is considering ENRC as one of the most important mining assets of our country, so we suppose an active participation of the state in this company,” Dossayev said.

However, according to the Minister, the government has not entered into a deal on acquisition yet. ENRC is a leading diversified natural resources group, performing integrated mining, processing, energy, logistics and marketing operations. The operations comprise: the mining and processing of chrome, manganese and iron ore; the smelting of ferroalloys; the production of iron ore concentrate and pellet; the mining and processing of bauxite for the extraction of alumina and the production of aluminium; the production of copper and cobalt; coal extraction and electricity generation; and the transportation and sales of ENRC’s products. ENRC’s production assets are largely located in the Republic of Kazakhstan; other assets, notably the Other Non-ferrous Division, are mainly located in Africa; ENRC also has iron ore assets in Brazil. Each of the founders of ENRC, Alexander Mashkevich, Patokh Shodiev and Alijan Ibragimov holds a 14.59 percent share of the company.

The Kazakh government's share in the company is 11.65 percent.

Some 26 percent of the company is owned by Kazakhmys Corporation. The remaining 19 percent of shares are owned by minority shareholders.

The Astana Times

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

А5

Business

Business News in Brief ● The Akmola region will implement one of the largest projects in Kazakhstan within the framework of EXPO 2017. This was reported by the press service of the Akim (Governor) of the Akmola region.

Construction of the Samal wind farm in the Yereymentau district of the Akmola region will be one of the largest foreign investments in Kazakhstan. Over the last two years, the Chevron company assessed potential sites for wind farms in Kazakhstan and chose the area near the district center, located 150 kilometres due east from Astana. Analysts are now conducting primary research and the first phase of evaluations for the site’s environmental impact assessment (EIA). Chevron plans to support Kazakhstan’s efforts to achieve goals such as economic diversification, the development of high-tech industries, the development of renewable and environmentally clean electric power, the further implementation of the State Programme of Industrial and Innovative Development (PAIID), attracting new foreign investment and job creation through the implementation of the project. The planned capacity of the wind farm will be about 30 MW. ● As part of the country’s Industrialization Map, Kazakhstan is implementing 78 projects in the mining industry, of which 42 have been put into operation, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev said at the Fourth Astana Mining & Metallurgy International Congress on June 12-13. “At present, the Industrialization Map includes 78 projects with a total investment of $12 billion U.S. dollars. Forty-two projects have already been launched, which have created 12,000 jobs. I am referring to the Vasilkovsky plant, the second stage of the aluminum plant, etc.” Issekeshev said. “Our major companies, Kazakh investors and national companies play a big role in it. For example, the company Tauken-Samruk is building a refinery, which will be launched by the end of this year. Kazatomprom has also started the first ever project in the field of rare earth metals and the Development Bank of Kazakhstan has funded projects such as the Taraz Metallurgical Plant and Evraz Holding,” he added. ● Halyk Bank, one of Kazakhstan’s largest banks, said on June 18 it expected to sell its pension fund by the end of 2013, making clear it preferred cash to the government’s offer of shares in staterun Bank BTA. J.P. Morgan Chase has valued Halyk’s private pension fund, Kazakhstan’s largest pension fund by assets, at between $576 million and $715 million, Halyk Board Chairman Alexander Pavlov told reporters. He said the bank was now expecting the government to give its own estimate of the fund’s value.

President Nazarbayev ordered the government in January to nationalize the country’s pension system by merging the assets of private pension funds into a single state-owned fund to support fast economic growth.

Deputy Prime Minister Kairat Kelimbetov told Reuters in March that the government planned to nationalize the country’s three largest pension funds this year by paying for them in state-owned shares in local banks. A government order instructed sovereign wealth fund Samruk Kazyna to offer Halyk Bank a swap of its private pension fund for shares in BTA, the country’s third-largest bank by assets, which was bailed out during the financial crisis. Voicing Halyk Bank’s position after months of deliberations, Pavlov said the deals on the sale of Halyk’s pension fund and the purchase of BTA “ought to be parallel.” ● Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi’s largest real estate developer by market capitalisation, has awarded a contract worth nearly Dh4 billion in Kazakhstan to a joint venture company led by regional construction major Arabtec, it was announced on June 17. In a joint statement, the two companies said Aldar’s contract is for the development of the Abu Dhabi Plaza in Astana. Aldar EuroAsia, an Aldar subsidiary, awarded the multi-billion dirham contract to develop Abu Dhabi Plaza, a 500,000 square metre mixed-use development comprising five towers, the tallest of which will measure 320 metres. Aldar’s stock on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange closed 2.14 percent higher at Dh2.39, while Arabtec’s shares were up 3.12 percent, closing at Dh2.12 on the Dubai Financial Market.

Patented Alloy Production Begins in Pavlodar

By Sergei Gorbunov PAVLODAR – Kazakh scientists have developed a unique alloy that is now in demand around the world.

Kazakhstanproduced technology is adopted internationally.

“Today, our ferrosilicoaluminum is patented in the world as a ‘Kazakhstan alloy’ and the demand of the world’s leading metallurgical industries on it exceeds millions of tons,” academician and General Director of the National Center on Complex Processing of Mineral Raw Materials of the Ministry of Industry and New Technology Abdurasul Zharmenov said.

This technology, which represents a unique alloy of ferrosilicoaluminum, was created by Kazakh scientists and metallurgists who

have received international quality certificates and licenses for this development.

“This achievement is the result of the hard and fruitful work of scientists of the Karaganda Chemical and Metallurgical Institute, which is part of our National Center,” Zharmenov said.

Director General of the LLP KSP Steel Eduard Kramer, a metallurgist and scientist, said that this development not only solves the technological challenges of smelting steel, but also environmental problems, as ferrous silicon aluminum is manufactured from Ekibastuz low-grade high-ash coal, which is stored in dumps, causing damage to environment. Now, a ton of deficit “Kazakhstan alloy” is produced from four tons of this rock.

And, according to the branch director of the Pavlodar LLP KSP Steel Vadim Savitsky, ferrosilicoaluminum produced using this technology significantly reduces A unique ‘Kazakhstan alloy’ has a great demand on the international metallurgical market, as evidenced by the recent signing of an MoU with South Korea’s POSCO. energy costs and the consumption of ferrosilicon. The steel smelted at his plant is also of higher quality, he said. Therefore, the LLP, which produces oil pipelines, pump-compressor pipes and other metallurgical products, has placed a bet that the production of the alloy will cover its needs International companies have also adopted the use of this technology in their production facilities. South Korean company POSCO, a large company with an annual turnover of $80 billion, has begun construction of a plant for the production of 200 thousand tons of ferrosilicoaluminum per year based on Kaza-

khstan’s technology to be located in Kyrgyzstan. A second enterprise with Kazakhstan’s participation is planned for Brazil and another plant is planned for construction in Karaganda City with the participation of major steel companies from Germany and Japan, Zharmenov said.

Following a recent launching ceremony for the National Center for Complex Processing of Mineral Raw Materials, the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies and the South Korean corporation Posco signed a Memorandum of Cooperation concerning the use of this technology.

Renewable Energy to Generate Electricity, Jobs in Southern Kazakhstan assemblage of invertors-converters for renewable energy facilities is in progress. In addition to energy, more than 100 jobs will be created by the two plants.

The regional government has already decided on the allocation

A new Kazakh-German joint venture, established in South Kazakhstan, is aimed at developing green energy infrastructure, primarily through solar energy.

By Lyubov Dobrota SHYMKENT – A new joint Kazakh-German venture to develop green energy in southern Kazakhstan has been established in the South Kazakhstan oblast.

In Shymkent, leaders of the South Kazakhstan oblast have signed documents with German investors on the creation of Ontustik Green Energy, a new company 51 percent owned by the German company Promodis Energy and 49 percent owned by Innovation Shymkent LLP. The new company is the result of agreements reached during a recent visit of a business delegation led by Askar Myrzakhmetov, Akim (Governor) of the South Kazakhstan oblast, to Germany, where they presented the region’s investment opportunities. The trip resulted in contacts, potential partners and a preliminary agreement to create a joint venture to implement a number of projects related to the development of renewable energy sources.

Promodis Energy Company has a 300-year history and has been engaged in energy-saving projects throughout.

“Solar activity in Shymkent is very good, and we have also found areas here that are ideal for the construction of solar energy stations,” said head of Promodis Energy Brentrup Berthold Franz. “We want to develop green energy in several directions, including building a solar station of 200 kilowatts on one of the mines.”

The investors plan to develop alternative energy in several areas.

As a pilot project, they intend to install a solar power plant to generate 88.3 kW of power and LED lighting in secondary school No. 87 in Samal district. This will save more than 300 million kilowatt-hours of energy per year and reduce the government funding of the school by 9.3 million tenge per year. Street lights with LED lamps and solar panels will be installed in Nursat microdistrict and in the 20 Years of Independence Park to gauge the savings they can effect. It has been estimated that 184,000 kW/h of electricity will be saved annually.

The investors have also offered to implement the “1,000 roofs project,” which involves the installation of solar panels on the roofs of private houses. Total expenditures for the project will amount to six thousand dollars per unit, the payback period will be 5-7 years and the panels can work for a quarter century. Regional authorities are interested in the proposal and citizens will be able to lease equipment through the Maximum Regional Investment Centre and JSC SEC Ontustik.

The first solar plant in the region with a total capacity of 100 MW is expected to be launched this year.

It is assumed that the total volume of investment in the project will reach 37.5 billion tenge. A plant for producing LED lighting equipment with a capacity of 250,000 units per year will also be built in South Kazakhstan this year. Its cost is estimated at half a billion tenge. Another enterprise for the

of land for the new industries and engineering infrastructure. The region is also responsible for training personnel; the German partners will attract experts and engineers from Germany.

The oblast administration es-

“This production will engage 350 employees. The cost of the project is 8.1 billion tenge ($53.6 million) and the payback period is four years. By the end of 2013, two furnaces (24 MW each) will be introduced into operation. This will increase the production of the alloy up to 30,000 tons per year. In addition, the Memorandum signed with one of the major steel companies of the world confirms the fact that foreign companies are interested in purchasing this product,” Pavlodar Regional Mayor (Governor) Yerlan Aryn said, commenting on the launching event .

timates that if all the planned projects are implemented, the region will be able to completely solve its electricity shortage. The projects planned for the nearest future will reduce the energy deficit in half.

А6

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

The Astana Times

Dutch Experience Can Be Useful to Kazakhstan

editorial

Civil Society in the Country: Is It Happening?

By Peter van Leeuwen

encounters. In fact just recently, a serendipitous event in an Civil society is a popular term in academia and WestAlmaty nightclub landed a little known vocal artist, Nursi, ern media. But sometimes ideas and concepts can be lost a million dollar entertainment contract. And even if Nursi’s in translation. Terms with political slants fall through the story is a fairy-tale example, her very existence represents a cracks of the tongue and can be completely missed or civil society. If it had not been for built-up scene created by worse, misunderstood. When talking about civil society, it thousands of unsigned singers, event managers, promoters makes sense to identify some solid landmarks that cannot and crowds, it would have never happened. be disputed.

When it comes to individuals, experience matters. When “Civil society,” as a mass noun, is a society considered it comes to a society, that experience is shared, and the best as a community of citizens linked by common interests and (or worst) is written down in history. The earliest academic collective activity. The Oxford Dictionary gives examples studies on the experience of a community were conducted of “the corrosive impact of fear on politics and civil socieby psychologist Seymon Sarason of Yale University. He ty” or, “they make important contributions to civil society”. defines the term as "the As a count noun, it could perception of similarity to be “a flourishing civil society President Nazarbayev does his others, an acknowledged indifferent to race, gender, or utmost to ensure that sense of interdependence with others, economic category.” Kazaa willingness to maintain this khstan’s civil society, in the belonging, addressing issues that by giving to shape that it exists, thrives affect all citizens. When presenting interdependence or doing for others what one in every public arena other his Strategy Kazakhstan 2050 in expects from them, and the than politics, and even that feeling that one is part of a is changing. This is by and December 2012, he spoke of his larger dependable and stable large due to what has always vision for the future. “I am strongly structure." been President Nursultan If Kazakhstan does not have Nazarbayev’s official policy: confident that Kazakhstan citizens a fully matured civil society, “Economy first, politics of 2050 represent a society of it certainly has a sense of second.” While Kazakhstan educated, free people speaking in community. The most influcannot forever be stuck in its ential authors on this topic, “transition to democracy,” the three languages. They are citizens McMillan&Chavis (1986), past twenty years were fast of the world. They travel. They are define sense of community track in establishing a modern, open to new knowledge. They are as “a feeling that members capitalist state, which provides industrious. They are patriots or have of belonging, a feeling a basis for a civil society. that members matter to one The largest group that can their country.” another and to the group, be classified under the Oxford and a shared faith that members’ needs will be met through definition is probably the private sector entrepreneurs. their commitment to be together.” President Nazarbayev While government programmes, such as the “Business certainly holds this faith when he says, “There should be no Roadmap 2020,” in fact assist many of these businesspeo‘unnecessary’ or ‘aliens,’ ‘ours’ and ‘theirs’ in our society. ple, they can be considered as part of a civil society that exWe cannot leave behind a single citizen of our country. ists in Kazakhstan. The biggest representative of this group Every Kazakhstan citizen should feel the support of the is the Atameken Union. The national economic chamber of authorities.”

Kazakhstan, the “Atameken Union,” is the largest business Preliminary research links the psychological sense association of the country, representing the interests of the of community to practically all desirable traits of a entrepreneur community as they constantly seek to improve healthy state. Greater participation (Hunter, 1975; the business climate.

Wandersman&Giamartino, 1980); perceived safety In sports, the republic can be said to have a robust and (Doolittle&McDonald, 1978); ability to function comgrowing civil society. Children never needed organizations petently in the community (Glynn, 1981); social bondthat told them to play, but having a large network that can ing (Riger&Lavrakas, 1981); social fabric (strengths of organize interregional and nationwide tournaments does interpersonal relationship) (Ahlbrandt& Cunningham, have its advantages. Football, boxing, wrestling, basketball, 1979); greater sense of purpose and perceived control and even traditional games like kokpar, have federations (Bachrach&Zautra, 1985); and greater civic contributions and logistical networks that represent a common interest, (charitable contributions and civic involvement) (Davidson and as such, a civil society. & Cotter, 1986) are linked to a sense of belonging.

The visual arts scene provides many prominent examPresident Nazarbayev does his utmost to ensure that ples of a civil society. Local, independent galleries usually sense of belonging, addressing issues that affect all citihave a very vast network of artists who are in pursuit of their own interests. While the most well-known and sought zens. When presenting his Strategy Kazakhstan 2050 in December 2012, he spoke of his vision for the future. “I am after events are still happening in Almaty and Astana, strongly confident that Kazakhstan citizens of 2050 repartists and art-connoisseurs are springing up everywhere resent a society of educated, free people speaking in three throughout the nation. With the rise of the Internet media, languages. They are citizens of the world. They travel. They individuals can display their work without capital investare open to new knowledge. They are industrious. They are ments and to a large audience, which forms a community patriots or their country.” of their own.

While 2050 seems a long way away in the future, the The same can be said for the musical realm of the counmovement towards this vision is happening now bringing try. Performers of classical, national, and alternative genres Kazakhstan closer to an important stage in its development, of music are touring the country, boosting excitement for that of creating a fully grown and mature civil society. fans and creating the hidden gem of all politics: chance

EU Supports Further Foreign Investment in Kazakhstan

By Aurélia Bouchez

The EU Delegation is committed to supporting the efforts of the Republic of Kazakhstan to ensure a continuing positive climate for business and investment here.

During his visit to Astana on 1-3 June, Jose Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission, expressed his appreciation of Kazakhstan’s open and positive business climate, and the readiness of the European Union to contribute to its further improvement.

In recent months, at the invitation of Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov at a previous meeting, the EU Delegation has joined with colleagues in making a number of pragmatic suggestions.

Among these suggestions was the establishment of a single point of contact between the foreign business community and the Government of Kazakhstan, on matters related to the investment climate.

In this context, we view the creation of an Investment Ombudsman, to seek early resolution of problems, as a major step forward.

As Deputy Prime Minister Asset Issekeshev has indicated, this proposal is based on international experience.

Within the European Union, the approaches of our Member States vary in detail, but main points are in common.

The concept of a single point of contact will increase efficiency, and deserves support. It signifies Kazakhstan’s commitment to approximation with OECD and WTO standards and requirements.

As we understand it, this new institution is intended to complete the

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structure established on the basis of the Foreign Investors’ Council, chaired by the President of Kazakhstan, and of the Council for Improvement of the Business Climate, chaired by the Prime Minister.

We are pleased to note that the institution of Investment Ombudsman is to be established under the authority of the Deputy Prime Minister. We note also the intended close contacts with public and private actors, including local authorities, and the planned structure of it supporting administration.

Of course, at this early stage of consultations with the diplomatic community – for which we are grateful to the Government of Kazakhstan – some questions remain open. These include

the relationship between the new institution and other organs of the State (Deputy Prime Minister, higher authorities, Parliament). This may be very important if, for example, legislative changes are required to solve a problem definitively and prevent recurrence.

So far as other matters are concerned – for example the planned new National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, we will be interested to receive more information. The devil is in the details, as they say. One question is about the very large responsibilities and powers of the new body. Another concerns financing, the treatment of companies of differing sizes and sectors of activity, and the approach to be taken with foreign investors.

On these issues, there is no single EU blueprint, as practice varies in the different EU Member States. At this early stage, however, I believe we can identify two important points: all companies should be able to feel comfortable in the new framework, whatever their size and origin – perhaps through special provisions as appropriate – and a pragmatic approach should be taken by all stakeholders. The relationship with the Investment Ombudsman should be clarified.

The EU Delegation, in cooperation with EU Member States, remains ready to take part in any further exchange on these issues, with the aim of supporting and expanding foreign direct investment in Kazakhstan.

The author is Ambassador and Head of the European Union Delegation to Kazakhstan.

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The Netherlands continues to be very attractive for foreign companies, which either choose our country as a location to do business from and/or to establish research centres. What is behind this?

We offer stability and predictability of legislation: rule of law must prevail, which is appreciated by international investors. In addition, we have concluded treaties on investment protection and double taxation avoidance with most countries in the world. This makes us a destination favourable for the registration of holdings. In fact, we put “headquarters” as a priority of our investment attraction policy.

This “headquarters” priority is important for the nine top sectors of the Dutch Government (Agrifood, Chemicals, Creative industry, Energy, High Tech, Horticulture and propagation materials, Life sciences and health, Logistics, Water). Similar to Kazakhstan we have priority sectors receiving special attention from the Government. Some are the same as Kazakhstan: chemicals industry, energy sector, transport and infrastructure, agriculture and food.

Other priority sectors in the Netherlands include creative industries, high tech, life sciences and water compared to tourism industry, light industry, metallurgy, and construction industry enjoying preferential treatment from the Kazakhstan Government.

In a rivalry for an investor, Holland underlines a number of competitive advantages it offers to its partners: • Strategic location in Europe serving markets within Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The central geographical position of the Netherlands, combined with accessibility and an excellent infrastructure, are only some of the reasons why numerous European, American and Asian companies have established their facilities in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency was established for the specific purpose of helping and advising companies by providing them with advice, information and practical assistance, quickly and on a confidential basis.

• A competitive fiscal climate, which may be very beneficial in international tax planning. Our rates are comparable to those offered by Kazakhstan: a corporate income tax rate of 20-25 percent. In addition, the Dutch ruling practice provides clarity and certainty in advance on future tax positions. Furthermore, in respect of research and development (R&D), companies can benefit from an effective corporate tax rate of only 5 percent, as well as an R&D allowance taking the form of wage tax and social security contribution deductions.

• A superior logistics and technology infrastructure. We are proud to offer our partners the services of the Port of Rotterdam, Europe’s largest seaport, and Schiphol Airport, Europe’s best airport for both cargo and passenger transport.

• A conducive innovation environment. Our tax system, well organized public-private partnerships offer a favourable environment for companies looking for business acceleration. One study our experience with Eindhoven, an equivalent of Silicon Valley in Europe, to get the idea.

• A solid workforce. Various studies and surveys praise highly educated, flexible and motivated workforces in Europe. Dutch professionals are also among the most multilingual in the world, enabling them to successfully operate in companies across any industry, serving customers throughout the continents.

We have also worked to create the necessary mechanisms to promote investments. The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency was established for the specific purpose of helping and advising companies by providing them with advice, information and practical assistance, quickly and on a confidential basis, as well as providing them access to a broad network of business partners and government institutions, all free of charge.

Founded 35 years ago, the NFIA is an operational unit of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. Throughout the years it has supported thousands of companies from all over the world to successfully establish their business in the Netherlands.

NFIA support starts in the country of origin.

To that end, the NFIA has offices in Europe (HQ in The Hague, London, Istanbul), the US (New York, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco), Asia (Tokyo, Osaka, Taipei, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Seoul, Delhi, Mumbai, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur), the Middle East (Dubai, Tel Aviv) and Brazil (São Paulo). In addition, the NFIA closely cooperates with Dutch embassies, consulates-general and other organizations that represent the Dutch government around the world.)

I have described what makes the Dutch environment attractive for foreign investors and I would like to add that the Dutch economy is structurally based upon the “triangle” dialogue between government, employers and employees.

This social agreement allows creating optimal cooperation between the three social partners.

The Netherlands have a strong services sector

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and excellent industries like life sciences, electronics, food, flowers, chemical industry, water technology and engineering. However, it did not happen overnight. I would say it is rather a result of a pragmatic policy with continuous commitment to sustainability founded on history-built tradition of trade and international commerce. In addition, the Netherlands developed its economy more rapidly when the huge Groningen gas field was discovered in 1959. The Netherlands has developed for centuries through industrial revolutions and difficult and historic times. Kazakhstan has started only since 21 years, but can favour, learn and adopt of industrial development of other nations.

What could Kazakhstan do to improve the investment climate?

• Develop Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) along the OECD guidelines: CSR covers a broad range of modalities contributing to society’s long-term prosperity by a cautious balance between Profit, People and Planet. CSR respects human rights, obeys international labour standards and bans forced labour, child labour, corruption, discrimination, and connects business with important issues of the society, like transparency and waste recycling.

• The Foreign Investors Council under the President is a high profile and respected institution. It is a good platform for a dialogue, however, question is whether it could be improved as a platform to contribute more concretely to the investment climate.

• I have heard of the plans to establish a National Investors Council under the President. I have also heard of the plans to merge the Chamber of Commerce and the Union of Entrepreneurs into one entity. This is a positive development, but the companies should be free to make their own decision about the membership. If the new entity proves its efficiency, companies will join.

• Introduction of an investment ombudsman is a good idea. Enforcement is, however, important for a central body to oversee the application of the legislation, with authority to overrule, also in matters of visa, corruption and administrative problems.

• Organize a free discussion platform for employers, government and employees, and between employers and employees to establish an environment conducive for negotiations and compromise and step aside letting the parties to work out mutual goals and commitments.

• In anticipation of accession to the WTO, ensure application of their standards.

• Develop the service sector in a proactive way.

• Provide English language training nationwide.

• Remove visa obstacles.

We have to realize that the most important issue remains a change in mentality; this is always the biggest challenge, because the human nature is prone to stubbornness.

The Dutch have an expression “The farmer doesn’t like what he doesn’t know”. We have something with farmers and farming, but this is not only applicable to farmers, but very much to anybody. To overcome this, we need a learning process.

We have to realize that the most important issue remains a change in mentality; this is always the biggest challenge, because the human nature is prone to stubbornness.

Investors want to feel comfortable and at ease. It is important to realize that to attract them, you need to serve.

Investors want to feel comfortable and at ease.

It is important to realize that to attract them, you need to serve. To provide adequate services and to have real policy implementation are the main and most important challenges.

The author is the Dutch Ambassador to Kazakhstan.

The Astana Times is registered by the Ministry of Communications and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the registration number N 11208-G of 1 November 2010.

The newspaper is typed and made into pages at the computer centre of “Kazakhstanskaya Pravda”. Published biweekly, the size of 8 pages.

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The Astana Times

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

А7

Opinions

Astana and Moscow Form Foundation of Cooperation in Eurasia

By Kairat Mami

A delegation from the Parliament of Kazakhstan was recently on an official visit to Russia, at the invitation of Chairman of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko. I believe this is a good occasion to share with readers thoughts on modern Kazakh-Russian relations, inter-parliamentary relations and Eurasian integration.

Integration and pragmatism A lot is being said nowadays about the Eurasian integration project, especially in the context of the recently designated creation date for the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) by the leaders of Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus.

Kazakh-Russian relations have been one of the pillars of the integration process from the moment the Soviet Union collapsed. For 22 years, we have been effectively addressing emerging issues of current and future cooperation, without politicising the integration proc-

In 1994, at the Lomonosov Moscow State University, President Nazarbayev announced the idea of a Eurasian Union, and in October of 2000, the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) was established in Astana. ess. Issues regarding Baikonur, the delimitation of the world’s longest land border, joint field development, transportation of energy resources, migration, the operation of military ranges, cross-border cooperation and myriad other subjects affecting the interests of our countries and the livelihoods of or-

dinary citizens have been tackled and solved collectively.

In our relations, issues of bilateral cooperation have always been resolved on the basis of a coherent approach, a very positive tradition. Because our cooperation is based on the political will and vision of the leaders of Kazakhstan and Russia, Presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev and Vladimir Putin, with the full support of our people, we successfully cooperate in all aspects of economic, military, political, cultural and humanitarian work as true allies and strategic partners.

This experience of constructive and mutually beneficial cooperation is something we have always sought to extend to a multilateral format. In 1994, at the Lomonosov Moscow State University, President Nazarbayev announced the idea of a Eurasian Union, and in October of 2000, the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) was established in Astana. Since January 1, 2012, the practical phase of the Common Economic Space (CES), with the participation of Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus, has been underway.

Another important milestone in Kazakh-Russian relations is coming up: on July 6, Kazakhstan and Russia will mark the 15th anniversary of the signing of what is called “The Declaration of Eternal Friendship and Alliance, Oriented

to the 21st Century.” The durability of this alliance has been tested repeatedly, a reality in a world where close partners are subject to the scrutiny of their societies. Critical understanding is an essential condition for multilateral integration processes, and we know that constant, lively debate about the direction and the nature of integration exists in Belarus and Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and other CIS countries.

For us, one thing is clear: the alternative to integration is isolation.

You cannot profitably integrate into the world market without being a full member of the regional market. Perhaps for some island states, such a choice is not entirely relevant, but for the peoples of the area of Eurasian integration and interaction, it is a vital issue. This is why in Kazakhstan, by promoting integration, we find support from other partners on the basic principles of cooperation which are the consensus and taking into account the interests of each member country. The bodies of the future union should have clear and real authority. But this should in no way imply a transfer of political sovereignty.

We are building a union to further the economic development and prosperity of our peoples.

By promoting integration, we are prioritising pragmatism, trade and the economy. We must repeat this and make it crystal clear for both the domestic audience and our integration partners throughout the world, because there are many false interpretations and incorrect speculations on this matter.

These remaining doubts suggest that our states have yet to effectively communicate to all of our communities the obvious benefits, and general inevitability, of economic integration. Meanwhile, our businesses are gradually getting used to thinking on the scale of the Customs Union and the CES. Integration spurs entrepreneurs to greater competition; after all, products with high added value are unlikely to be competitive in the global market if they aren't competitive in the region.

Global investors also realize that by penetrating one of the CU countries, they'll gain access to the markets of all members. Therefore, President Nazarbayev has established a provision of effective economic relations in Kazakhstan in terms of the integration processes within the EEA and the forthcoming accession to the WTO amid the process’ central questions.

Matviyenko paid an official visit to Astana, during which we discussed a wide range of issues of inter-parliamentary cooperation.

In addition, last year we established the Commission on Cooperation between the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan and the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. At the third sitting of the

The parliamentary dimension

Parliamentarians need to conduct further work on the legal support for integration. I had the honour of chairing the assembly for the last two years.

I am sure that the EurAsEC IPA has the potential to create a regulatory and legal framework for the future Eurasian Economic Union, and it is necessary to implement its experience.

The sitting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Astana on May 29 this year was the next big step in advancing the integration process. May 1, 2015 has been designated as the date of the launch of the EEU. That event will, of course, be preceded by a great deal of work both on the political and expert levels. The parliaments of our countries should consider working toward a new qualitative stage of Eurasian integration a matter of priority.

In just the current parliamentary session, held from September of last year, 17 documents related to the activities of the CU and the CES were ratified or adopted by the Parliament of Kazakhstan. Much work has been done on the multilateral parliamentary level. The Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC IPA) has done significant work to harmonise integration processes within the Eurasian Economic Community, the CU and CES. In general, since the establishment of the EurAsEC IPA, more than 80 model laws have been adopted.

Parliamentarians need to conduct further work on the legal support for integration. I had the honour of chairing the assembly for the last two years. I am sure that the EurAsEC IPA has the potential to create a regulatory and legal framework for the future Eurasian Economic Union, and it is necessary to implement its experience.

As for Kazakh-Russian interparliamentary ties, they are also saturated with contact and interaction. In August 2012, Chairman of the Federation Council Valentina

commission, which was recently held in Astana, parliamentarians of the two countries discussed the prospects of cooperation in science and measures to improve that legal framework, as well as issues of cross-border cooperation and customs posts. Our legislators periodically synchronise their watches, so to speak, and address a variety of topics relating to livelihoods and bilateral cooperation.

The spiritual dimension I would like to note that Eurasian integration has a special conceptual meaning for Kazakhstan.

The idea has become part of Kazakhstan’s ideology. The system of peacekeeping attitudes, social values based on respect, cooperation and mutual enrichment of cultures

are the principles of integration, and already put into practice in Kazakhstan.

Our country has become a platform for international cultural dialogue. Ten years ago, at the initiative of President Nazarbayev, Astana hosted the first Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. Since then, four of these congresses have been convened. It is encouraging that representatives of the Russian Orthodox and Muslim clergy have become permanent members of the Astana inter-religious forum. We welcomed Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, within the framework of the congress in Astana in May 2012.

As the head of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, I plan to hold meetings in Moscow with Patriarch Kirill and representatives of the Muslim clergy. Most of Russia's majority Christian population is Russian Orthodox; its large Muslim population mostly follows the Sunni Hanafi school of thought practiced by most Muslims in our countries. Along with them, our states are home to many followers of other faiths. The clergy of Kazakhstan and Russia consistently interact, enrich each other and contribute to the perpetuation of tolerance and respect among representatives of different religions.

President Nursultan Nazarbayev has clearly expressed Kazakhstan’s vision of Eurasia: “I am convinced that the 21st century should become the era of rebirth and a new golden age of Eurasia and its centuriesold traditions and principles. There should be no place for any clash of civilisations, nor for conflict between religions and cultures.” I am sure that Kazakh-Russian cooperation will continue to contribute to the successful embodiment of the Eurasian project for the welfare and prosperity of our countries and peoples.

The author is the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan. This essay was originally published in the Rossiyskaya Gazeta on June 18, 2013.

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan: Mutually Beneficial Cooperation Key for Economic Development and Strengthening Security

By Col. Assylbek Mendygaliyev (Ret.) Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, along with other countries in the region occupy key positions in Central Asia due to their exclusive geopolitical location, presence of large reserves of minerals, their energy, transit and transport potentials, as well as investment attractiveness.

The peoples of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have a long history, culture and spiritual closeness. Both countries have numerous diasporas and ethnic communities on each other’s territories. In both countries, Islam is a dominant religion, while other religions also live in tolerance.

Commonality of interests and inextricable ties of fates of the Kazakhs and the Uzbeks make the basis of relations of these two countries, which is evidenced by the course of history.

The peoples of both countries participated in the Great Patriotic War in the fight against the common enemy, the Nazi Germany. At that time, defense factories were evacuated to the region from the European part of the Soviet Union and refugees arrived from regions near the front line. In the difficult situation, the people of these republics produced everything necessary for the front and the victory. Military units were formed here. They heroically fought at the war fronts. One of these units is the famous Panfilov Division, which defended Moscow in the hard period for the country.

Thereafter, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan participated in the making of a strong union state.

Good-neighborliness and friendly mutual assistance between the Kazakhs and the Uzbeks clearly manifested themselves at the times of troubles. The 1966 earthquake that destroyed the most of Tashkent echoed in the hearts of people with pain. Representatives of all republics of the former Soviet Union participated in eliminating the consequences of the disaster. The whole

USSR came together to rebuild the capital of Uzbekistan. Fraternal assistance of the Kazakh people in the rebuilding of Tashkent and rendering of humanitarian aid to its population was invaluable.

In turn, the brotherly Uzbekistan, along with other republics of the former Soviet Union, in 1973, assisted in the prevention of a possible dam break in the mountains above the then Kazakhstan capital Alma-Ata. The threat to the then capital of Kazakhstan was removed thanks to continued and hard work of engineers, workers and people of many professions. Mutual assistance between the Kazakh and Uzbek peoples cannot be forgotten for centuries, it is traditional for our countries.

In modern days, according to the 2050 Strategy, Kazakhstan’s foreign policy top priorities include comprehensive strengthening of the regional and national security, active development of economic and commercial diplomacy, intensification of international cooperation in cultural, humanitarian, scientific, educational, and other related fields.

In 2012, in Kazakhstan, there were 493,000 ethnic Uzbeks, making them the third largest ethnic group in the country. According to Wikipedia, a total of 78 schools with the Uzbek language of teaching are working in the places of compact residence of the Uzbek population.

Currently, more than 900,000 Ka-

zakhs live in Uzbekistan. A total of 493 schools with Kazakh language of teaching operate there, and seven universities have faculties of Kazakh language and literature, according to the Uzbek statistics.

The indicators trade and economic cooperation between these two countries are of no less importance.

According to the 2012 data, the volume of trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan made US$2.16 billion, with Kazakhstan exports reaching US$1.3 billion, and imports making up US$ 817 million. In the next two to three years, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan plan to increase the volume of trade turnover to US$5 billion by expanding the range of reciprocal deliveries. The main Uzbekistan imports from Kazakhstan are petroleum products, food products, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, chemical products. The main Uzbekistan exports to Kazakhstan are natural gas, food and chemical products.

“The success and prosperity of the two countries are based on the friendship, cooperation and mutual support, and such a content of partnership is not only a diplomatic politesse, by the demand of the time,” President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan noted.

Uzbekistan has made tremendous achievements in economic, social and political life, in the fields of education and culture and the increase of the international prestige.

President Nazarbayev has emphasized that Kazakhstan considers Uzbekistan a brotherly country, a good neighbor and a strategic partner in Central Asia.

Stressing the importance of the relationship between our two countries, President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan has said that “Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan were and still are true partners and allies. We appreciate, cherish our historically formed friendly and traditional good-neighborly relations, common roots, values and interests that have been binding our people for many centuries. I am convinced that the

awareness of these roots, a solid understanding of the common interests of our people provide the foundations of development, the strengthening of bilateral relations, despite the vicissitudes of today’s challenging times in which we live.”

Back in February 2005, in his state-of-the-nation address to the people of Kazakhstan, President Nazarbayev stressed the need for integration of the Central Asian states in order to meet today’s challenges in the region.

The peoples of the fraternal countries pin high hopes on June 14 visit of President Nursultan Nazarbayev to Uzbekistan that it will give an additional impetus to further development of bilateral relations.

The mutual intention of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan towards deepening the strategic partnership is for the benefit of their peoples and allround prosperity of both countries.

“Our further integration is the path to stability and progress in the region, economic, military and political independence. Only in this case, will the region be respected in the world. Only in this way will we ensure safety, and will we deal effectively with terrorism and extremism. Last but not least, such unification meets the interests of ordinary peoples living in our region.”

This idea is built upon in the provisions of the Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy, which states: “We should continue to be aware of our respon-

sibility for regional security and to contribute to the stabilization of Central Asia... Intra-regional integration is the best way to stabilize Central Asia. That is the way forward through which we can reduce the conflict potential in our region, to address pressing social and economic problems, untie the knot of water and energy and other contradictions.”

The development of a common position and strategy on water and energy issues in the region is invaluable for the development of the economy of both countries. In this connection, it is necessary to agree on this position with upstream neighbouring countries, within territories of which the sources of the trans-border rivers flowing downstream through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are located.

Along with the goals and measures for the strengthening and development of the economy, one of the common tasks for Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is ensuring security in Central Asia given the withdrawal of the international coalition from Afghanistan. This requires from the leadership of both countries to develop and implement further common approaches to preserving and enhancing stability and prosperity in the region.

Despite the fact that Uzbekistan withdrew from the Collective Security Treaty Organization, that country intends to address these security issues on a bilateral basis with the relevant countries. For example, it can be done based on the Treaty of Eternal Friendship between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which was signed on October 31, 1998 and entered into force on January 17, 2000. The same treaties are concluded between Uzbekistan and Russia, as well as other countries in the region.

During the official visit of President Islam Karimov to Kazakhstan on September 7, 2012, a joint statement on consolidation and further strategic cooperation between the two countries was issued. At that

point, the President of Kazakhstan noted the symbolism of the official visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan held on the eve of the 20th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. It was emphasized that in this period a solid legal base, including more than a hundred agreements, was developed, allowing for further progressive development of the mutually beneficial cooperation.

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are expanding cooperation in combating transnational threats and challenges through multilateral organizations such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and others. Both countries have made a significant contribution to the creation of a nuclear weapons free zone in Central Asia, according to the Treaty of Semipalatinsk signed on September 8, 2006 and ratified by member countries on January 5, 2009.

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are also states - parties to the CIS Treaty on a free trade zone. During the Kazakh-Uzbek summit in Astana on September 7, 2012, an agreement on joint practical steps on registration procedures for Uzbekistan’s accession to that Treaty was reached. The Council of CIS heads of government approved the decision of Uzbekistan to accede to the free trade zone in Yalta on September 30, 2012.

The peoples of the fraternal countries pin high hopes on June 14 visit of President Nursultan Nazarbayev to Uzbekistan that it will give an additional impetus to further development of bilateral relations. The mutual intention of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan towards deepening the strategic partnership is for the benefit of their peoples and all-round prosperity of both countries.

The author is the acting head of the Institute of Statehood, Security Problems and Development of the Nazarbayev Center.

The Astana Times

А8

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Eurasia & World

Solar Bike Journey Highlights Sustainable Energy, EXPO 2017

The solar powered electric bicycle race from France to Kazakhstan, which has started on June 15, promotes upcoming EXPO 2017 and its topic “Future Energy”.

By Nadezhda Khamitova ASTANA – On June 15, a trip from Savoy, France to Astana on solar-powered bicycles kicked off at the National Institute of Solar Energy, Savoy Technolac.

On “The Sun Trip: On the road to Astana EXPO 2017,” 33 riders from Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, the Czech Republic and France, as well as Askar Syzbayev of Kazakhstan, will use solar power (and their legs) to reach the capital of Kazakhstan to support EXPO 2017 and its theme, Future Energy, as well as to draw the world’s attention to renewable energy sources and energy conservation policy.

Journey to Renewable Energy Association President Florian Bailly masterminded the race, which he hopes will generate interest in renewable energy and

energy conservation policy and promote alternative energy access for all. The international participants are also supporting the Astana Solar project, a joint Kazakh-French project for the development of solar energy technologies and the creation of an industrial production line of solar panels in Kazakhstan.

The riders' bicycles have electric motors powered by solar panels worth 8,000 euros. Each bicycle has an attached trailer with two solar panels and two lithium batteries for powering the motors.

The motors allow riders to speed up without pedalling faster.

During the trip, stops in the cities of Venice, Sofia, Bucharest, Odessa, Istanbul, Sochi, Baku, Atyrau and Aktobe are planned before reaching the finish line in Astana. Each participant has chosen his own route. The entire

Astana EXPO 2017 is one of the key organizers of the bike ride.

“We want to organise a new movement, similar to the Dakar [the Dakar Rally, a road race from Paris to Dakar], but for cyclists, and demonstrate the capability of alternative energy,” Bailly said.

He said that the choice of Kazakhstan as the final destination was based on the country's embodiment of the “spirit of adventure” as well as the active development of cycling in the country.

“The country is very beautiful, especially its nature. Currently, French people are acquainted with Kazakhstan’s Astana cycling team and, in particular, with Alexander Vinokourov. So for the French right now, cycling is inseparable from Kazakh culture,” Bailly told in an earlier interview.

Bailly has already done a solar cycle trip: he travelled from France to Tokyo, covering 10,000 kilometres and passing through 12 countries over four months in 2010. He loved how interested people were in his revolutionary bike: “Over the journey I met many people and was surprised that everyone, no matter whether young or old, rich or poor, was interested in my bike. I do not really speak Chinese or Russian, but we exchanged a few words or com-

trip will cover about 6,000-7,000 miles, depending on the chosen route, and will last from two to three months. The majority of cyclists are expected to reach Astana in August and will be welcomed by residents of the capital.

A mass bike ride will be organised after all the participants have arrived.

“All participants of The Sun Trip 2013 are full of energy, including both experienced and novice travelers, and all are united by one common idea: to draw attention to the use of renewable energy,” Talgat Yermegiyaev, Chairman of the Board of JSC National Ccompany Astana EXPO 2017, said. “The Sun Trip is an unprecedented international project that will tell the people in Europe and Asia about the International Specialized Exhibition EXPO 2017. I wish you a good trip!”

Tashkent Visit Affirms Strong Kazakh-Uzbek Ties From Page A1 The agreement confirms a single coherent position regarding the development of a fair system of water management in Central Asia intended to resolve all issues in the water and energy sector, including the construction of new hydropower plants on rivers in accordance with universally recognised norms of international law and taking into account the interests of all states in the region.

“A great deal depends for our future on how [Central Asia] cooperates and trusts each other and how we resolve together our questions without hindering other states,” President Nazarbayev said. “Our approaches on many issues, including the water problem in the region, coincide,” he said of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. “And we want to send a friendly message to our neighbours that we ourselves have to resolve these questions. There are no unresolvable problems and questions.”

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan opposes the plans to build the Rogun hydropower dams on the Vakhsh River in Tajikistan and the Kambarata dam on the Naryn River in Kyrgyzstan, which could affect water supplies to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and the environments and economies of the two downstream states.

President Nazarbayev said of the issue that disputes could be solved “only on the basis of negotiations and the strengthening of mutual trust, without confrontation.” He said that the leaders of downstream states understand the economic needs of their upstream neighbours, but “one question cannot be resolved at the expense of another state, that is all we are saying.”

The parties also signed a programme of cooperation in the field of culture for 2013-2015, an agreement on cooperation between the Ministries of the Interior and a protocol between the State Customs Committee of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Finance of Kazakhstan on the exchange of preliminary information about goods and vehicles crossing the customs border.

President Nazarbayev highlighted a number of other important areas of increased interaction.

Among them were the development of interparliamentary ties, military cooperation and increased cooperation in crisis situations.

The President of Kazakhstan also expressed his gratitude to President Karimov for Uzbekistan’s support for Astana’s bid to host the international exhibition EXPO 2017.

“We invite our Uzbek friends to take part in the construction of their exposition and to demonstrate the possibilities of the economy of your country. Participation in the EXPO will strengthen the economic growth of our countries and strengthen cooperation. We count on the support of our brother Uzbekistan for our country’s candidacies in the upcoming election of non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for 2017-2018, as well as the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Kazakhstan, for its part, will support the initiatives of your country,” he said.

President Nazarbayev also noted that an important factor in strengthening bilateral ties is the presence of ethnic communities living in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

“Our citizens, especially the younger generation, need to know more about the rich cultural heritage of the historic friendship of our ancestors. I hope that the programme of cooperation between the Ministries of Culture will meet the spiritual needs of the Kazakh and Uzbek communities,” he said.

During the meeting, the two presidents also discussed the situation in Afghanistan. President Nazarbayev reported that the two states have similar positions on the issue.

President Nazarbayev concluded his remarks by once again thanking President Karimov for the trust, mutual understanding and openness of the talks, as well as his constant focus on strengthening the fraternal ties of good-neighbourliness and cooperation for the benefit of the peoples of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

President Karimov also noted

municated through gestures. But what is most interesting—everyone knew how a bike works!”

Syzbayev, Kazakhstan's representative on the trip, is only 25 years old but has already travelled in 18 countries. He has a degree in tourism management and lives in Astana at the moment. This will be his first trip on bike with solar panels and his goal is to cover 150 kilometres a day. This is not his first long distance ride: he has ridden from Kazakhstan to Afghanistan on a normal bicycle.

The project is officially supported by the former economy minister of France and president of the Savoy region, Herve Gaymard; European Union Commission member Michel Barnier; Olympic champion and member of the International Olympic Committee Jean-Claude Killy; TV star and president and founder of the Fondation Nicolas-Hulot environmental organisation Nicolas Hulot; Olympic champion Alexander Vinokourov and the Embassy of Kazakhstan in France.

Among the partners of The Sun Trip are EDF (the French national electricity company); INES (French Research Centre for Solar Energy) and ADEME (the French government agency for the use of alternative energy), among others.

the importance of the negotiations and the results achieved. “In Uzbekistan, we value the historically established fraternal relationship between our peoples,” he said.

The Uzbek leader said the talks with his Kazakhstan counterpart were constructive and took place in an atmosphere of mutual understanding, and that the strategic partnership signed during the talks is an overdue step in supporting the fundamental interests of the two peoples.

“I am convinced that the important agreements signed today will fill the practical content of KazakhUzbek relations,” he said.

The two leaders also participated in the opening ceremony for the new building of the Embassy of Kazakhstan and the monument to the great Kazakh poet and philosopher, Abai Kunanbayev.

“The lyrics of Abai, his words of edification and philosophical thought, all these are not only the spiritual heritage of the Kazakh

people, but also of the entire Islamic world. His works appeal to knowledge, hard work, justice and brotherhood. His works are truly immortal. Over time, they become more and more relevant, defining benchmarks for social, cultural and spiritual life,” President Nazarbayev said at the opening ceremony.

The opening of the new embassy building in Tashkent is evidence of increasing bilateral cooperation. An agreement on the construction of new diplomatic missions in Astana and Tashkent was reached in 2010.

On the instruction of President Nazarbayev, the embassy building was built in an oriental style in accordance with the style of the capital of Uzbekistan.

President Nazarbayev said at the opening that such events confirm the commitment of the two countries to promoting friendship and brotherhood. President Karimov also expressed his confidence in the permanence of the friendship

between the two peoples, commenting that the new embassy and monument made the Uzbek capital even more beautiful.

“Abai Kunanbayev is well known and highly valued in Uzbekistan as a national poet, educator and humanist who dedicated his entire life to documenting the high aspirations and expectations of the people who fought for the triumph of goodness and justice. It is hard to overestimate the immense services of Abai Kunanbayev, who clearly and fully reflected the powerful spiritual force of the Kazakh people and their noblest qualities in his immortal works,” he said.

President Karimov expressed confidence that a monument to Alisher Navoi, considered to be the founder of Uzbek literature, will be erected in Astana with the support of President Nazarbayev.

After the opening ceremony the two leaders visited the Sheykhantakhur complex and the mausoleums of Sheikh Havendi Takhur and of

prominent Kazakh public figure, poet and thinker Tole bi.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on November 23, 1992. According to data from 2012, trade between the two countries grew 9.6 percent and reached US$2.75 billion, including Kazakh exports of US$1.67 billion and imports of US$1.07 billion.

The share of foreign trade with Kazakhstan came to 10.5 percent for overall foreign trade of Uzbekistan, making Kazakhstan the third largest trading partner for its southern neighbour.

Today, 178 companies operate in Uzbekistan with the participation of investors from Kazakhstan, including 143 joint ventures and 35 companies with 100 percent Kazakh capital. More than 120 enterprises established with the participation of residents of Uzbekistan are registered in Kazakhstan.

There are more than 810,000 ethnic Kazakhs living in Uzbekistan and about 460,000 ethnic Uzbeks are citizens of Kazakhstan, making them the third largest ethnic group in the country after the Kazakhs and the Russians.

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The Astana Times

Nation & Capital Wednesday, 26 June 2013 International Echo of Asia Circus Festival Returns to Astana Page B3

New Resort Opens near Aktau, Another Recreation Center Is Being Built Page B6

Kazakhstan Proposes Creating Eurasian Water Polo League Page B7

Cooking Classes Showcase Birzhan-Sara opera opens season at new Norwegian Fish Exports Astana Opera Theatre

By Julia Rutz

ASTANA – On June 14, Nordic cooking master classes were organised by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway in the Metro supermarket and the Radisson Hotel as a response to the growing demand for freshly frozen fish in Kazakhstan.

The Nordic cooking class in the Radisson Hotel was officially opened by Ambassador of Norway to Kazakhstan Ole Johan Bjørnøy.

In his speech, the ambassador emphasised Norway’s role as one of the world’s largest fish exporters. Fishing is one of Norway’s most important responses to the challenge of producing sufficient, healthy food for a rapidly growing population. Salmon, trout, mackerel and herring are some of the different sorts of fish that Norway exports to over 100 different countries.

The ambassador also stressed the important role Kazakhstan is playing in Norway’s fish exports. “Kazakhstan is a strategically important country and an increasingly important partner for Norway. An increasing amount of Norwegian fish is being eaten on Kazakh tables. But there is definitely room for more,” Ambassador Bjørnøy said.

The key concern of Norwegian exporters is the pure quality of the products, so Norwegian aquaculture does not use antibiotics. “It is also important to maintain a short distance between where the fish is caught and the processing plant,” the ambassador explained. A modern fleet of fishing vessels is also crucial to providing quality products, he said. The ambassador also shared his history as a member of Norway’s fisheries inspection service.

Continued on Page B5

The famous opera “Birzhan-Sara,” directed by Yuri Alexandrov, premiered at the recently opened Astana Opera Theatre.

By Laura Tusupbekova and Bektur Kadyrov Norwegian chef Per Schierenbeck demonstrates easy fish recipes to locals at the Metro supermarket in Astana.

ASTANA – On June 21, the opera “Birzhan-Sara,” directed by

Yuri Alexandrov, premiered at the recently opened Astana Opera Theatre with President Nursultan Nazarbayev and other dignitaries in attendance.

The opening coincides with the

Longer Yessil Navigation Season Opens, Increase in Customers Expected

100th anniversary of the birth of the opera composer, Mukan Tulebayev, and comes only shortly before the beginning of Day of the Capital celebrations.

President Nazarbayev congratu-

lated attendees on the opening of the Astana Opera theatre, calling it “a priceless gift for the 15th anniversary of our capital.”

Continued on Page B2

Finnish Expert AriPekka Selin Becomes Head Coach of Barys

By Ilyas Omarov ASTANA – Astana’s major hockey team, Barys, enters this preseason with a new coach, Ari-Pekka Selin, a longtime head coach in the Finnish hockey league and previously an assistant coach on the Finnish men’s national hockey team.

“Astana has made a good impression: they pay a lot of attention to hockey. For example, a new 12,000-seat arena is going to be built. The team basically consists of Kazakh players, whom I don’t know well yet. There are also some Canadians. A few positions require strengthening,” Selin said after taking the position.

Barys has seen a change at the

goalkeeper position too: Ari Ahonen, previously with the Metallurgist from Magnitogorsk has replaced Teemu Lassila. Ahonen will share the position with veteran Vitali Yeremeyev.

The team’s defensive ranks, traditionally its weakest link, have been joined by the American Michael Lundin, who played for the U.S. National Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators, and Kazakhstan players Yeugeny Blokhin and Maxim Semenov from the Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik and the Yaroslavl Locomotive.

Fans of Barys will see their favourites on the ice in August, when Astana will open the traditional tournament for the prize of the President of Kazakhstan.

Things to Watch in June - July

The Central Concert Hall Kazakhstan

June 27 at 19.00

June 29 at 19.00

July 5 at 17.00

Concert of Stars of the world ballet in “Operalia 2013” Concert of Stars of the world opera in “Operalia 2013” Concert “Stars of Astana”

National cycle track “Sary-Arka”

June 30 at 13.00, 19.00 July 6 at 19.00

Locals and guests of the capital will have an opportunity to enjoy the new expanded Yessil river navigation route soon.

By Anel Adilbayeva ASTANA – The Yessil River that curves through the capital has been undergoing consistent development to lengthen the navigable route and expand the options for river transport. This year's navigation season opened on May 15th with a waterway length of 6.6 kilometres and an expanded navigation season.

“Compared to last year, the navigation period has changed. We will run until late October, if the weather conditions allow us,” Director of SCE Yessil Astana Kanat Yerekeshev told reporters. Veterans and children with disabilities

were the first passengers to take to the water.

“It is a real holiday for me and an amazing experience,” local boarding school student Arman Kalambayev said to a local newspaper.

Three passenger vessels ply the river: Fontanka, with 65 seats; KS 110-32, with 30 seats, and KSW082 with 45 seats. Three moorages, Astana Park, Chubary and Time of Year, as well as the floating docks Samal, Kenesary and Radisson, located along popular routes, aim to make it convenient for passengers to board Yessil-Astana boats. SCE Yessil-Astana now has six boats, as it acquired three new ones last year: a motorboat

that seats 35 passengers bought in Germany and towing and cruising launches from Russia. Prices for a ride are 700 tenge (about $4.60) for adults and 350 tenge (about $2.40) for children from seven to 16 years old.

According to Deputy Chief of the Centre of Passenger Transportation of Astana LLP Zhomart Daumenova, more than 22,000 people, of which about 15,000 were children, were transported on the river last year. That number is expected to increase this year.

River cruises are especially popular with wedding parties. “We have chosen to take a tour on the river because it’s something that

isn't just the ordinary way of taking pre-wedding photos. It’s more traditionally accepted to drive across the city and take pictures with the symbolic buildings of Astana in the background. Both ways are good, but if you're looking for something new, you can try the boat,” newlyweds Yerzhan and Assel said.While currently the route around the capital is only a cruising option, it could become a major transportation artery. The Yessil has been expanded greatly as part of the plan for developing the capital. The river is currently being deepened in order to accommodate river transport; the navigation route is planned to eventually reach 18 kilometres.

Kazakh wrestling “Kazakhstan Barys” Gala Concert of World and Kazakhstan celebrities “Askaktai ber Astana”

Café Chekhov (Shopping Centre Sary-Arka)

July 2 at 20.00

Poetry Reading

Russian Drama Theatre named after Maxim Gorky

June 28, 29 at 18.00

Melodrama “Savage. Third word”

by Alejandro Kasona

The Palace of Peace and Accord

July 4, 5 at 19.00

July 9, 10 at 19.00

June 26, 27 at 19.00

July 2 at 19.00 July 5 at 16.00, 19.00 July 6 at 17.00 July 8 at 18.30

play “Enemies. Love story” Moscow theatre “Sovremennik” play “Three sisters” Moscow theatre “Sovremennik”

Congress Hall

play “Cyrano de Bergerac” with Russian stars Recital of Kenes Duysekeev World of humour Concert “My heart Astana!”

Concert “Song and Singer”

The Astana Times

B2

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

People

Pavlodar Medical Family Continues to Serve Public

By Yelena Mayorova

PAVLODAR – As Kazakhstan celebrated Medical Workers’ Day earlier in June, The Astana Times takes a look at the achievements of Katima Sultanova, her husband Tulegen Mussabekov and their family of medical professionals.

Medical Workers’ Day is an opportunity for the public to express gratitude toward medical professionals who work to provide quality care. And Sultanova is one of those professionals who is noted for her work toward the formation and development of the National Scientific and Practical Center of Medical and Social Problems of Drug Abuse.

After graduating from Semipalatinsk State Medical Institute in 1974 with a specialty in medical business, she became a doctortherapist as she worked her way from intern to deputy director of the Practical Center of Medical and Social Problems of Drug Abuse.

Sultanova is a respected medical and health professional who has received many memorable distinctions, commemorative medals and diplomas from the Ministry of Healthcare. Sultanova has also been proposed for leadership positions, including in the difficult transition period following Kazakhtan’s independence from the Soviet Union when she was elected Chairperson of the Association of Family Doctors of Pavlodar region.

Among her most noted achievements, however, has been the establishment of the centre. Sultanova she led the centre’s clinical unit and has inspired young medical professionals. Her husband Tule-

Katima Sultanova (seated left) and her husband Tulegen Mussabekov (seated right) with their family. gen Mussabekov is a surgeon who is active in the field of abdominal surgery. The couple’s eldest son,

Arman, is also a medical professional and head of the surgical department of the Pavlodar re-

gional hospital Candidate of Medical Science. And daughter-in-law Zhannat is a psychotherapist and

also holds a leadership position at the centre.

Katima Sultanova, Tulegen Muss-

North Kazakhstan Farmer Leads Village to Success

By Alexander Kuzennyi

NORTH KAZAKHSTAN – Almost all of the economically active population of Karaagash village is employed in manufacturing.

The average salary here is 80,000 tenge. The aul (“village” in Kazakh) was first revived by the Zvolskiy farming partnership more than 10 years ago after the hardship years following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

About 10 years ago the partnership was re-registered as AstykSTEM LLP, under the leadership of well-known agricultural manager Sergei Zvolskiy, whose dedication to finding new and effective methods of farming have brought the village these unprecedented profits.

Sergei Zvolskiy Astyk-STEM was founded through the Zvolskiy farming partnership. Sergei Zvolskiy invited his driver, a former chief agronomist of the farm and a former chief animal technician to be co-founders.

The management quartet was initially dictated by the need to create a material base for farming tasks: someone had a tractor; someone had a truck and haying equipment.

But this was a minor factor.

The main reason was the knowledge of his teammates and their drive to get to work.

However, with all the drive in the world, the idea of entering a market without money is a fantasy.

In those years, the prospect of getting a loan was equally fanciful.

Only in 2008 did their partnership finally get access to credit and, after the first lease payment of 12.5 percent, bought a seeder.

At the initial stage, their business was saved by strawberries.

Zvolskiy purchased 1,000 bushes of the perennial berries in the Omsk region and in a year they produced a rich harvest. The partnership earned two million tenge.

At the same time, they set a goal of learning how to make money in all weather conditions.

After a trip to Israel, Zvolskiy decided to initiate an Israeli carrot project. Israeli farmers get double profits despite the fact that they grow carrots in almost desert conditions. Water in Israel is worth its weight in gold: a litre of water costs six tenge, if counted in the Kazakhstan currency. Yet Israeli farmers make a fortune exporting their high-quality and environmentally friendly carrots.

Israeli agrarians were the first in the world to use drip irrigation, starting in 1953. Astyk-STEM started using it in 2010. They arranged an irrigation area of 150 hectares. One third of the plantation is supplied with water from local wells; the rest of the water is brought from afar.

Using relatively little water, the carrot crop was a great success.

Having collected 50 tons of carrots per hectare on average, the villagers faced the challenge of where and how to store and sell their produce. They bought a new combine for 20 million tenge and built a vegetable storage capacity for 1,500 tons.

Last year, they grew a double crop that cost 17 tenge per kilo to produce and sold for 56 tenge, a profit margin that caused Zvoliskiy’s visiting Israeli colleagues to doff their hats to him.

In Israel, Zvoliskiy also saw tomatoes grown with drip irrigation and decided to try it in his partnership, but in his own way. He tied a 1.5 litre plastic bottle to a stick near each bush and filled the bottles with water every morning. By opening their corks just enough for a drip of water, he made a homemade drip irrigation device. In August, he had his results: every bush had three or four tomatoes more than using the previous system.

In 2010, when the project was making its first steps, carrots and potatoes grown with this new technology brought a net income of more than $100,000. In 2011, the income was already $350,000, which allowed the village to invest 124 million tenge in production development. The rest is spent on improving the villagers’ quality of life. Such is the financial policy in the partnership.

In the past year, the village has collected 46 tons of potatoes per hectare at a cost of 20 tenge per kilo and a sale price of 50 tenge.

Two thousand tons were stored.

The villagers also cultivate beets, cabbage and onions.

“We collect two times more vegetables and potatoes at less than half the cost, and this is not the limit,” Zvolskiy said.

While investing money continually in the development of produc-

tion, Zvolskiy does not forget about the social sphere, allocating 13-15 million tenge annually for social needs. He supports the school and

medical station, provides transport for the delivery of coal, wood, hay and stubble and has built a leisure centre in the village.

The villagers are well aware that the more money the company makes, the higher the income of each family. The land shareholders,

abekov and their family are the type of medical professionals celebrated during Medical Workers’ Day.

in addition to a salary of 80,000 tenge, a record in the rural area, consistently receive 10 percent of the total yield.

The Astana Times

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

B3

Culture

Historical Council Urges UNESCO World Heritage Designation for Korkyt-Ata Complex

According to Akim of Kyzylorda Oblast Krymbek Kusherbayev, the Korkyt-Ata complex will be one of the most important and key sights on the international tourist routes in Kazakhstan.

By Maral Seidaliyeva A scientific and methodical council on the preservation of the historical and cultural heritage of the region was set up on June 16 in Kyzylorda, immediately calling for the designation of the region’s Korkyt-Ata Complex as UNESCO’s World Heritage Site.

Famous poet, national writer of Kazakhstan, politician and Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to UNESCO Olzhas Suleimenov was a guest of honour at the event.

Other guests and participants included prominent scholars, historians, architects and public figures, such as Murat Auezov, Karl Baipakov, Tynysbek Konyratbay, Beck Ibrayev, Bauyrzhan Baytanayev, Madiyar Eleuov, Zeynolla Samashev, and Zhandarbek Malibekov.

Experts from national institutions of archaeology and ethnography unanimously supported the idea of Akim (Governor) of Kyzylorda region Krymbek Kusherbayev to nominate the historical and architectural complex Korkyt-Ata for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

For this purpose, a wide range of works, including developing a new project to expand the space for the Korkyt-Ata memorial in the Karmakshy area and reconstructing the monument, have been started in the region.

“Despite the fact that voluminous archaeological work has been conducted in the region, a unique archaeological and ethnographic system still has not been created. It is necessary to promote ancient cities, such as Syganak, Zhankent and others, with great historical value all over the

world. Today, work supporting the introduction of the Korkyt-Ata complex, which is unique in the world, to the UNESCO World Heritage List, is being conducted. The complex will be one of the most important and key sights of the international tourist route,” Akim Kusherbayev said.

Honoured Architect of Kazakhstan Bek Ibrayev introduced a new draft design of the memorial. Suleimenov, the guest of honour, said that this memorial should become not only part of the cultural heritage of the Turkic world, but a part of the spiritual heritage of the entire world community.

In Kazakhstan, Korkyt is mostly known as a mythical spirit, but for the rest of the region he is also a real person: a musician and the creator of the kobyz, a traditional Kazakh stringed instrument. Korkyt is believed to have been born in the seventh or eighth century in today’s Kyzylorda region, in Yankent, the ancient capital of the Oguz people. Tombs purporting to be his are found in Kazakhstan, Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Kazakh legend about Korkyt says that when he was 20 years old, a messenger from God appeared to tell him that he would live no more than 40 years. Trying to change his destiny, Korkyt decided to seek Zheruyk, the land where people live forever, and set off riding his camel, Zhelmaya. Running away from death, Korkyt visited the four known parts of the world, and when he realised that there was no promised land, he decided to find the centre of the earth. That turned out to be the coast of the Syr-Darya river, where, according to legend, the land is connected with the cosmos.

One day, an angel appeared to him

and told him how to fashion a kobyz.

His playing attracted all living things, uniting all life against death. While he played, death could not take him, so he played and played. Eventually, after many days of playing, he fell asleep and death, in the form of a snake, came for him. At his request, a kobyz was put in Korkyt’s grave.

The legend continues that the sound of the kobyz could be heard from under the earth at his grave site and can still be heard across the steppe.

In 1980, a monument in the form of a kobyz was erected in Kyzylorda region in honour of Korkyt-Ata. Two manuscripts of this story in the Chagatai language were found in Germany and the Vatican in the 17th and in 18th centuries. Later, this written monument was published under the title “Kitabi Dede Korkyt” (“The Book of Korkyt-Ata”). The German scientist Friedrich Dietz translated part of the Dresden manuscript into German in 1815. In Turkey, this monument of literary culture was printed in 1916 and in Azerbaijan in 1939.

The renowned Turkic-language researcher Ettore Rossi published “The Book of Korkyt-Ata” in Italian in 1952. The book was then translated into other European languages.

In Azerbaijan and Turkey, Korkyt is widely accepted as a historical figure. His 1,300th anniversary was widely celebrated in Azerbaijan in 1999.Korkyt-ata was first mentioned in the works of Chokan Valikhanov and ethnographers Abubekir Divayev, Alkei Margulan and Mukhtar Auezov.

Scientists Auelbek Konratbayev and Mardan Baydildayev translated the Kazakh language manuscript, “The Book of Korkyt-Ata,” in 1986.

Birzhan-Sara opera opens season at new Astana Opera Theatre

Artists who performed on the stage of Astana Opera Theatre amazed their first guests with their colourful costumes and emotional singing.

From Page B1 He thanked the architects and builders of the theatre, the largest in Central Asia. “Development of culture is a high priority for the country; Kazakh culture has to become a recognisable part of the global cultural heritage. This applies to all forms of contemporary art – music, theatre, cinema, literature and painting… We are building theatres, looking many years ahead,” the president said.

Director and People’s Artist of Russia Yuri Alexandrov has staged 14 performances in Kazakhstan, and Art Director and People’s Artist of Russia Vyacheslav

Okunev has staged 20, including ballet.

They staged “Abylaikhan,” by Yerkegali Rakhmadiyev, at the Abay State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre together, a production for which they were awarded the Dostyk Order, Kazakhstan’s state award.

For this current production, Alexandrov studied Tulebayev’s notes and previous productions, and with the help of Kazakh conductor Abzal Mukhitdinov made some changes to the work, slashing and replacing parts in order to revitalise the classic opera and create a more gripping performance. Alexandrov also studied historical literature and worked with ethnographic museums to rec-

reate the costumes of northern Kazakhstan in the 19th century.

The choreography is done by St. Petersburg choreographer Vladimir Romanovsky; main parts are sung

by Honoured Artist of Kazakhstan and Tatarstan Nurzhamal Usenbayeva and Honoured Artist of Russia and Tatarstan Ahmed Agadi.

Birzhan-Sara premiered in 1946, directed by Kurmanbek Dzhandarbekov, with Anvarbek Umbetbaev and Kulyash Baisseitova singing the main parts.

The second performance came in 1976, directed by Baigali Dosymzhanov; the third in 2000, directed by national artist Azerbaizhan Mambetov.

International Echo of Asia Circus Festival Returns to Astana

By Manshuk Bekentayeva

ASTANA – The capital of Kazakhstan will host the international circus festival, Echo of Asia, from July 1 to July 8.

For the sixth year in a row, the circus festival will be part of Astana’s annual anniversary celebration and will gather the region’s best circus performers. The Festival will also help highlight Kazakhstan’s cultural achievements.

Echo of Asia is meant to present the best international circus performers in the world and raise the status of the concept of the circus within the arts community.

The festival will feature performances by circus stars, including trapeze artists, jugglers, acrobats and clowns from Russia, China, Tanzania, Belarus, Italy, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, among others. The performers will include circus masters, circus arts laureates and the descendants of circus dynasties. The circus’ performers and animals will also be part of a short parade in the streets of the capital.

Last year’s Echo of Asia circus festival included sixty artists from such countries as Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, China and Mongolia. Among the highlights of last year’s festival was a unique performance by trained Russian bears that performed on a tight rope 10 metres above the ground.

First place in the 2012 festival was awarded to artists from Mongolia for a performance entitled “Plastic Etude.” Second place was shared between a gymnast from Kazakhstan, acrobats from Kyrgyzstan and gymnasts from China. Third

place went to a clown duet and monkey trainer from Russia and an artist from Kazakhstan.

The festival is meant to develop international cultural ties, expand access to culturally significant information, preserve cultural diversity

and to increase the professionalism of circus performers and the sophistication of their audience to the circus arts.

On July 6, Kazakhstan will celebrate the 15th anniversary of Astana as its new capital.

Best international circus performers from Russia, China, Tanzania, Belarus, Italy, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan will come to Astana in the frames of the international circus festival.

The Astana Times

B4

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Country

Delegation from Tatarstan Joins Community’s Celebration of National Holiday in Kazakhstan Almaty for the Winter Universiade. I am confident that the Universiade will be held on the highest level here,” he noted. On the same day, State Counsellor Shaimiyev celebrated Sabantyi in Semey, in East Kazakhstan. Counsellor Shaimiyev laid flowers at the monument to Abai Kunanbayev and visited the Nevzorovs’ museum and the regional ballet school for gifted children. At the only Tatar art school in Kazakhstan, headed

by Gabdulkhak Akhunzhanov, an honoured worker of culture of Tatarstan, honoured artist of Tatarstan and vice president of the Association of Tatars and Bashkirs of Kazakhstan, a conversation about the achievements of the school and its problems took place. The counsellor and former president was accompanied by Akim (Governor) of East Kazakhstan region Berdy-

“Sabantyi is a traditional Tatar holiday and every year it is celebrated on a grand scale, not only in Russia, but throughout the world. This year, we were able to organise Sabantyi in 226 places, including small Tatar communities. This festival is primarily needed to establish and promote communication and friendship, to learn more about each other,” Counsellor Shaimiyev said at the opening of celebrations on Polkovnichii island.

Counsellor Shaimiyev also noted the strong feeling of tolerance in Kazakhstan, the economic indicators of the country and its growing role in the global arena, and attributed those qualities to the work of Kazakhstan's president, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Akim Saparbayev, highlighting the multi-ethnicity of Kazakhstan

maty poet Nazilya Usmanova.

Counsellor Shaimiyev gave the title of Honoured Artist of the Republic of Tatarstan to Associate Professor of the Kazakh Academy of Music Damir Sultanov and to the director of the regional specialised ballet school for gifted children, Kamila Ismailova.

Delegations from Kyrgyzstan, China, Altai and Omsk oblast of the Russian Federation also came to Semey for Sabantyi. The Republic of Tatarstan was represented by Nurlatsky district, which brought a huge exhibition on the lives and traditions of the Tatars.

The festival in Semey included Tatar food, performances of Tatar national songs, Tatar games and a photo exhibition.

In kurash, Tatar national wrestling, fighters use towels and try to knock down their opponents.

Honourable guests from Kyrgyzstan, China, as well as the Altai and Omsk oblasts of the Russian Federation attended the traditional Tatar holiday Sabantyi to support the celebrations.

By Rinat Dussumov ALMATY – SEMEY – President of Russia's Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and State Counsellor Mintimer Shaimiyev, a former president, visited Kazakhstan to attend celebrations of the Tatar traditional holiday Sabantyi, celebrated in the summer during a break in farm work between spring planting and autumn reaping. The holiday traditionally includes sports competitions such as wrestling and other fighting, horseback riding, pot smashing, and other feats of strength and skill.

Almaty's Sabantyi festival was held at the International Ski Jumping Complex, one of the newest and best international ski jumping facilities in the world. A theatrical performance organised with the participation of the Bugulma district of Tatarstan was held on the grass of the finishing area in front of packed stands. After the performance, Olympic silver medalist in freestyle wrestling Guzel Manyurova raised flag of Saban-

tyi, symbolising the start of the holiday.

“I have never seen such a beautiful place provided for Sabantyi,” said President Minnikhanov in an interview with local media.

“I think that our Bugulma district is representing Tatarstan honourably.” President Minnikhanov also expressed his gratitude to activists from the ethnic and cultural societies of Almaty for their efforts to preserve the culture, language and customs of the Tatar people.

“Sabantyi is one of the best ways to preserve the uniqueness of the Tatar nation all over the world.

The holiday is celebrated in 55 regions of Russia and in 23 countries worldwide,” he said.

The president of Tatarstan and the mayor of Almaty, Akhmetzhan Yessimov, gave letters of appreciation to activists from Tatar ethnic and cultural associations.

In his welcoming speech, the mayor thanked President Minnikhanov for his assistance to the Almaty delegation that had previously visited the Tatarstan capital, Kazan.

“Winter Universiade 2017 will take place in Almaty, so it's very important for us to gain from Kazan's experience in preparing for a large-scale event like this,” the mayor said. Kazan hosts Summer Universiade this summer. He also noted that “What we saw is very useful for us in the creation of technology parks and development of information technology.

We have to adopt and implement the best practices.” He added that members of the Kazakhstan delegation had a chance to discuss a number of issues and that security experts will visit Kazan as well, to study the experience of their Tatar colleagues.

President Minnikhanov said that friendly relations between the two nations' leaders, Nursultan Nazarbayev and Vladimir Putin, create opportunities for cooperation which are also supported by the historical closeness of the Kazakh and Tatar peoples.

He also expressed his confidence in Almaty's preparations for the Winter Universiade. “It would be difficult to find a better venue than

Kurash, Tatar national wrestling, competitions are a big part of Sabantyi celebrations: the winner of the holiday bout becomes the batyr or hero of the Sabantyi. bek Saparbayev, Mayor of Semey Aybek Karimov, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the World Congress of Tatars Rinat Zakirov, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Association of the Tatars and Bashkirs of Kazakhstan Rinat Abdulhalikov and other officials.

and its promotion of unity and harmony, said, “It is encouraging that Sabantyi has become a beloved international holiday of our country.” He then presented Counsellor Shaimiyev with a collection of classic poems by Kazakh poet Mukagali Makatayev translated into Tatar by the Al-

Kurash competitions are a big part of Sabantyi celebrations: the winner of the holiday bout becomes the batyr or hero of the Sabantyi. Darkhan Zholamanov from Pavlodar won this year and received a new car, the keys of which were presented by Counselor Shaimiyev.

Holland Promotes Bicycling in Astana

Bicycles become an increasingly popular means of transportation and recreation in Kazakhstan.

By Anel Adilbayeva ASTANA – The Embassy of the Netherlands in cooperation with the city administration of Astana held a citywide bike race on June 15 to promote healthy lifestyles and energy conservation.

The event, which drew 150 racers and began at the Baiterek Tower, was part of the Dutch Week event, held in Astana for the second year.

The Embassy of the Netherlands

provided 20 bikes for participants, as well as 10 new Dutch-produced bicycles for the winners.

The event was meant to demonstrate the environmental and health advantages of bicycling to city residents. According to organizers, in the Netherlands there are two bikes per one resident and a lot of attention is paid to the health of the nation.

“I came here to take part in a bicycle race because I like sports and

cycling. I am very thankful to the organizers because I was able to win a bike… In the future, I want to be as healthy and as athletic as (famous cyclist) Alexander Vinokourov,” said Danil Giller, one of the winners of the bike race.

The bicycle has become the most popular and iconic means of transportation for the Dutch. Everyone from businessmen to bankers in suits to pregnant women and children can be seen riding bikes in the Netherlands.

“Previously, China was the leader in this area, but now residents of the Netherlands are increasingly switching from cars to bicycles,” said Peter van Leeuwen, the Dutch ambassador to Kazakhstan.

“Bilateral relations between Kazakhstan and the Netherlands are developing in a positive direction.

Holland holds a leading position in terms of investments into the Kazakh economy. And, in addition to a host of bilateral projects, the two countries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of energy,” the ambassador said. “I support any initiative related to the efficient use of energy, including this project. We are squandering a lot of wasted energy. According to statistics, if you use energy-saving technology, you can save more than 40 percent of what we use now,” he concluded.

The event was organized by the UNDP/GEF Project on Energy Efficiency in Municipal Heat Supply jointly with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Regional Development’s Committee for Construction, Housing and Utilities, the Kazakhstan Center of Modernization and Development of Housing, the Nur Otan party, the Civil Alliance of Kazakhstan and the Association of Governing, as well as private companies.

The Astana Times

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

B5

society

New Internet Project Expands Latest Fryday Event Provides Children’s Geographical New Perspective on the Horizons Netherlands

By Anel Adilbayeva

By Rufiya Ospanova

ASTANA – Children and teenagers in Kazakhstan have a new way of accessing the wider world through the Young Travellers’ Club, an Internet portal of the International Children’s Geographical Society. The Young Travellers’ Club is a platform for communication between members of the International Children’s Geographical Society, as well as a source of information in Kazakh, Russian and English, including research documents, links to educational films, discussion forums and reviews of geographical technology.

The Internet portal has been developed as part of the new education programme, “Geography.

Tourism. International relations,” introduced by well-known Kazakhstan traveller Dmitry Petrukhin.

According to the developers, “The programme can become a key tool in the modernisation of the education system in Kazakhstan... and for expanding the use of interactive forms of learning in the educational process.”

The programme itself is a response to a September 2012 lecture by President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, “Kazakhstan on the way to a knowledge society,” in which he emphasised the pressing need for a developed educational system capable of preparing students for international as well as local challenges.

The International Children’s Geographical Society and The Young Travellers’ Club developed as part of this programme are designed to integrate information resources in the field of education, to show the importance of geographic thinking from an early age and to promote geography, as well as to implement an active after-school programme to develop the geographical knowledge of children and teens of Kazakhstan.

Members of the International Children’s Geographic Society will be able to communicate through blogging, publishing their own stories, articles, photos and videos.

Young “travellers” will be able to explore the world’s countries and continents, the lives of people inhabiting them and the history of their development, as well as keep track of new discoveries of glo-

ASTANA – The most recent Fryday W, held on June 12, gathered people interested in the past and present of the Netherlands to learn about the country from Dutch Ambassador to Kazakhstan Peter van Leeuwen.

At the event, which took place in a traditional relaxed setting, participants shared experiences and contacts and chatted about the cultural life of Astana before the formal talk and the following question and answer session.

Fryday is a network of professionals in 13 countries, including Georgia, Kazakhstan and Poland that organises networking events for cosmopolitan professionals and mixes locals and expatriates in the different cities in which it operates.

The point of the Fryday events is to bring people together by providing a platform for communication.

Fryday events have two concepts, Fryday Afterwork, a very free and flexible format that takes place on a Friday evening, and Fryday W, a mid-week format that includes a short speech on a relevant topic by an invited speaker. Every event is held at a new venue.

This most recent Fryday W attracted entrepreneurs, restaurant directors, employees of Samruk Kazyna, Kazakhmys and others.

The official event began with a welcoming speech by the organiser of Frydays in Astana, Merey Mustafina. She introduced Ambassador van Leeuwen to the audience and thanked everyone for coming to the event.

Ambassador Van Leeuwen then gave a very informational speech about the Netherlands. He shared a bit of the country’s history and tidbits about the location, population, business practices and other aspects of life in the Netherlands.

“I am here in Kazakhstan for my second mission. The first mission was in Almaty, now we have a representative office there, and the embassy here,” he said. Ambassador Van Leeuwen first served in Almaty from 2002-2006; his current mission began in 2011.

The conversation with the ambassador was followed by a vibrant discussion led by questions from guests. Questions from guests var-

bal importance. The ubiquity of computer technology, developers think, means young people will be more receptive to information received this way.

“Our children are our future.

They will become active members of our sovereign country. The main purpose of the platform is to create an effective platform of extensive knowledge in the field of geography, tourism and international relations from the school age. It is intended to nurture future engineers, chemists, biologists and other representatives of the sciences, of which, the president noted, we currently don’t have enough.

Giving children the opportunity to explore and understand the geographical and historical features of their native Kazakhstan means growing patriots and worthy representatives of our country’s political, economic, cultural, international and scientific interests. It means creating a solid scientific layer on which the entire economy of Kazakhstan will be based,” Petrukhin told this reporter in an interview.

The educational children’s magazine, “Around the Earth,” developed as a part of the Young Traveller’s Club, aims for a balance between play and learning. People, places, traditions and discoveries are depicted in stories and colourful illustrations. Issue by issue, the magazine acts as a guide to the countries of the world. Poems and stories of the peoples of the world, recipes of national dishes, assignments, quizzes and competitions will appear in every issue.

The project also includes series of children’s books, “Adventures Around the World,” which describe journeys to distant lands. Each se-

ries includes the story of a journey, colourful drawings and photos, historical and and geographic facts and educational games and quizzes adapted for children in preschool and primary school.

“Currently we are developing a new direction called ‘Young Mountaineer,’ which will become a separate branch of the International Children’s Geographical Society and of the Young Travellers’ Club” Petrukhin said. “We plan to organise entertaining lectures about climbers conquering famous peaks… and, under the guidance of professional instructors, orphanages will be able to visit popular tourist routes and discover more of the little-known corners of our country.” He added that each expert of the team of trainers has experience in active tours and expeditions.

The interactive education project was created by the following scientists of the Geographical Society of Kazakhstan: Director of the Margulan Institute of Archaeology and Professor at the National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan Karl Baipakov; Professor of the Department of Tourism of the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Stanislav Erdavletov; Director of the Research Institute of Tourism Professor Vladimir Vukolov; Adviser to the Minister of Tourism and Sports Professor Evgenii Nikitinsky; Vice Rector of the Kazakh Academy of Sport and Tourism Professor Alexander Makogonov; President of the National Foundation of Mountaineering Kazbek Valiyev; Head of Tourism and Service of the Turan University, Associate Professor Kanat Samarkhanov; member of the German Archaeological Institute, Professor Victor Seibert.

At Fryday events participants have a chance to meet with prominent personalities such as Dutch Ambassador Peter van Leeuwen (c), pictured here with Gareth Stamp of the Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools and Merey Mustafina of Fryday Astana. ied, but the ambassador answered all of them, joking and relaxed in a way rarely seen at official functions.

As promised, the ambassador had prepared a gift for the best question, which was given to Assel Smagulova, manager of the Department of Strategy and Corporate Governance of Samruk Holding. Two other prizes were drawn in a raffle.

The winners were Daulet Akhmetov, AES Company, member of

the board of Kazakhstan Electricity Association, and Yernar Kiyekbayev, lead engineer-metallurgist, metallurgical production office, Kazakhmys Corporation LLC. Fryday Astana is a large community of socially active people who meet at interesting venues in the city to chat, network and learn. “The main advantage of the Fryday is communication with interesting people,” Merey Mustafina said.

Cooking Classes Showcase Norwegian Fish Exports From Page B1 Following the speech, chef Per Schierenbeck of Norway led a class teaching techniques for preparing fish with ingredients easily found in Kazakhstan. Baked pollock with ginger, catfish with tarragon, pickled mackerel with rosemary and sweet and sour salmon were served to all guests.

Earlier in the day, the Norwegian chef shared secrets of how to make tasty fish dishes in only a few minutes during a cooking show in Metro supermarket. Shoppers were given healthy halibut and salmon recipes, cooking tips and samples of the meal prepared by the master.

Originally from Son, a small town 50 kilometres south of the

Norwegian capital, Oslo, Schierenbeck was lured into the culinary world at an early age. He started cooking when he was 17.

After 14 years of work, chef Schierenbeck has developed his own unique style. The Astana Times talked to the chef about his impressions of the event and his previous Nordic cooking experience a year ago in Almaty.

What do you think about these events? How do you like them?

So far, they are a lot of fun.

Usually I only see the hotel and the kitchen because I’m working, so unfortunately, I haven’t experienced Kazakhstan. Back in Norway we do a lot of events like this. We used to teach people how to cook fish every day. Even in

kindergarten, little kids learn how to prepare healthy food. These are government projects and I think they’re fantastic!

Tell us about the recipes you presented today. Why did you choose them?

My idea was to show recipes with ingredients you can easily find here in local stores and teach people how to make something exceptional with them. That is my philosophy: simple produce, exceptional recipes.

What do you think about the popularity of fish in Kazakhstan?

If you compare the country to Norway, which is a big fisheating country, you are starting

Distinguished guests such as U.S. Ambassador Kenneth Fairfax (c) and his spouse Nyetta Yarkin (to his left) had a chance to try fish cooking masterpieces prepared by the Norwegian chef at the Radisson Hotel. to progress. So that’s why we’re here, to strengthen this tendency.

Have you tried some local dishes in Kazakhstan?

Yes. Last time I was here, I tried four different kinds of horse meat. That was interesting. I think it is useful to try local specialities and discover something new.

Tell us about your plans. Are you going to come back next year?

I hope so. I think I may come back in November of this year to demonstrate one more fish cooking master class.

The organizers were quite happy with the enthusiastic response from the hungry crowd.

This is not the first time the Embassy of Norway has supported a cooking event. A year ago, the

same master class was organised at the French Connection restaurant in Almaty. Local gourmands had a chance to watch the evolution of a dish and estimate the taste and experience of it. Before that, the best of Norwegian seafood had been presented at the International Food Exhibition Kazakhstan in Almaty in 2011. Potential Kazakh importers and the public stood in line to taste delicacies from Norway, including salmon, halibut and mackerel.

During the 20 years of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Norway, the nations’ areas of cooperation have significantly expanded. Energy, agriculture and tourism are the key areas of bilateral cooperation.

Both countries have major oil

and gas resources, so cooperation in the petroleum sector is of particular interest. Now Norway, the world’s second largest exporter of seafood, is developing its fish exports to Kazakhstan. Despite the fact that the Kazakhstan market has traditionally had a strong demand for meat, the growing popularity of Japanese cuisine has the potential to change the demand for fish. Compared to previous years, the consumption of salmon, trout, halibut, mackerel, shrimp and other seafood has sharply increased. More and more Norwegian companies are coming to the Kazakhstan markets in order to supply the world’s biggest landlocked country with environmentally friendly marine products.

The Astana Times

B6

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Tourism

New Resort Opens near Aktau, Another Recreation Center Is Being Built

By Manshuk Bekentayeva The Tree of Life resort and recreation centre, a joint KazakhstanCzech project, has opened in Aktau. On June 13, Akim (Governor) of Mangistau region Alik Aidarbayev, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Kazakhstan Bedzhikh Kopecká and President of the Kazakhstan Tourist Association Rosa Assanbayeva took part in the centre’s opening ceremony. On the same day, a ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a specialised rehabilitation resort complex took place.

The resort is located on the shore of the Caspian Sea, 30 kilometres from Aktau, and is designed as a place for rest, recovery and recreation for families. It offers 20 cottages of different classes that can hold from 4-6 people each. The cottages are adjacent to a 120-metre beach.

Other facilities include a bar, a playground, and a restaurant with Asian, European and ethnic cuisine.

Adventure travellers can ride water scooters, banana boats and catamarans and go parachuting.

Covered parking for 40 cars is available.

On the site of the planned resort, the flags of Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic fly, symbolising the two countries’ cooperation.

The Tree of Life Kazakhstan fivestory physiotherapy and rehabilitation centre on the Caspian Sea is being built as part of the interagency agreement between the Czech Puro-Klima Export Company and the Tree of Life Kazakhstan LLP. According to project plans, the complex will have an area for treatment, a restaurant, banquet rooms for events and hotel rooms. Czech doctors will train local staff to the

European standard. The project will be completed in 2015.

Tree of Life is a famous brand in the international medical and health services market. It is known for providing patients with a variety of services, including physical therapy and relaxation treatments.

“Today, we are witnesses to the start of a large investment project in the social sphere.

The health of the nation is one of the state’s main priorities and the construction of this complex is a contribution to improving the health of the population.” – Alik Aidarbayev “Today, we are witnesses to the start of a large investment project in the social sphere. The health of the nation is one of the state’s main priorities and the construction of this complex is a contribution to improving the health of the population.

And the Caspian Sea is the emblem of Mangistau, which means that the resort and rehabilitation centre will promote tourism in the region,” Akim Aidarbayev said.

“The favourable business climate makes Mangistau an attractive region for investment. Kazakhstan is an important partner of ours and Mangistau is one of its most promising regions. Recent

Park and Museum Proposed for Baikonur Cosmodrome

A new museum is going to be constructed in order to emphasize the importance of the city of Baikonur.

By Assel Aliyeva ASTANA – In an effort to increase Kazakhstan’s tourism infrastructure, the construction of a park and museum called Fantastic Space at Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome is being proposed within the country’s master plan.

The decision to include the proposed park in the master plan came following recent discussions with activists in the Kyzylorda region.

The recent presentation of the plans for the project also included proposals for tourism development in the Kyzylorda region.

According to the proposed developers of tourism projects in the Kyzylorda area, high-end spa resorts can be located within thermal water

fields near the city of Aral; Zhanakorgan, located 20 kilometres southeast of the village of Zhanakorgan.

“Ensuring the development of infrastructure will expand the potential of the tourism industry in the Kyzylorda region,” the director of the Astana branch of JSC KazNIISA, Turlybek Mussabayev, said.

Baikonur is the world’s first and largest cosmodrome. It is located in Kazakhstan’s Kyzylorda region near the village Tjuratam. The cosmodrome includes an area of 6,717 km ² (2,593 square miles).

Baikonur is under lease for use by Russia until 2050. Operation of the spaceport costs about 5 billion Russian rubles ($153 million) a year. Russia rents the facility for 3.5 billion Russian rubles ($107 million) per year.

A newly opened Kazakhstan-Czech resort in Aktau will soon welcome both domestic tourists and international visitors. negotiations have shown that other Czech companies want to come to this region. The Czech government highly appreciates this cooperation.

I want to emphasise that the effective interaction of Kazakhstani and Czech businessmen gives us hope for the successful implementation

of other joint projects,” said Ambassador Kopecká.

“In the Czech Republic, we work with health care organisations. We would like to cooperate with the state, as with private entities. Today in the Czech Republic, a number of popular resorts are being run very

successfully. Czech entrepreneurs would like to share this experience with Kazakh specialists,” President of Puro-Klima Export Jaromir Ferbr said of the construction of medical institutions around the world.

President of the Kazakhstan Tourist Association Rosa Assanbayeva

expressed hope for the development of tourism in Kazakhstan.

“This is a big event for Kazakhstan, and I encourage everyone to come to try this resort. We are now increasing and improving the options for both domestic tourists and international visitors.”

The Astana Times

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Sports

Kazakhstan Proposes Creating Eurasian Water Polo League

Water polo has been a popular sport in Kazakhstan for decades.

By Nadezhda Khamitova ASTANA – On June 13-14, during the Council on Physical Culture and Sports of the Agreement on Cooperation between CIS countries held in Astana, Kazakhstan put forward an idea of a water polo league within the CIS countries and the establishment of a Eurasian league in the future.

“On the agenda of the meeting was the creation of the CIS Water Polo League. Our clubs participate in the Continental Hockey League (CHL) and in a basketball league in which clubs from CIS countries take part,” Deputy Chairman of the Agency for Sports and Physical

Education Elsiyar Kanagatov said.

“The head of state instructed us to intensify efforts to promote the participation of our athletes at championships in foreign countries, in foreign leagues, and so we arrived at this idea,” he continued.

“Water polo is an Olympic sport; the CIS countries, Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan and Ukraine practice it as well, and in the future we would like to create a Eurasian water polo league. The main initiator of the idea is our country, as water polo is one of the priority sports we would like to develop it further. For now, we are proposing a league within the countries of the CIS; in the future, if all goes according to plan,

we will be able to connect to other countries.”

The project was initiated by the Federation of Water Sports in Kazakhstan. According to the vice president of the organisation, Andrey Kryukov, the need for such a tournament is dictated by the unsatisfactory state of affairs in the development of water polo in the region. To date, because there is no Kazakhstan water polo championship, the Astana Water Polo Club competes in Russia’s water polo championship as a foreign club, and is therefore not entitled to participate in home games and not involved in the development of rules, the calendar of events or other key processes.

Public Rides with Cycling Champions in Astana, Almaty

By Dmitry Lee A two-day public bicycle ride with Astana Cycling Team stars Alexander Vinokourov, the recent London 2012 Olympic champion, and the recent Giro d’Italia 2013 winner Vincenzo Nibali took place in Astana and Almaty on June 8 and 9. The events celebrated the recent win at the Giro d’Italia, a prestigious and nearly century-old race, on May 26th by Nibali.

Early on Saturday morning, while much of the capital was only getting into their daily routines, bikers, enthusiasts and champions of healthy lifestyles rode with the pros. The ride started from the Baiterek Tower, in the heart of the city. Children, university students, amateur bikers, parents and fans of the national team showed up on bikes to try their chances at beating the champions or at least keeping up with them.

Fans were given Astana Team caps and T-shirts signed by Nibali and Vinokourov. The Olympic champion and now general manager of the professional team assured attendees that the recent victory at the Giro d’Italia was only the first of many wins to come for Astana Team. Nibali thanked his fans and said he was happy to see so many supporters as the peloton

embarked on the 7.5-kilometre ride. The champions set a pace their fans could keep up with.

Not without surprises Round-the-world cyclist from Azerbaijan Ramil Ziyadov was pleasantly surprised at the ride in Astana. Purely by coincidence, he happened to be passing through the capital, heading towards Russia, when he encountered the Astana Team.

“I started from Barda, in Azerbaijan,” Ziyadov told sk-sport. kz, a local media outlet. “I have been travelling for three months and the whole trip will last about three years. I travel about 60 to 150 kilometres per day,” he said.

“I am very glad to be at this cheerful sports event with so many world-class professionals. My goal is to tell the world about Azerbaijan. Before Kazakhstan, I travelled in Russia, Uzbekistan [and] Kyrgyzstan. I am headed to Mongolia via Russia next, then to China, Japan, the U.S. and so on.”

Kazakhstan’s gusty winds were a challenge, the biker said.

From Almaty to Astana and back The next day, despite the early

heat of the Sunday morning, some 2,000 cyclists attended a similar event in Almaty with the same Astana Team heroes.

“I travelled from Almaty to Astana and back with my wife and my son so as not to miss out on the opportunity to spend the whole weekend with our heroes, Nibali and Vino,” a very excited Vlad Khan said, barely able to catch his breath. “Obviously, there are many more fans in Almaty; there are more than 2,000 people here today. In Astana there were about 200 maybe, but still, both events were organised at a high level.

Thanks to the organisers, thanks to Nibali for the win and Vino for the gold [in the London Olympics]; we remember all this and are thankful to them for setting a good example for our kids. My 12-year-old son has been following Astana’s success and wants to beat Vino when he grows up; for me, this is the best thing to hear as a father,” he said.

The Astana Team champions crossed the finish line to an ovation from the crowd. “I am very glad to share my excitement with the citizens of Kazakhstan. The Giro d’Italia win was a hard one and this ride today was dedicated to our victory,” Nibali said to sum up the event.

A two-day public bicycle ride in Astana marked the victory of the recent Giro d’Italia 2013 winner Vincenzo Nibali shown here wearing pink jersey.

“Since 2004, we are the only national team in the CIS that has qualified for the Olympic Games and world championships. Two of our teams consistently play in the Russian league, where we are in the leading group. However, this cannot continue in the future, because it does not promote rapid growth, does not create a competitive platform. Therefore, we support the proposal to create a Eurasian water polo league,” Kryukov said.

According to the Federation of Water Sports’ plan, sponsors and participants’ contributions, as well as revenue from advertising and television broadcasts, will provide financing.

“We will find the financial means – that’s not a problem. Currently, we are looking for support for the initiative at the political level, so we turned to the Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. The proposed project will be implemented on the basis of the Russian championships. Arrangements have been made; now we only need to work out the details,” Kryukov said.

The proposal is being considered by the council. After consideration, a working group will be set up to develop this issue with all the water sports federations of the CIS countries. According to the proposal, only Russia can delegate 12 clubs in the top division of the country. In addition, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Georgia, Israel, Lithuania and Turkey can take part in the tournament.

The tournament will be fought between 20 teams divided into Western and Eastern divisions.

Establishing the Eurasian water polo league on the principles of equality and partnership will provide its participants with an opportunity to work together to develop the governing bodies, structure and provisions for governing the activities and conduct of the game in their countries, Kazakh officials believe.

B7

Voskoboyeva Qualifies for Wimbledon Main Draw, as Shvedova fights on

By Yury Lifintsev

ASTANA – Wimbledon Stadium in London will host the prestigious open tennis championship of England from June 24 to July 7 with a record $34.4 million purse.

However, athletes who did not automatically make the main draw had to play a qualifying tournament earlier.

Kazakhstan’s Galina Voskoboyeva, Cecile Karatancheva and Yeugeny Korolev each played three qualifying matches. Karatancheva won two qualifying matches against players from the Czech Republic and the UK, but lost in the final qualify-

ing match to Yvonne Meusburger from Austria. Korolev also won two qualifying matches before ultimately losing to German Dustin Brown.

Only Voskoboyeva won all three of her qualifying matches and will play in Wimbledon’s main draw.

Kazakhstan tennis player Yaroslava Shvedova won the first round of the “Grand Slam” tournament -“Wimbledon”.

Yaroslava Shvedova was stronger than the Dutch tennis player Kiki Bertens, won with the score 6:4, 6:3. Later, she will fight for the title with the winner of a pair Petra Kvitova - Coco Vandeweghe.

23rd Memorial Track and Field Tournament for Kosanov Held in Almaty

By Yuri Alexandrov ALMATY – The 23rd Memorial for Gusman Kosanov track and field tournament was held recently in Almaty earlier in June.

Iranian sprinters Khasan Tafian and Reza Khasemi placed first and second respectively in the tournament’s prestigious 100-metre race.

Tafian finished in 10.15 seconds and Khasemi finished in 10.16 seconds. Their finishes qualified them at various levels for a World Cuplevel race to be held in Moscow later this year.

Almaty jumper Marina Aitova also did well at the Memorial

tournament and earned the right to compete at a higher level in the upcoming Moscow event. Eighthundred-metre runner Margarita Mukasheva from Kazakhstan also qualified for the Moscow event.

Other athletes who performed well at the memorial tournament included Nikita Filippov, who repeated his best result of 5.6 metres and Olga Lapina, who established a new Kazakhstan pole vaulting record at 4.1 metres. Pavlodar long jumper Konstantin Safronov also riveted the attention of the tournament’s crowd with a long jump of 8.1 metres, which broke his previous personal record of 8.06 metres.

Shymkent Rowers Win World Cup Gold and Other Medals

Sergey Yemelyanov was the first Kazakhstan rower to win a medal.

By Lyubov Dobrota SHYMKENT – Rowers from Shymkent won an unprecedented number of gold and silver medals in May at the World Cup of Rowing and Canoeing in the Czech Republic and Poland.

The Shymkent rowers won four gold, five silver and one bronze medals. It was the first time Shym-

kent had won gold and silver at such an elite level.

Sergey Yemelyanov was the first rower to win a medal. He won the bronze in the one-man canoe 500 metres category. In the two-man 500 metres canoe category, Shymkent rowers Evgeny Alekseev, a participant in the London Olympics, and his partner Alexey Dergunov won a silver medal in the third stage of the World Cup in Poland.

The Youth World Cup in Germany and the International Youth Regatta in Slovakia were also recently held. Kazakhstan kayaker Oleg Janicki won two gold and one silver medal and Kazakhstan canoeist Anton Olshansky won two gold and three silver medals.

The Kazakhstan youth national rowing team has won numerous medals under coach Denis Zharmenov.

Shymkent rowers did their best and won four gold medals during the World Cup of Rowing and Canoeing in the Czech Republic and Poland.

The Astana Times

B8

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Capital

Chinese Restaurant Thrives in Astana

By Rufiya Ospanova

ASTANA – Chinese food is becoming increasingly popular with both Astana’s residents and visitors.

So The Astana Times sat down with Vera Povetina, director of Chinese cuisine at one of Astana’s most popular Chinese restaurants, Zhirnaya Ovechka (The Fat Sheep), to discuss the philosophy and success behind her restaurant.

How and when did you found your restaurant?

We opened the restaurant in August 2012. I will start with the fact that my husband and I have many connections to China. I had been living in Beijing for a year and my husband often travels to China on business. To persuade me to come back to Kazakhstan from Beijing, my husband promised to open a Chinese restaurant in Astana.

Is it difficult to establish a business here? What were the main difficulties you faced?

By the end of 2011, the idea of the restaurant was transformed into a goal. One of the main challenges was to find a premise in a good location in a desired area with parking and for a reasonable price. The search lasted for several months,

but finally we found what we were looking for.

The answer to the question whether it is difficult to establish a business in Astana – it is not difficult to launch a project in any field of business. You only need the desire and money. But a more complicated task is to make the project working and profitable, especially in such an intense, competitive environment as the restaurant business.

Why did you choose such an interesting name for your restaurant, Zhirnaya Ovechka?

We did not hesitate with regard to the name. From the very beginning, we decided that, in addition to many traditional dishes in our restaurant, we would also offer a way of cooking that is unique in Astana – hugo.

Hugo [huǒguō] is literally translated from Chinese as “fire pot,” but here it is known as the Chinese or Mongolian samovar. The hugo principle is simple – it involves placing a pot of boiling broth on a burner in the middle of a table where guests are seated. Each guest then cooks what he or she would like from the items placed around the pot.

Usually, lamb is used as the base

Amazing show programmes at this Chinese restaurant gather foodies to party from dusk till dawn.

product and is cut thinly to cook in seconds in the boiling broth. In

addition to lamb, other types of meat, seafood, mushrooms, vegetables and doufu are suitable. The cooked meat or vegetables are removed from the broth and before eating they are dipped in different sauces.

So, in many restaurants in China that serve hugo, the title contains the words “sheep” or “fat sheep.”

Therefore, when the Chinese see our name, they know for sure that we have hugo.

Where do you find products and spices for the dishes?

Of course, it is difficult to find many products, especially sauces and spices in Astana. Therefore, we buy products in Almaty and in China.

Which are the most popular dishes in your restaurant?

In addition to hugo, Chinese dumplings, seafood – octopus, cuttlefish are very popular. With the beginning of summer, we have also

started to cook Chinese shahlik.

Where does your chef come from?

The chef of the restaurant, Wu Yanquan, comes from the northeastern province of Liaoning.

Before we invited him, he spent 10 years at the famous Moscow restaurant China Dream. A few months ago, guests from Japan visited our restaurant and asked to meet the chef. When Mr. Wu approached them, it turned out that they knew each other for many years and were regular guests of our chef in Moscow.

How often do you hold concert programs, such as the party with the Netherlands deejays, which took place on June 15?

We hold various concerts and parties once or twice a month. We provide a platform for projects with interesting ideas and assist in the organization. This year, we had a number of parties: Chinese New Year, “Weightlessness” in

honor of the Day of Cosmonautics, the Brazilian party “do Brazil,” the performance of Colombian dance group Delirio, concert music of “Acoustic” studio and several parties with deejays from Almaty. Rustam Ospanov (creator of the international music festival Jazzystan) and Arsen Rysdauletov also appeared at some of our functions. On 15 June, we had a party with the assistance of the Embassy of the Netherlands called Night at the Netherlands. Headlining the party was the deejay duet KUDDEDIEREN. Our guests loved it.

We also plan various theme nights dedicated to different countries and musical directions.

Do you like Kazakh national dishes?

Of course, I love Kazakh cuisine. And even to meet the wishes of our guests when holding banquets, we offer beshbarmak. And at Nauryz, we offered Nauryz Kozhe as a gift to our guests.

Day of the Capital to Celebrate Astana’s Growth From Page A1 The celebrations will include a festival of nomadic civilisations, the Astana Arkau festival of Turkic music, the Astana Tartu festival of traditional music and the Serper folk orchestra festival.

On July 6 and 7, a “city within a city” will be open at the Kazakh Eli monument, with a fair, amusement rides, restaurants, art exhibitions and concerts.

Performance artists and classical, jazz, traditional and pop performances can be seen on its open air stage.

The soon to be opened “Astana Opera” will feature a 3D display of holographic images of the construction of the city and its iconic structures.

Other events, including children’s concerts, sports and cooking displays and competitions, art shows, parades and sales will be scattered across the city. Overall, there will be up to 100 events packed within a week long celebration in early July. The celebrations will end with pop music performances and a fireworks display on July 6.

Astana will also welcome its first professional musical award, Astana Zhuldyzy, which will cover creative achievements of the last one and a half years, from January 2012 to May 2013. On July 5, the country’s musical elite will walk the red carpet at the Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall to take part in the new award ceremony.

“In recent years, the celebra-

tion of the city has become one of the most brilliant and anticipated festivals in our country. This year, we decided to organise the first professional music award, Astana Zhuldyzy. The award will celebrate and encourage the development of national musical culture, defining new, higher standards for the quality of our music industry,” head of the Culture Department of Astana city administration Bolat Mazhagulov said at a press conference about the new award.

He also noted the main difference between the Astana Zhuldyzy and other similar awards, emphasising the professional level of the experts who will determine the winners. A total of 100 experts have been selected from Kaza-

Celebrations of the Day of the Capital always include music performances, firework displays and a parade.

khstan’s music industry, including honoured artists, producers, composers, songwriters, and specialists in singing and fashion, as well as representatives of the media and the public.

“The experts have a lot of work

to do: all the experts have to review and audition and identify three candidates for each nomination.

After that, we collect the ballots, the counting commission analyses and we determine who is the best of the best,” Dinara Adam, main

producer of the ADAM Media Group, said.

“Our capital this year marks its 15th year, so there will be 15 nominations of candidates selected from professional artists working now,” Adam said.