Astana Calling #267

astana Calling

ISSUE No 267 FRIDAY, 24 AUGUST 2012 WWW.MFA.KZ

A BI-WEEKLY ONLINE PUBLICATION OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

President Nazarbayev’s State Visit to Kyrgyzstan

Olympics - President Honours Medallists

President Nazarbayev attends the Supreme Interstate Council of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and the Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking States

Underscores benefit of sporting values for all of society

Things to Watch

Protecting the Business Community Promoting a positive environment for business and investment

Minister of Environmental Protection Promotes Clean Energy Sources Clean energy, water conservation and recycling all to combat Global Warming

Rapid Pace of Change in Higher Education Continues Minister outlines next steps at Forum of world education leaders

Nomads & Networks: The Ancient Art and Culture of Kazakhstan Smithsonian Institute welcomes major exhibition

Also in The News

Astana to Host International Conference on Nuclear Disarmament From the nuclear test ban to a nuclear weapons-free world ASTANA CALLING / ISSUE 267 / 1

President Nazarbayev’s State Visit to Kyrgyzstan On 22-23rd August, President Nazarbayev travelled to Kyrgyzstan for an official state visit that also marked the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries. In Bishkek, President Nazarbayev and his Kyrgyz counterpart President Atambayev chaired the Third Session of the Supreme Interstate Council of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on 22nd August before taking part in the Second Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking States on 23rd August. President Nazarbayev also met with Prime Minister Babanov to discuss economic cooperation, whilst Foreign Minister Kazykhanov attended the Turkic Council’s Foreign Ministers’ meeting.

On 22nd August, President Nazarbayev and President Atambayev signed a Joint Jubilee Declaration dedicated to the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between their two countries. In his speech, President Nazarbayev observed that significant progress was achieved since the last Interstate Council meeting four years ago. He noted that the volume of trade between the two countries had increased substantially in the last few years: “In the first half of the current year alone, bilateral trade has doubled in volume compared to last year, amounting to US$ 470 million. We have real potential to reach US$ 1 billion.” The two presidents discussed a number of investment projects, and President Nazarbayev expressed his full support for Kyrgyzstan’s accession to the Customs Union between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus.

For his part, President Atambayev underlined that the peoples of the two countries share not only a common history but fraternal ties. He expressed full support for President Nazarbayev’s proposals to deepen bilateral cooperation, and praised Kazakhstan’s model of political stability and economic development. The two sides signed a number of agreements including on joint efforts to combat drug trafficking and on cooperation between foreign ministries, furthermore, they agreed to work closely on tourism.

President Nazarbayev also announced that Kazakhstan would build two schools, in southern and northern Kyrgyzstan, and provide grants and scholarships for Kyrgyz students to attend Universities in Kazakhstan.

On 23rd August, Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Turkish President Abdullah Gül, the President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev and the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Artur Rasizade took part in the Second Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking States. The Turkic Council aims to strengthen cultural, humanitarian and economic cooperation between states that share a common Turkic heritage. Its first Summit was held in Almaty last year.

“It is very important for our countries to maintain peace and stability in our part of the vast Eurasian continent. Today, the Turkic world has chosen a path of unity and effective cooperation. The countries which established the Turkic Council have become widely known to the world.

President Nazarbayev and Kyrgyzstan’s President Atambayev

Turkic speaking states strengthen their unity and aim at cooperation and sustainable development,” President Nursultan Nazarbayev underlined.

President Nazarbayev went on to note the importance of further strengthening the Council’s institutional framework, as well as expanding the cultural and humanitarian integration of its member-states. He also stressed that economic ties were hugely significant, calling for measures to facilitate trade, transit traffic, border crossings and customs control among members. The Summit Participants signed the Bishkek Declaration and several other documents including an agreement on the establishment of a Turkic Academy and a Turkic Culture and Heritage Fund.

Foreign Minister Kazykhanov took part in the Turkic Council’s Foreign Ministers’ meeting on 22nd August to prepare the Summit meeting. In his remarks, the Minister thanked Kyrgyzstan for hosting the summit and summarized Kazakhstan’s one-year chairmanship which had focussed on economic cooperation. He noted that the Council’s secretariat established a year ago was functioning well, and that the organisation was ready to develop its institutional structure further. His address focussed mainly on preparations for the next day’s Summit, at which Kyrgyzstan would take over the chairmanship with a program centred on cultural, education and scientific cooperation. “Tomorrow at the Summit the Kyrgyz Republic will officially take over the chairmanship of the Turkic Council from the Republic of Kazakhstan. Thus, we wish much success to our Kyrgyz brothers as the new chairman of the organization,” Kazykhanov said.

“President Nazarbayev also announced that Kazakhstan would build two schools, in southern and northern Kyrgyzstan, and provide grants and scholarships for Kyrgyz students to attend Universities in Kazakhstan.”

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Olympics - President Honours Medallists On August 17, President Nursultan Nazarbayev opened the ceremony by congratulating all Kazakhstan citizens on Team Kazakhstan’s successful performance at the Olympic games in London.

“The triumph of the 2012 Olympic team will inspire the 250,000 children and teenagers attending 418 sports schools throughout Kazakhstan.”

Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan

“The success of our Olympians can be expressed in three numbers: ‘Seven,’ ‘Thirteen’ and Twelve’: together with every Kazakhstani, I was proud to hear our national anthem played, and see the Kazakh flag raised seven times, in honor of our seven gold medals. In total, our sportsmen and sportswomen brought home thirteen Olympic prizes, with one silver and five bronze medals adding to the seven gold. Their great achievement won Kazakhstan twelfth place in the ranking of Olympic nations,” the Head of State said.

Kazakhstan’s Olympic triumph, which saw the team rise from 29th in the rankings of the last Olympics, was attributable to three key factors, the President said: the state’s support for physical education and sport; the talent, perseverance, and will to succeed shown by each athlete; and finally, the unity of the nation and inter-ethnic friendship.

The President went on to emphasize that Team Kazakhstan’s achievement promotes the values of hard work, ambition and patriotism not just in the sporting arena, but throughout society.

Their achievement highlights the importance of these values, which are central to building a society of labor.

Since its independence, Kazakhstan has produced 18 Olympic champions, claiming 63 medals in summer and winter Olympics as well as prizes in 116 world championships. President Nazarbayev expressed his confidence that the triumph of the 2012 Olympic team will inspire the 250,000 children and teenagers attending 418 sports schools throughout Kazakhstan.

Finally, the President underlined the state’s ongoing commitment to promoting health and fitness throughout the nation, aiming to involve 30% of the population in sport or fitness activities by 2020. Achieving this target will, he said, be fundamental to ensuring that Kazakhstan remains a strong and healthy nation, fit to compete in the 21st century and become a leader among nations.

The President went on to award state prizes to the athletes and trainers of the national team: - The “Otan” (Fatherland) Award was conferred on cyclist Aleksandr Vinokurov, boxer Serik Sapiyev and weightlifter Ilya Ilyin.

The Olympic team proceeds to the Palace of Independence for the honors ceremony

- Weightlifting champions Svetlana Podobedova, Zulfiya Chinshanlo, Maiya Maneza and triple jump champion Olga Rypakova received the “Barys” (Snow Leopard) Award II. - Minister of Tourism and Sport, Talgat Ermegiyayev, was honoured with the “Parasat” (Nobility) Award.

- The “Kurmet” (Honor) Award went to the silver medallist, boxer Adilbek Niyazymbetov, and to the bronze medallists: wrestler Danyal Gajiyev, boxer Ivan Dychko, wrestler Gyuzel Manyurova, boxer Marina Volnova and wrestler Akzhyrek Tanatarov.

All of the athletes spoke of their delight at the awards and their gratitude for the unceasing support of the President. Cycling champion Aleksandr Vinokurov said “I am proud to have won Kazakhstan’s first gold medal. I’d like to thank Nursultan Abishevich for the ‘Pro Team Astana’ project. Without the team I would not have been able to reach the pinnacle of this sport.”

Ilya Ilyin, two-time Olympic champion, congratulated all of Kazakhstan and pledged to repeat his success in Rio de Janeiro.

Olga Rypakova, triple jump champion, said that the ceremony recalled the same emotions as those that overcame her when she realized she had won an Olympic victory.

The ceremony was followed by a concert in honor of the Olympic medal-winners.

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Protecting the Business Community In the first half of 2012, 773 complaints were posted on the Business Protection section of the official website of Kazakhstan’s President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, according to recently published data. The number of complaints fell by 40% compared to the same period last year.

The Business Protection website was set up to safeguard the interests of the business community and prevent violations of their legal rights. In the first six months of 2012, 185 complaints indicating breaches of the law were examined by the President’s Administration and directed to state bodies for further investigation.

Infringements of employers’ rights were at the center of 87 of these complaints: this figure is down by 68 % in comparison to the previous year. Within this category, 74% of complaints (65) alleged illegal conduct by employees of the central state bodies. The Ministry of Finance was the subject of 18% of such allegations (12 cases), followed in turn by the Prosecutor General’s Office (16 % - 10 cases), the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Agency for Countering Economic Crime and Corruption (14 % - 9 cases).

A further 26% of these complaints (22 of the total 87 cases) were against employees of local executive bodies. Local administration employees were the subject of twelve in total: seven for the Karaganda Region, three for Astana, two for the Mangistau and South Kazakhstan Regions.

“The World Bank’s 2012 Ease of Doing Business Survey placed Kazakhstan in the top 50, 47th out of 183 countries.”

The main causes of complaint by employers were incorrect interpretations of tax legislation, infringement of the law in state purchases and illegal conduct when privatizing state property.

State bodies examined 77 complaints over the period under review. Each complainant received an answer. Since then, 17 complaints have been settled and one was deemed to be unfounded. In all other cases, explanations and information were provided on how the problems had been resolved according to legislative procedure.

Moreover, during the examination of 12 complaints, 14 employees were subjected to disciplinary measures, and two employees of law enforcement, central and local executive bodies were convicted of criminal liability, for allowing infringements of the law to take place.

The ‘President’s Business Protection’ service will continue to support the business community of Kazakhstan and promote compliance with the laws of the country.

Kazakhstan is fully committed to maintaining a positive and supportive environment for business and investment. Its efforts were recognized in the World Bank’s 2012 Ease of Doing Business Survey that for the first time placed Kazakhstan in the top 50 (47th out of 183 countries). The report noted in particular that Kazakhstan had strengthened investor protections by regulating the approval of transactions between interested parties and making it easier to sue directors in cases of prejudicial transactions between interested parties. In the category “Protecting Investors”, Kazakhstan was ranked 10th.

The Business Protection website allows entrepreneurs to directly address Kazakhstan’s President

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Rapid Pace of Change in Higher Education Continues The Eurasian Higher Education Leaders’ Forum took place in Astana for the first time on August 19-21. Director of Education Policy at Nazarbayev University, Aida Sagintayeva, said the aim of the Forum was to foster an exchange of ideas and practices amongst the education leaders of the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and America.

Education leaders from 30 countries debated the top trends and pressing problems in education today. Astana was a particularly relevant venue given the rate of dynamic change in Kazakhstan’s education system, which has aptly been described as an “Academic Revolution.”

Kazakhstan has already identified the key steps needed to integrate its education system with the global education system. At the Forum, Minister for Education and Science, Bakhytzhan Zhumagulov, outlined the next stages in this program of change. One area of focus is the development of multilingual skills; this is line with the international trend but is especially significant in Kazakhstan, given the rapid development of its open economy and social sphere.

“The closing day of the Forum was marked by the signing of a memorandum between Nazarbayev University and its strategic partners, the University of Cambridge and the University of Pennsylvania, on the establishment of a Higher School of Education at Nazarbayev University.”

Describing autonomy as a founding principle of universities worldwide, the Minister highlighted that Nazarbayev University (the country’s leading university) is fully autonomous. Plans are underway to change management structures and extend autonomy across other higher education institutes from 2014.

A system of independent accreditation is also being set up, to be managed by a National Accreditation Centre comprising two Kazakh agencies and four foreign ones from the US, Germany and Austria.

A note of caution was sounded by Forum participant Professor David Bridges from the University of Cambridge, who said that Kazakhstan should not blindly follow the Western higher education system, since not all foreign models are infallible. He also pointed out that more freedom goes hand-in-hand with more responsibility for universities.

Minister Zhumagulov outlined further steps to integrate Kazakhstan with the global education system. As well as enhancing the quality of education services, these involve improvements to the international exchange system for Kazakhstani teachers and students, including the “Bolashak” program. These measures have made Kazakhstan more popular for foreign students and helped attract over 1,000 world-class professors to teach in Kazakhstan.

Finally, the Minister underlined the importance of creating a higher education zone spanning Central Asia, similar to the European Higher Education Area and that of the CIS countries, in which Kazakhstan already participates. The process is underway with 124 agreements already in place to drive the formation of the Central Asian higher education zone.

Shigeo Katsu, President of Nazarbayev University where the Forum took place

The Minister announced that from next year, 32 higher education institutes will offer programs in three languages to more than 5,500 students. He also confirmed that all such institutes in Kazakhstan have introduced the graded model of language learning employed in European universities. “We have paid a lot of attention to linguistic preparation at all education levels. And we have taken tangible steps to prepare multilingual personnel” Minister Zhumagulov said.

The closing day of the Forum was marked by the signing of a memorandum between Nazarbayev University and its strategic partners, the University of Cambridge and the University of Pennsylvania, on the establishment of a Higher School of Education at Nazarbayev University. In fall 2013, the Higher School of Education will open programs at both secondary and university levels to prepare the future leaders of the education sector in Kazakhstan.

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Minister Kapparov promotes clean energy, water conservation and recycling

Minister of Environmental Protection Promotes Clean Energy Sources During the government hour held in the Majilis, Minister Nurlan Kapparov addressed the issue of renewable energy and the recycling of waste. The Minister said that the energy sector of Kazakhstan is the principal source of greenhouse gas emissions and pollutant of the air basin, as well as the main generator of industrial waste. Almost 87 % of Kazakhstan’s energy sector is based on coal, with current projections showing that by 2020 coal will account for 66 % of all emissions.

Given these figures, said the Minister, it is essential to increase the use of cleaner sources of power, such as gas and renewable energies. Kazakhstan is well placed to do so, with gas resources amounting to 3.7 trillion cubic meters. Compared to coal, gas emits half the amount of CO2, uses four times less water and does not create ash dumps.

“Minister Kapparov: Kazakhstan is well placed to use cleaner sources of power such as gas and renewable energies, with its gas resources amounting to 3.7 trillion cubic meters.”

Global warming is affecting Kazakhstan at a faster rate than most other countries. Towards the end of the twentieth century, the area covered by glaciers in the Tyan Shan Mountains decreased by 25-35 %; and if this trend continues, most of the glaciers will have melted away by 2050. “This scenario will pose a serious threat to ensuring an adequate water supply for agricultural and industrial activities and for the population in our country”, said Mr Kapparov. Already, the water deficit in Kazakhstan exceeds 20 % and if demand increases while climate change continues, this deficit can only increase.

However, the Minister explained, there is great potential to reduce water usage: in the residential sector, savings of up to 50 % are achievable, while the promotion of watersaving technologies could also significantly cut usage in the agricultural sector.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection is making a significant investment in transforming Kazhydromet (the Kazakhstan Hydrometeorological Service) into a global soil, air and water monitoring company which closer to home, will play a key role in monitoring the Caspian Sea. Other plans include the creation of a network of Doppler weather radars, to give advance warnings of critical meteorological situations.

Another key priority of the Ministry is the disposal of industrial and domestic waste. The industrial sector generates over three million tons of atmospheric emissions annually, with 85% of these emissions coming from 42 major industrial plants. Each year around 56 million tons of hard domestic waste are also created, of which only about 5% is recycled, while approximately 2.8 million tons are dumped into bodies of water. Mr Kapparov stressed the potential of new technology enabling waste products to be recycled into building materials, fertilizers, heat and electric energy.

In his closing remarks, the Minister proposed a review of tariffs and management systems for all types of waste product, to attract investment in the waste management and processing sector.

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Nomads & Networks: The Ancient Art and Culture of Kazakhstan August 20 saw the opening in the celebrated Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. of an exhibition of ancient artifacts which embody the cultural and artistic heritage of Kazakhstan. Among those in attendance were Special Assistant to the US President, the Senior Director for Russian Affairs, Alice Wells; the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, James Moore; representatives of US Congress; members of the business and cultural elite of Washington society and, of course, many members of the Kazakhstani diaspora.

The opening speech was made by world-renowned orientalist and Director of the Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries, Julian Raby. He explained that recent excavations in the Chilika and Berel burial mounds have revealed the secrets of a nomadic culture, which created unique works of art on coming into contact with settled communities. He thanked the Government of Kazakhstan for their support, paying particular tribute to the work of the Ministry of Culture and Information, the Ministry of Education and Science, and Kazakhstan’s cultural institutions, which worked closely with the Smithsonian to bring about the exhibition.

“The exhibition’s title, “Nomads and Networks,” is of relevance to both the modern and the ancient worlds, carrying as it does an important message on the value of partnership and networks. Being able to maintain networks, partnerships and to keep together are the keys to growth and development.”

Erlan Idrissov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United States

Welcoming yesterday’s guests, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United States, Erlan Idrissov, thanked all those involved for their outstanding work, which has enabled the US and the global community to learn more about the rich cultural heritage of Kazakhstan. He pointed out that the exhibition’s title, “Nomads and Networks”, is of relevance to both the modern and the ancient worlds, carrying as it does an important message on the value of partnership and networks. “Being able to maintain networks, partnerships and to keep together are the keys to growth and development”, said Mr Idrissov.

Ancient Kazakh artifacts

The exhibition comprises over 150 objects, the most significant archaeological artifacts uncovered in Kazakhstan over the past 15 years. Its compelling narrative demolishes the myth that nomadic communities were less developed than their settled counterparts, by showing how these nomads skillfully established strategic migration routes, active communication links and cultural exchanges with their neighbors.

An accompanying program of events has been organized by the Smithsonian, to include seminars, lectures, a concert, film screenings and a family program: “ImaginAsia”. Princeton University Press has also published an exhibition catalogue with 220 color images; the catalogue includes essays written by nine scholars and gives a unique introduction to the ancient nomadic culture of Kazakhstan.

“Nomads and Networks: the Ancient Art and Culture of Kazakhstan” runs until the end of November 2012.

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The Director of the Smithsonian’s Asian Cultural History Program, Paul Taylor, shared his thoughts about the exhibition in an interview on “Silk Road Newsline”. An expert with an in-depth knowledge of Kazakhstan, Mr Taylor is currently preparing an online exhibition on illustrious Kazakh scholar, Shokan Valikhanov.

Mr Taylor highlighted the significance of the exhibition’s visit to Washington DC and thanked the Government of Kazakhstan for facilitating the move from its previous location at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at New York University.

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Also in The News…

• Kazakhstan is now one of the leading humanitarian aid donors in Central Asia. At a press conference on 22 August, Stephen Tull, UN Resident Coordinator said “We estimate that over the past 6-7 years, Kazakhstan has earmarked more than USD 60 million for humanitarian aid. This puts it on a par with the European Union, Russia and the USA in terms of giving humanitarian aid to other Central Asian countries.” He added that over 85 % of Kazakhstan’s aid goes directly to governments and the remaining 15 % to humanitarian organizations.

• On August 17 at UN headquarters in New York, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Solomon Islands established diplomatic relations with the signing of a joint communiqué by their respective Permanent Representatives.

The Stele of Peace, marking the 20th anniversary of the closing-down of the nuclear test site, was unveiled in Semey in 2011

Astana to Host International Conference on Nuclear Disarmament On August 27-29, Kazakhstan will host a major international conference on the theme: “from the nuclear test ban to a nuclear weapons-free world”. Jointly organized by the Majilis, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nazarbayev Centre and the international organization of Parliamentarians for Nuclear NonProliferation and Disarmament, the conference will take place on the UN International Day Against Nuclear Tests and the 21st anniversary of the closing of the Semipalatinsk test site.

Participants will visit the National Nuclear Center in Kurchatov near Semey on 28 August before returning to Astana on 29 August for discussions at the Palace of Independence. The conference aims to promote the implementation of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and develop practical recommendations for the effective implementation of nuclear weapons-free zones. President Nazarbayev, who launched the initiative for an international day against nuclear testing at the UN, will address the opening session.

• Kazakhstan has become a member of the International Astronomical Union with Kazakhstan’s “National Centre for Space Research and Technologies” Company joining the Organisation. Kazakhstan’s accession took place during the IAU 28th conference in Beijing, China. The country’s delegation will be headed by the National Centre’s Director Zhumabek Zhantayev. The two-week conference in Beijing was attended by over three thousand astronomers from around the world.

• The government of Kazakhstan has created a working group to elaborate a national concept for social development by 2030. The working group, comprised of 48 people and headed by Deputy Prime Minister Yerbol Orynbayev, will work on a national development concept for 2030, a social modernization plan for 2016, on social standards and guarantees and related legislative issues.

• According to the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies, Kazakhstan has raised nearly $6 billion worth of investments since the beginning of 2012, an 11% increase on last year’s figures.

In that time, the country has organised nine events to attract foreign companies and showcase Kazakhstan’s investment opportunities, three abroad and six in Kazakhstan, involving 529 Kazakh companies. As a result, 91 memoranda worth 11 billion US dollars have been signed, whilst the number of Special Economic Zone participants has increased threefold over the past two years.

• ‘Kazaeronavigatsiya’ State Enterprise and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have signed an agreement on information and management services. This document will allow Kazakhstan to accelerate the removal of Kazakh airlines from the EU blacklist, where they were placed in 2009 after an ICAO audit. Under the agreement, Kazakhstan will receive technical assistance in issues related to personnel training, organization, certification and monitoring services, and flight safety.

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• Kazakhstan’s e-government portal now allows citizens to access 236 types of public services online. 56,666 people registered to use the portal in the first half of this year, 7,980 more than during the same period last year.

• A new television and radio centre – Kazakh Media Centre – has been opened in test mode and is to become the main technological base for Kazakhstan’s television channels. The centre, in Astana, is equipped with all facilities needed to produce high-quality national media, including TV and radio recording studios on the 22nd floor with a panoramic view over the city, two conference halls with interpreting booths, and two newsrooms that can accommodate up to 200 journalists.

• Otau TV, a new internet-TV website, is to begin broadcasting 32 TV channels and five radio stations. The site itself can support 10,000 users at any one time. A number of additional services such as recording programs, viewing archived programs and electronic program guides (EPG), are already available. Video on demand (VOD) will be made available in the future.

• Almaty and Astana will be covered by a new 4G network by early 2013, the Ministry of Transport and Communication has said. Construction was launched this year, and by 2014 the network will cover all Kazakhstan’s regional centres, by 2015 all areas of over 50,000 inhabitants, and by 2018 all district centres.

Kazakhstan is also working on a pilot project to introduce the 4G Long Term Evolution mobile communication standard (4G LTE) in Almaty and Astana.

• Robert Gayneev from Kyzylorda has won a bronze medal at the track cycling world youth championships in New Zealand. The schoolboy, from Kyzylorda’s higher sports school, trains with Ruslan Yagafarov. He came second in the Asian championships in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur in Feburary this year. The world youth championship ends on 25 August.

Things to Watch…

• On August 30 Kazakhstan will celebrate Constitution Day. An international academic and research conference entitled “Constitution – the basis for the modernization of state and society” will take place in the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation in Astana. The conference will be attended

by President Nazarbayev and guests from abroad including representatives of Constitutional Councils and Supreme Courts of CIS and non-CIS states. A concert will be held in the Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall in the evening to celebrate the occasion.

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ASTANA CALLING is a bi-weekly online publication of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Please send your requests and questions to pressa@mfa.kz ASTANA CALLING / ISSUE 267 / 9