A WEEKLY ONLINE PUBLICATION / WWW.MFA.GOV.KZ ISSUE NO. 437 / FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015

Kazakhstan Chosen to Chair EAEU in 2016 During Moscow Meeting

Kazakshtan, EU Sign Enhanced Cooperation Agreement

Also In The News

Foreign Minister Highlights the MFA’s Achievements in 2015

Kazakhstan Chosen to Chair EAEU in 2016 During Moscow Meeting

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President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev attended the meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in Moscow Dec. 21, during which Kazakhstan was chosen to chair most of the organisation’s bodies in the coming year.

The event was also attended by presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia, Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia, Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, Almazbek Atambayev of Kyrgyzstan, and Chairman of the board of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Viktor Khristenko. The participants discussed how the EAEU has been functioning and organisational issues.

In his speech, Nazarbayev expressed gratitude to Belarus and personally to Lukashenko for the work held in 2015 during the Belarussian presidency of the EAEU.

Nazarbayev noted that Kazakhstan places high value on the activities of the EAEU, which has a great potential to aid the development of member states.

“Due to the instability of the global economic environment, we realise that 2016 will be difficult and we will have to work under special conditions. Kazakhstan will make all efforts for further dynamic development of our integration association. During our presidency, we will work actively to deepen contacts with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which will expand our capabilities and strengthen the EAEU,” he said, according to the Akorda’s release.

In addition, the sides discussed the strategy for joint actions under the new free trade zone between Ukraine and the European Union that will begin on Jan. 1, 2016. The decision to move to an electronic declaration of goods transported within the EAEU beginning next year was also made.

The heads of state approved the budget of the EAEU for 2016, as well as a new composition of the board of the EEC and the distribution of responsibilities among its members.

During the meeting, the participants also decided to amend the programme of gradual liberalisation for the transportation sphere within the union.

In addition, a decision was made on Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in all organs of the union in 2016, except the board of the commission.

In the framework of the visit to Russia, President Nazarbayev also met with President Putin.

Nazarbayev noted that the EAEU is completing its first year of development, which was not easy.

“The crisis was expected, therefore, we undertook the necessary measures to overcome it. Now we must move on. Obviously, the GDP of our countries and trade turnover declined. However, open borders and close ties play a positive role,” he said.

In turn, Putin highlighted the ongoing development of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Russia despite the global economic crisis.

“We continue work on bringing our customs and technical regulations to the same standards. All of these efforts give a positive effect. I am sure that without existing agreements, our economies would be [hit harder by the crisis],” Putin said.

In addition, Nazarbayev met with Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill. At the meeting, Nazarbayev was awarded the Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh of the first class.

Nazarbayev thanked the Russian Orthodox Church for its high evaluation of Kazakhstan’s policy aimed at strengthening interreligious accord.

Issues of cooperation between the leading universities of Kazakhstan and Russia, as well as potential in the sphere of education were discussed during the meeting of Nazarbayev with Head of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (PFUR) Vladimir Filippov. The sides noted that more than 500 students from Kazakhstan study at the PFUR.

Earlier in the day, Nazarbayev took part in a meeting of the Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO). The summit also was attended Sargsyan, Lukashenko, Putin, Atambayev and President Emomai Rahmon of Tajikistan.

The discussion focused on key aspects of strengthening regional security and stability, as well as effective efforts to combat international terrorism.

The participants also adopted a number of organisational documents, including a declaration by heads of CSTO member states on countering international terrorism.

Moscow meeting of the heads of the EAEU member states

Kazakshtan, EU Sign Enhanced Cooperation Agreement

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Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini formally signed the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) between the two bodies agreed at a ceremony in the Ukimet Ui (Government House) in Astana on Dec 21. The EU delegation was first received by Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov.

The agreement, finalised in late 2014, covers 29 areas of cooperation, including investment, trade, infrastructure, innovation, culture, sport, tourism and law enforcement, Idrissov told the government officials, ambassadors from European countries and local and foreign media on hand to witness the signing. He also drew attention to the greatly extended trade section of the agreement, saying, “In the development and harmonisation of these provisions, Kazakhstan was guided by its earlier commitments to the countries of the Customs Union, the [Eurasian Economic Union] and our membership in the [World Trade Organisation].”

Developing human capital is a priority of the EPCA, and will be done by enhancing cooperation in educational programmes and research activities, Idrissov said.

“Kazakhstan has become the first of our Central Asian partners to conclude a new generation agreement with the EU,” said EU High Representative Mogherini at the signing. “The new agreement will give a significant boost to economic and political ties between the EU and Kazakhstan.”

The agreement also emphasises democracy and the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, sustainable development and cooperation in civil society, Mogherini said.

Shortly before the EPCA signing, the European Union-Central Asia Foreign Ministerial meeting was held at Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry. Co-chaired by Mogherini and Idrissov, the event was attended by foreign ministers from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan and deputy foreign ministers from Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

Discussing the significant events of 2015 at the meeting, Idrissov mentioned the launch of the Eurasian Economic Union, the Iran nuclear deal, the Paris climate change deal, the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris terrorist attacks, tensions between Russia and Turkey, the ongoing Syrian civil war and the migrant crisis in Europe. “All of these reflect the current state of play in global and regional politics and require our joint work, including in our region,” he said.

European Union High Representative Federica Mogherini (left) and Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov sign a new EU-Kazakhstan partnership agreement

During the meeting’s two sessions on cooperation, participants discussed international issues including migration, terrorism and religious extremism. According to Idrissov’s statement to the media, the updated EU strategy for Central Asia formed the foundation of the talks. The new strategy, with an increased budget of 1 billion euros, calls for deeper cooperation in areas including education, institution building, trade and investment, regional security and fighting terrorism.

Following the meeting, Idrissov told a press briefing the sides found the EU strategy valid, and that next year the group would meet in Brussels to discuss its implementation.

Mogherini noted that the meeting was the first since the revised strategy had been adopted, and also her first EU-Central Asia Ministerial Meeting. She called the new strategy document “not just as a paper, but … a strong sign of political investment by all EU member states, by all European institutions, in the fact that we want to invest in a strategic partnership, in a strategic relationship with Central Asia.” She also emphasised that Central Asia and the EU can benefit from enhanced cooperation in education, the environment, energy, trade and investment, security and countering radicalisation.

“We have discussed concrete options for countering terrorism and security cooperation and also some ideas on how to work together on one regional issue that is also a high priority for the European Union, which is the situation in Afghanistan and how to continue to keep Afghanistan high on the international agenda,” said Mogherini.

She explained that diversifying the economy and investing in human capital and innovation will be necessary to overcome current economic challenges. She also highlighted democratisation as important for a strong, secure society.

“Kazakhstan has become the first of our Central Asian partners to

conclude a new generation agreement with the EU. The new agreement will give a significant boost to economic

and political ties between the EU and Kazakhstan.”

- EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini

Foreign Minister Highlights the MFA’s Achievements in 2015

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Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov reported on the results of the work of the Foreign Ministry in 2015 at a Dec. 23 press conference, saying this year Kazakhstan’s prestige has grown and its position in the world has become stronger.

Speaking at the traditional year-end press briefing at the Central Communications Service in Astana, Idrissov highlighted the launch of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) on Jan. 1 and Kazakhstan’s economic interests in the organisation. “The EAEU is based on the principles of equality, mutual benefit and interests of all parties. First of all, Kazakhstan is looking for its own national interests,” he said.

The country also acceded to the World Trade Organisation and signed an agreement with the EU on an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation agreement, both economic milestones, the foreign minister said.

Idrissov also noted the participation and support the country received for the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions held in Astana in June, and the work on liberalising visa regimes and expanding visa-free travel to and from Kazakhstan over the year. In June, the country extended a pilot programme to offer visa-free entry for 15 days for citizens of the U.K., Italy, South Korea, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the U.S., France, Germany and Japan. Australia, Belgium, Hungary, Spain, Monaco, Norway, Singapore, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland have since been added to the list.

Negotiations on simplifying visa regimes with European countries are ongoing, Idrissov said. With the establishment of the Astana International Financial Centre on Jan. 1, 2017, visa-free regimes will be introduced for citizens of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member-states, plus Malaysia, Monaco, the UAE and Singapore.

A major event in 2015 was the signing of an agreement Aug. 27 to create a bank of low-enriched uranium (LEU) in Kazakhstan under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Another one of Kazakhstan’s nonproliferation efforts, the Universal Declaration for the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapons-Free World proposed by Nazarbayev Sept. 28 at the UN General Assembly, was adopted, showing the support and recognition Kazakhstan is getting for its sane nuclear vision, Idrissov said.

President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev made 13 foreign visits and received 32 foreign heads of state, governments and international organisations this year, Idrissov reported, with a total of 38 major international events and 70 bilateral visits. These trips resulted in the signing of 275 economic agreements totalling about 170 trillion tenge ($60 billion), he said.

“The implementation of agreements achieved at the highest level, especially on economic cooperation, remains a key priority of the MFA,” Idrissov said.

For the next year, the Foreign Ministry’s priorities will include attracting foreign investment to Kazakhstan, promoting the country’s products abroad and striking free trade agreements with priority countries, Idrissov said. Promoting EXPO 2017 and ensuring participation will also continue to be a focus. “Our task is to ensure participation of no less than 100 countries,” Idrissov said.

In 2016, the Foreign Ministry will also be actively promoting Kazakhstan’s candidacy for a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council (UNSC) in 2017-2018.

According to Idrissov, the most important function of the ministry is protecting the rights of citizens and legal entities of Kazakhstan abroad.

Kazakhstan returned more than 500 of its tourists from Turkey this summer, who were left stranded because of the bankruptcy of their travel agency. They also helped organise transportation for Kazakhstan citizens from Germany, Russia and Ukraine for health reasons, and rescued a number of citizens from human trafficking networks, he reported. The state helped arrange transport for the bodies of citizens killed in a plane crash in France, and financial assistance was provided to 23 citizens, he said.

Idrissov also highlighted the constant work of the ministry on increasing its openness to citizens and the global community, including modernising its website, holding social media conferences, operating a blog and other measures.

“The implementation of agreements achieved at the highest level, especially on economic

cooperation, remains a key priority of the MFA.”- Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov

Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov (right) discusses the foreign minister’s 2015 work during a year-end press conference

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