14.11.2017-20.11.2017 • No: 138 7

KAZAKHSTAN AND NATO’S PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE PROGRAM

Kazakhstan has been engaged in bilateral relations The early example of this interaction was the par- history, economy, and culture of Central Asia and with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ticipation of Kazakhstan’s national peacekeepers Afghanistan. (NATO) since 1992, when the country joined the as part of the Central Asian Battalion in a series of One of the cooperative areas of the NATO-Ka- North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC) es- U.S. and NATO sponsored annual military exer- zakhstan relations is the fight against international tablished by the alliance in December 1991 as a cises conducted under the PfP program from 1997 terrorism. As part of the Partnership Action Plan forum to discuss and coordinate security issues to 2000. In January 2000, President Nursultan on Terrorism, Kazakhstan shares relevant infor- with its new partners. Kazakhstan’s practical se- Nazarbayev issued an edict creating a separate mation and analysis with NATO, enhances its na- curity cooperation with NATO officially started in Kazakh Peacekeeping Battalion (Kazbat) com- tional counter-terrorist capabilities, improves in- May 1994, when it signed a framework document posed of contracted military servicemen. The teragency cooperation and strengthens border se- of the Partnership for Peace (PfP) program Ministry of Defense considered a possibility of curity. Civil emergency planning is another key launched in January 1994 to allow developing in- deploying the Kazakh peacekeepers in Afghani- area of PfP cooperation between Kazakhstan and teraction between NATO and non-member states stan in 2002, but no political decision was eventu- NATO, and the national emergency response and in the Euro-Atlantic area. The Euro-Atlantic Part- ally made, mainly due to strong domestic opposi- disaster management system has benefitted from nership Council (EAPC), which replaced the tion. It is worth noting that Kazakhstan still as- participation in advanced training activities orga- NACC in 1997, is a main platform for the NATO- sisted NATO with its operation in Afghanistan by nized by the alliance’s Euro-Atlantic Disaster Re- Kazakhstan security dialogue providing the over- providing over-flight rights and allowing the use sponse Coordination Center. In September 2009, all political framework for cooperation within the of its territory for the transit of troops and sup- the center partnered with Kazakhstan’s Ministry PfP program, while at the regional and national plies. The Kazbat’s first peacekeeping experience for Emergency Situations to conduct the disaster levels cooperation is maintained, respectively, via was the deployment in Iraq as part of the U.S.-led response field exercise codenamed Zhetysu-2009 the NATO Liaison Office in Central Asia based in multinational stabilization force from 2003 to in the Almaty region. The civilian and military Tashkent and one of the embassies of the NATO 2008. Nine peacekeeping contingents totaling 290 teams from more than 20 countries took part in the member states serving as a contact point. military engineers and medical personnel were ro- exercise designed to enhance cooperation in emer- According to James Appathurai, NATO Secretary tated over five years, contributing to the post-war gency situations by practicing disaster response General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus reconstruction of Iraq. mechanisms and capabilities. and Central Asia, Kazakhstan is the alliance’s In the following years, Kazakhstan continued to The parties are also involved in scientific collabo- most active partner in the region. A major mecha- develop its national peacekeeping potential, ration through the NATO’s Science for Peace and nism for implementing mutual cooperation is the mainly in the framework of PARP, through partic- Security program, under which Kazakhstan has individual partnership action plan (IPAP), which ipation in military exercises and experience shar- received grant awards for over 20 cooperative re- has been jointly developed and agreed on a two- ing in the planning, implementation and mainte- search projects. Study topics include radiological year basis starting in 2006. Through the IPAP, the nance of peacekeeping operations. Starting in risks in Central Asia, integrated water resources alliance is able to tailor its assistance to Kazakh- 2003, Kazakhstan partnered with the United King- management, security of cyber networks, and new stan’s specific interests and priority needs focus- dom, the United States and other interested coun- technologies for seismic resistant construction. ing on activities that contribute best to the im- tries in conducting Steppe Eagle, an annual joint NATO also pays close attention to increasing pub- provement and strengthening of the country’s de- training exercise aimed to strengthen peacekeep- lic awareness of the alliance and benefits of its fense and security sector. Since 1995, as part of ing and peace support capabilities. In October partnership with Kazakhstan. In particular, in the PfP, Kazakhstan has participated in a number 2007, the 38th Separate Air Assault Brigade was 2007, NATO assisted the Al-Farabi Kazakh Na- of the program activities, including defense re- renamed the Kazakh Peacekeeping Brigade (Kaz- tional University in Almaty in establishing the Re- form, military-to-military cooperation, civil-mili- brig), and the Kazbat became part of the Kazbrig. source and Information Center on NATO, which tary relations, civil emergency planning and dis- Currently, the Kazbrig is part of Kazakhstan’s organizes regular NATO-themed events. In addi- aster response, education, training, and scientific Airmobile Forces and consists of three battalions. tion, the NATO Depository Library was opened at cooperation. The Kazbat-1 is designated to participate in UN the Kazakh National Academic Library in Astana Under the defense and security sector reform, peacekeeping missions, while the Kazbat-2 is in- in 2008, where NATO sends multimedia materials NATO provided considerable expertise that Ka- tended to be used in peacekeeping operations un- and publications for use by students, researchers zakhstan has used to lay the conceptual frame- der the aegis of the Collective Security Treaty Or- and practitioners. It is noteworthy that in June work for the institutional reform process within its ganization, and the Kazbat-3 is considered the 2009 the third EAPC Security Forum took place Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces, including Kazbrig’s backup unit. The Kazbat-1, which has in Astana focusing on the situation in Afghanistan, through the participation in the Partnership Action 550 servicemen, passed the NATO certification regional security perspectives in Central Asia and Plan on Defense Institution Building initiative that that confirmed the battalion’s ability to operate in the Caucasus, as well as energy issues. aids in setting effective judicial oversight and ap- a multinational peacekeeping environment under In conclusion, it is important to note that coopera- propriate command arrangements for relevant in- a UN Security Council mandate, including in tion under NATO’s PfP program helps Kazakh- stitutions. Since 2002, Kazakhstan has partici- NATO-led peace support operations. stan to address security threats posed by terrorism, pated in the PfP Planning and Review Process In July 2008, under the Kazakhstan-NATO coop- religious extremism, ethnic conflicts, organized (PARP) to attain and improve interoperability be- eration plan, the first PfP training center in Central crime, drug trafficking, proliferation of weapons tween its armed forces and military units of the Asia called the Kazakhstan Center (KAZCENT) of mass destruction, and other challenges. Ka- NATO member states, with a current emphasis on was opened in the Military Institute of Ground zakhstan does not pursue full membership in the the Air-Mobile Forces. In this regard, the im- Forces in Almaty, and was accredited by NATO alliance, but the institutionalized interaction with portant and advanced direction of cooperation is as a Partnership Training and Education Center in NATO is essential for Kazakhstan as it not only ongoing joint work with NATO on further devel- December 2010. The center’s main objective is to contributes to the strengthening of its military oping Kazakhstan’s peacekeeping potential, as train the relevant military personnel, including forces but also increases regional stability, en- Astana regards conducting basic peacekeeping from the NATO member and partner states, desig- hances security cooperation in Central Asia, and and humanitarian operations within a multina- nated to participate in peacekeeping operations. mitigates external pressure from the neighboring tional framework as a tool that would help the Its curriculum includes courses on English mili- major powers. country’s military and security forces to gain prac- tary terminology in multinational operations, tical experience of contemporary warfare under NATO administrative and staff procedures, mili- real-life conditions. tary-civilian interaction, as well as a course on the Written by Dauren Aben, Eurasian Research Institute, Kazakhstan

Politics, Foreign Affairs and Security will run through Turkmenbashi in Turk- time, during the reporting period, remit- menistan, across the Caspian Sea to tances from Kyrgyzstan to other coun-

 During his official visit to Sochi, Presi- Azerbaijan’s Baku port, then across tries totaled $44.3 million.

dent of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan Georgia’s Black Sea ports of Batumi Society and Culture exchanged opinions with President of and Poti or through Turkey to the Med- Russia Vladimir Putin on regional and iterranean and Europe.  According to Rashad Nabiyev, the head international issues, focusing on the  According to the Central Bank of Uz- of the state-owned satellite operator of joint fight against terrorism and the Syr- bekistan, the license issued to commer- Azerbaijan Azercosmos, revenues from ian peace settlement. The parties also cial banks to conduct hard currency op- Azerspace-1, the country’s first satellite discussed prospects of boosting bilat- erations was abolished. All commercial launched in 2013, amounted to $80 mil- eral trade and strengthening cooperation banks of the country have been reissued lion. He has also noted that about 80% in the energy sector. licenses entitling them to conduct bank- of resources of Azerspace-1 satellite  During his official visit to Baku, Deputy ing operations, and from now on foreign have already been commercialized, and Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Alisher currency operations will be carried out annual sales of satellite resources are Sultanov met with President of Azerbai- under these general licenses. The deci- forecasted to grow. Its service area in- jan Ilham Aliyev to discuss expanding sion was adopted in order to implement cludes the countries of Europe, Cauca- cooperation between the two countries the decree of the President of Uzbeki- sus, Central Asia, Middle East and Af- in a number of areas, including trade, stan on priority measures for the liberal- rica. The launch of Azerspace-2, the energy, and transport. ization of monetary policy signed in second geostationary satellite, is sched- uled for 2018.  During his official visit to St. Peters- September 2017. burg, President of Kyrgyzstan Almaz-  According to the Statistics Agency of  During an emergency government bek Atambayev met with President of Tajikistan, the volume of the country’s meeting held to discuss the critical situ- Russia Vladimir Putin to discuss long- foreign trade amounted to more than ation on the country’s roads, Prime standing bilateral cooperation between $3.2 billion over the last 10 months, Minister of Kyrgyzstan Sapar Isakov the two countries. The parties ex- which is 2%, or $8 million, less com- signed two resolutions, one disbanding changed views on a wide range of is- pared to the same period of last year. the Main Patrol Police Directorate and sues, including economy, security, and The country’s imports decreased to the other establishing the Main Direc- culture. more than $2.2 billion, which is 10.5%, torate for Road Traffic Safety of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It was  During his official visit to Ashgabat, or $266 million, less compared to the noted that the staff of the new unit Minister of Road and Urban Develop- same period of 2016, while exports in- would be increased. ment of Iran Abbas Ahmed Akhundi creased by almost 35%, or $258 million, met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of amounting to more than $1 billion. Rus-  According to the Statistics Committee Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov to dis- sia remains the main trade partner of Ta- of the Ministry of National Economy of cuss bilateral cooperation, with special jikistan. During the reported period, the Kazakhstan, as of October 1, 2017, the attention paid to transport and logistics. trade turnover between the countries population of the country reached The parties also exchanged views on the amounted to $765 million decreasing by 18,096,900 people, which is 231,300 issues of establishing an effective part- 18% compared to the same period of people, or 1.3%, more than as of Octo- nership in the energy sector. 2016. ber 1, 2016. The urban and rural popu- lation in Kazakhstan amounted to  During his official visit to Moscow,  According to the Finance Ministry of President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan Russia, an intergovernmental protocol 10,383,300 (57.4%) and 7,713,600 peo- met with President of Russia Vladimir on restructuring Venezuela’s debt to ple (42.6%), respectively. Putin to discuss issues related to Russia equaling $3.15 billion was  The opening ceremony of the Days of strengthening fruitful bilateral ties, es- signed. The protocol stipulates full re- the Armenian Culture in Russia was pecially in the field of security and hu- payment within a ten-year period and held at the Tretyakov Gallery in Mos- manitarian cooperation. The parties also minimal payments in the first six years. cow. The event was attended by presi- exchanged views on the issues of fur- The debt relief provided to Venezuela dents Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir ther cooperation in the political, eco- will enable Caracas to allocate released Putin. The Russian President presented his Armenian counterpart with the nomic and financial spheres. funds on the country’s economic devel- opment and improve its repayment abil- painting “Demon and Angel with Economy, Finance and Energy ity. Tamara’s Soul” by Mikhail Vrubel,  During the 7th Regional Economic Co-  According to the National Bank of Kyr- which was stolen in Yerevan 22 years operation Conference on Afghanistan gyzstan, since the beginning of the year, ago. held in Ashgabat, high-ranking officials migrant workers have transferred  According to President and CEO of Ka- of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, $1.740 billion, which is a $274.6 mil- zakhstan’s flag carrier Air Astana Peter Turkey, and Turkmenistan signed an lion increase compared to the same pe- Foster, the company plans to add Mum- agreement on a major international riod of last year. It was noted that in bai as its second destination in India by trade and transport corridor that will September 2017 the inflow of remit- 2019. He has also noted that the com- connect Afghanistan directly to Europe. tances to Kyrgyzstan amounted to pany plans to turn its Delhi-Astana The Lapis Lazuli Corridor is to begin in $259.4 million, which is a $2.6 million flight, which currently operates three Afghanistan’s northern Aqina port in decrease compared to the previous times a week, into a daily service. the Faryab province and Torghandi in month. The bulk of the funds, or $253.4 the western Herat province. The route million, came from Russia. At the same

Prepared by Lidiya Parkhomchik, Dauren Aben, Daniyar Nurbayev