4 The Japan Times Sunday, December 16, 2012 第３種郵便物認可 Kazakhstan independence day

Night view: The contemporary skyline of Astana lights up the Ishim River. First designed by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa, Astana is the new capital city at the heart of the nation. embassy of Kazakhstan Further deepening of strategic partnership with Japan Rising Kazakhstan continues to pursue new global initiatives for safer, cleaner energy

Akylbek Kamaldinov trustful cooperation with other of the world to abandon nuclear and the increase in the peace- century. Ambassador of the Republic of countries serve as much more tests forever. keeping role of religious and The economic model imple- Kazakhstan solid security guarantees than Taking this opportunity, I spiritual leaders. mented by President nursultan huge arsenals of the deadliest would like to urge the readers Against this background, it is Nazarbayev proved its high ef- On dec. 16, our country cele- weapons. of The Japan Times and all the necessary to stress the impor- fectiveness and stability during brates one of the most important In 2009, the U.N. General As- people of good will to support tance of the initiative of Presi- the recent global crisis. despite national holidays — the Inde- sembly unanimously approved the aTOM Project and to make dent to it, Kazakhstan was able to mini- pendence day the initiative of President Nursul- the creation of the non-nuclear convene a Conference on Inter- mize the negative trends and of the republic tan nazarbayev, declaring aug. world our main goal. action and Confidence Building quickly return to the path of sus- of Kazakhstan. 29, the closing date of the Semi- And, it is obvious that Kazakh- Measures in asia (CICA) that tainable growth. On this day, palatinsk nuclear test site, as the stan’s example becomes espe- united 24 states occupying more Over the past decade and exactly 21 years International Day against Nucle- cially timely and needed today than 90 percent of the territory of a half our economy has been ago, our coun- ar Tests. It should be particularly when the world is facing further Asia and half the world’s popula- growing by an average of 7 per- try gained its emphasized that the coauthors proliferation of weapons of mass tion. cent annually. compared with independence, of the appropriate resolution destruction, while the threat of The main purpose of the the initial period of indepen- laying the foun- were 26 states, including Japan, their use by international terror- CICA is to strengthen coop- dence, gross domestic product dation of new Kazakhstan. which is another example of the ist organizations is also growing. eration through multilateral ap- (GDP) grew by more than 16 Thanks to the enormous efforts recognition of Kazakhstan’s con- Kazakhstan, as a multieth- proaches to peace, security and times. In 2011, GDP growth was of our first President and Leader tribution to the strengthening of nic and multireligious state, stability in Asia. 7.5 percent. In the first half of of the nation nursultan naz- international security and non- fully supports the global process As a matter of fact, the CICA 2012, Kazakhstan’s economic arbayev, who became the author proliferation. aimed at promoting of dialogue has basically reached such a lev- growth was 5.6 percent, while of Kazakhstan’s unique model of The new initiative of Kazakh- between civilizations and reli- el of interaction that provides for real income grew by 12.8 per- Global project: The official poster (left) of the international development during a historically stan was brought forward at the gions. Under the initiative of our a transition to a more efficient cent. Today, GDP per capita is campaign against nuclear tests, The ATOM Project, which was short period of time, Kazakhstan Global nuclear Security Sum- country, UNESCO declared 2010 form of its participation in the approaching to $12,000, and ac- launched by the during the has taken a quantum leap from mits in Washington, d.C., and as the International Year for the system of modern international cording to the World bank, Ka- international conference “From a Nuclear Test Ban to a Nuclear- economic and political chaos of Seoul, and the establishment of Rapprochement of Cultures; and relations in eurasia and glob- zakhstan entered the category of Weapon-Free World” in the capital Astana in August. Above: the early 1990s to the modern the IAEA Low Enriched Uranium 2013-2022 as the International ally. We are speaking about the upper-middle-income countries. Launched in 2008, realizing President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s welfare state with a dynamically Bank has generated possible de- Decade for the rapprochement prospect of establishing a new Prior to 2016, we plan to provide proposal, the Astana Economic Forum (www.aef.kz) will hold its growing market economy, demo- velopments. of Cultures. full-fledged international Or- an annual GDP growth of 7 per- sixth meeting in May 2013. embassy of Kazakhstan cratic institutions, political stabil- In this regard, on Aug. 27-29, This noble goal is also de- ganization on Interaction and cent. ity, ethnic and religious harmony, 2012, astana hosted the inter- voted to the practice of holding Confidence-Building measures Another indication of the stani and foreign partners can in the implementation of major as well as significant international national conference “From a congresses of leaders of world in Asia, the OICA. global assessment of our eco- showcase their latest achieve- investment projects in the nucle- recognition. Nuclear Test ban to a nuclear- and traditional religions on Ka- During past years the cICA nomic model is improvement ments and developments in ar and petrochemical industries, It should be fair to say that the Weapons-Free World,” orga- zakh soil. has considerably expanded its of Kazakhstan’s performance in green energy. the mining sector and technol- merits of our leader are known nized by the majilis of the Par- Over the past nine years, four geographic scope. Vietnam, the World bank’s doing busi- of non-primary goods. This is EXPO 2017 will indeed be the ogy transfer. not only in Kazakhstan, but also liament, the nazarbayev center times the capital astana has Bahrain, Iraq and cambodia ness Report. In the 2013 edition the first time in our economy. first international exposition to Closer economic ties are also far beyond its borders. and the Foreign Ministry on the gathered together leaders of have become new members. of the report, Kazakhstan ranked During the first nine months of be held in Central Asia and the maintained by the activities of Having experienced the hor- Kazakhstan side, and by the Par- major world and traditional reli- Bangladesh and the Philippines 49th, up 7 positions, occupying 2012, Kazakhstan’s foreign trade CIS. joint committees and commis- rors of nuclear weapons our- liamentarians for nuclear non- gions, including representatives became observers. Japan is now a leading position among the exceed $101 billion, up 10.9 Also, I would like to mention sions of government and private selves, Kazakhstan from the first proliferation and disarmament of the Japanese association of an observer of the CICA, but we Commonwealth of Independent percent in comparison with the the relations between Kazakh- sectors for economic coopera- days of its independence has (PNND). Shinto Shrines aka Jinja Honcho. hope Japan will also become a States. same period of 2011. stan and Japan, which crossed tion, whose next meeting will be been one of the leaders of the This forum in the Kazakh In addition to its direct inter-re- full member of the forum in the The stable and dynamic de- Thanks to the government’s the 20-year threshold this year. held in Tokyo in spring 2013. international movement for a capital that gathered parlia- ligious values, the congress is an near future. velopment of Kazakhstan pro- support the number of small and We highly appreciate the sup- Political dialogue also devel- nuclear-weapons-free world. mentarians and scientists from important and effective interna- As part of the 20th anniver- motes more intensive partner- medium-size enterprises in Ka- port that Japan has provided to ops very dynamically based on On aug. 29, 1991, President more than 70 countries was tional policy instrument to serve sary of the initiative of President ship with foreign partners. Since zakhstan increased by 35 times. the development of Kazakhstan interparliamentary contacts be- Nursultan nazarbayev by his another important step toward peace and stability in the world, Nursultan nazarbayev, on Sept. 1991, our economy attracted By 2020, the share of this sector in the first days of our indepen- tween parliamentarian friend- unilateral decree permanently strengthening closer interna- as well as to bring together po- 12, 2012, a commemorative $150 billion of foreign invest- in GDP will be about 40 percent. dence. and it should be noted ship groups. shut down the Semipalatinsk tional cooperation in the field litical and religious leaders for Session and the fourth meeting ment (more than 80 percent Since 2010, Kazakhstan intro- that Japan is one of the first On nov. 9-10, Foreign min- nuclear test site, the second- of nonproliferation and nuclear convergence of civilizations, na- of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of of investment flows to central duced about 440 new industrial countries that recognized the in- ister of the Republic of Kazakh- largest in the world, and a year disarmament, and supporting tions and countries. CICA were held in Astana. Asia). The largest investors and units, which employ more than dependence of Kazakhstan and stan visited To- and a half later an already inde- Kazakhstan’s international ini- In 2013, we will celebrate the As a responsible member of captains of the world’s business 50,000 skilled workers. another all these years the nation has re- kyo to participate in the Fourth pendent Kazakhstan voluntarily tiatives in this area. 10th anniversary of the conven- the world community, Kazakh- are widely presented in Kazakh- 220 projects are under way. Over mained a reliable and construc- Meeting of Ministers of Foreign renounced the world’s fourth During the forum, the Presi- ing of the first congress, and stan proposes to work together stan. Only in 2011, the volume 30 of those projects are large- tive partner. Affairs of the central asia plus largest nuclear and missile ar- dent nursultan nazarbayev on this important occasion the to form a new world order in of investments amounted $18 scale industrial projects with an The last few years have been Japan dialogue. based on the senal. launched the international cam- members of the newly estab- both virtual (via the Internet) billion. investment volume from $300 a breakthrough in bilateral eco- results of meetings with Prime By these steps, Kazakhstan paign “The ATOM Project.” Un- lished permanent body of the and real dialogue through G- In 2011, Kazakhstan’s foreign million up to $1 billion. Over the nomic and trade relations as a Minister yoshihiko noda, For- has charted a way toward a der the project, any human be- congress — the Council of Reli- GLOBAL. In this regard, our trade grew by 40 percent to $126 past three years the total invest- result of the burgeoning coop- eign minister Koichiro Genba nuclear-weapons-free world ing on Earth, who stands against gious Leaders — intend to make website has millions of users billion. Exports of Kazakh prod- ment volume in the manufac- eration in industry, energy and and minister edano, the par- and, by following successful nuclear weapons can sign an on- a special statement in which they engaged in a dialogue on a wide ucts to international markets to- turing sector alone reached $8.5 finance. ties noted the importance of development, has proven that line petition (at www.theATOM- plan to highlight the importance range of issues on the formation talled $88 billion with more than billion. In 2011, bilateral trade the further deepening of the dialogue and peaceful and Project.org) urging governments and relevance of the dialogue, of a new world order in the 21st $21 billion coming from exports Recently, Kazakhstan launched amounted to $1.688 billion. Ac- strategic partnership between a new project of the People’s IPO. cording to the National Bank of Kazakhstan and Japan, both bi- The assets of major companies Kazakhstan, in 2011 Japanese laterally and in the framework would be prepared for floating at foreign direct investment (FDI) of regional and international people’s IPO market until 2015, to the Kazakh economy grew organizations. which in turn will increase the by 15.1 percent to $747.3 mil- At the conclusion, I would transparency of public enterpris- lion. Starting from 1993, the like to express our hopes for the es and strengthen public control gross inflow of Japanese FDI further development of strategic over their activities. to Kazakhstan has exceeded $4 partnership between Kazakhstan At the same time, a favorable billion. and Japan for the sake of the geographical location, political Bilateral trade and economic prosperity of our nations. and economic stability, direct partnership received a power- We are confident about the access to the markets of the ful impetus in 2008 during the bright future of our bilateral re- customs union, the european visit of President nursultan lations. Union and the favorable in- Nazarbayev to Japan, when the vestment climate open up new parties identified new paths and Kazakhstan President Nursultan prospects for expanding more perspectives of economic and Nazarbayev gave a special profitable cooperation with for- investment cooperation. speech on Dec. 14 in the capital eign partners. In may 2012, during the visit Astana. The transcript is Conferences: Leaders of world and traditional religions meet in I would also highlight the of minister of economy, Trade available on the official Astana on May 30. Right: A Commemorative Session and the enormous potential of the inter- and Industry Yukio Edano to As- website of the Embassy of fourth Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Conference on national specialized exhibition tana, the two countries adopted Kazakhstan in Tokyo at www. Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) “EXPO 2017: energy of the Fu- a road map to strengthen eco- embkaz.jp.org are held in Astana on Sept. 12. embassy of Kazakhstan ture” in astana, where Kazakh- nomic and investment relations

PAGE: 4 第３種郵便物認可 The Japan Times Sunday, December 16, 2012 5 Kazakhstan independence day Expo 2017: the first global exposition in Central Asia

“We are fully aware of the his- toric responsibility that rests on us. This is the first time that Expo will be held in the center of the huge Eurasian continent. I am sure that the international exhibition ‘Future Energy’ will give a powerful impulse to transformations in world ener- gy. Kazakhstan will do its maxi- mum to ensure it takes place at the highest level.” President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev

On nov. 22, Kazakhstan’s capi- tal received the overwhelming majority of votes at the 152nd First in Central Asia: Kazakhstan President Nursultan General Assembly session of the Nazarbayev speaks at a press conference in Paris on Nov. 23 Bureau International des Exposi- after Kazakhstan won the right to host Expo 2017. Right: A tions (International exhibitions model shows the Expo venue in Astana for 2017 under the Bureau) in Paris and was chosen theme “Energy of the Future.” Embassy of Kazakhstan to host the International Expo in 2017. this scale are attended by mil- sustainable energy supplies is a ready gained experience in hold- nections. We have repeatedly ing their meeting, Zhoshybayev “I want to inform you that we lions of people from dozens of key and growing global problem, ing major international events, held global events, including the submitted Kazakhstan’s official have just achieved another big countries. He also mentioned and the solution must be found including the Summit of the Or- Asian Winter Games, the Sum- candidacy signed by the prime victory for our country,” Kazakh- that astana expo 2017 will be to ensure economic growth and ganization for Security and co- mit of the Organization for Secu- minister. stan President nursultan naz- the first international exhibition living standards while reducing operation in Europe (OSCE) and rity and Cooperation in Europe,” The campaign organized in arbayev said at a special press of such a level ever to be held the burden on the environment. the Asian Winter Games. Astana Deputy Prime minister of Ka- support of astana’s candidacy conference in Paris after the an- in any Central Asian country or Kazakhstan’s choice of the topic is a modern city with a dynamic zakhstan Kairat Kelimbetov un- was held all over the world. nouncement of the results. “The member nation of the Common- is due to the fact that, with signif- and comfortable environment derlined. “Astana has extensive Thus, in early October a nine- secret vote showed that the vast wealth of Independent States. icant reserves of natural energy for business and residence. experience in conducting major month auto expedition of Ka- majority of 148 countries partic- He also added that the theme resources, the country has been According to astana mayor events, and in fact, I would say zakhstan’s Geographic Society ipating in the vote support Ka- “Future energy” suggested by consistently taking steps to use , “As- that our country plans to hold started. Its leader, biker dmitry zakhstan’s bid. We have received Astana is timely and of high im- alternative energy sources, and tana is the place where the en- the world universiade in 2017, Petrukhin, planned to visit 35 of 103 votes and defeated the bid portance for the sustainable de- has committed itself to building ergy of the youth sets the rhythm and I think that Astana provides the 160 member countries of the by Liege (Belgium). velopment of the world. a green economy. of the city. a sufficiently large number of BIE in the americas, including “Thus, Kazakhstan received “Expo 2017 will promote Ka- Kazakhstan has enormous po- “We also want to underline people and really make it possi- Latin america and the carib- recognition as a country capable zakhstan all over the world. The tential in renewable energy, par- prospects. The Expo will expand ble for further spread of the ideas bean. of holding an event of this scale. exhibition defines the agenda for ticularly in wind and solar. Wind its borders up to territories that of green economy not only in the Also, the Kazakh film “Astana It is a great honor, a great hap- the world economic develop- power can potentially produce occupy the ninth place in the region, but also in other parts of Expo 2017: The Great expecta- piness for Kazakhstan, since ment. This event is beneficial for 25 times more energy in a year world, which coincides with the the world.” tion of Kazakhstan” received representatives of more than the whole of Kazakhstan, to all than is currently produced from mission of expo to have plan- The victory of astana’s bid the second prize Silver Dolphin 100 countries will arrive to our people of Kazakhstan, and will the country’s hydrocarbons. The etary significance,” the mayor capped a two-year campaign Award at the annual interna- country. They will build pavil- demonstrate our capabilities. I government also sees vast op- said as he sought to emphasize by the two competing cities. It tional festival “Cannes Corporate ions at the exhibition, major once again want to congratulate portunities to conserve energy, the importance of the expo for all began in december 2010 Media & TV Awards” in the cat- responsibility will lay on us, but all the people of Kazakhstan with including at the consumer end Kazakhstan and for the world. when plans were announced egory “Corporate Video.” we will keep all infrastructures to this victory,” the president said. by 50 to 60 percent. Urgent steps “A total of 2.5 billion people for Astana to bid for Expo 2017. The exhibition will be held be built afterward in Astana,” the The theme proposed by as- are already being taken to re- live in close proximity to our Later, on June 10, 2011, at the for three months in the sum- president said. tana is aimed at finding ways duce greenhouse gas emissions. country. It’s only a three-hour headquarters of the BIE in Paris, mer of 2017. The city expects President nursultan naz- to achieve qualitative changes Kazakhstan will be the first cIS flight from the capital city of In- MFA Executive Secretary and up to 5 million visitors to attend arbayev noted that the Expo al- in the energy sector, primarily country to launch a cap-and- dia, a five-hour flight from the national expo 2017 coordinator the event. expo 2017 in astana ways serves as the ground for the for the development of alterna- trade system starting in January capital of china and a three- Rapil Zhoshybayev met with the would also coincide with the best technological, scientific and tive sources of energy and new 2013. hour flight from moscow. We General Secretary of the BIE Vin- city’s 20th anniversary as the cultural achievements. Events of ways of transportation. Finding Kazakhstan’s capital has al- have established excellent con- cent Gonzales Loscertales. Dur- capital of Kazakhstan.

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