+3° / -9°C WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 No 5 (95) www.astanatimes.com Nazarbayev Congratulates Kazakh Parties, Observers in People on Day of Gratitude, Recalls Final Preparations for Country’s Historic Past March 20 Elections ty and the National Social Demo- By Galiaskar seitzhan cratic Party (NSDP), as well as the election’s only newcomers, the ASTANA – The six parties com- centrist Birlik (Unity), will also peting for 98 seats in Kazakhstan’s strive to reach the 7 percent thresh- Mazhilis (lower chamber of Par- old in order to represent their vot- liament) and the 10,825 candidates ers in the next Mazhilis. running for seats in maslikhats The early vote will also serve (local legislatures) are intensify- as another major test of the ruling ing their campaigns in the final party’s appeal among the electorate days before the March 20 elec- amid the challenges Kazakhstan’s tions, making last appeals to voters economy has faced since revenues across the nation. from oil and metals, the country’s In addition to traditional posters main exports, began their long fall and leaflets, meetings with voters, more than a year ago. battling in newspapers and social Despite a deep devaluation of media campaigning, the party lead- the national currency, the tenge, ers will deliver their messages and the government’s anti-crisis poli- trade barbs during an electoral de- cies seem to have generated at bate on national television March least partial success, as the econ- 16. The Central Election Commis- omy has avoided recession despite sion (CEC) confirmed the debate seeing nearly worst-case global on Khabar TV two days prior. and regional economic scenarios According to the CEC, one come true for Kazakhstan’s key representative from each politi- trade partners, with the Russian cal party is invited to participate. economy nearly grinding to a Interestingly, the announcement halt because of low oil prices and highlighted that “the participants Ukraine-related Western sanc- must refrain from personal at- tions, sluggish growth in the Eu- tacks; statements deliberately rozone, and an obvious, probably President Nursultan Nazarbayev (C) poses with activists representing various ethnic groups of the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan on the Day of Gratitude, discrediting the honour, dignity celebrated in Kazakhstan for the first time this year on March 1. long-term, slowdown in China. and business reputation of a po- On Election Day itself, a number People of Kazakhstan (APK) and ety, which are greatly needed at is necessary to draw lessons from litical party [or] its members; or of exit polls are scheduled to be held By Kamila Zhumabayeva received wide public support. this present time,” he said. Kazakhstan’s multi-ethnic history. discrimination against members to provide early projections of the “At the event, representatives Nazarbayev noted many pages “In the course of the peasant re- of other political parties, and result immediately after midnight ASTANA – President Nursul- of the country’s various ethnic of the country’s history are related settlement period of the Stolypin comply with generally accepted on March 21, as the electoral code tan Nazarbayev congratulated groups broached the subject of to gratitude as one of the highest reforms, 1.15 million people were standards of ethics.” allows. The largest among those is the people of Kazakhstan with gratitude to each other and to moral values. moved to Kazakhstan from Russia, Leading the six competing par- being arranged by the Institute of the Day of Gratitude celebrated the Kazakh people. In January “In the tragic years of political Ukraine and Belarus. In the 1930s ties is the Nur Otan party, led by Democracy led by Yulia Kuchin- in the nation for the first time on of this year, I signed a corre- repressions and deportations of the during the period of collectivisa- President of Kazakhstan Nursultan skaya, who conducted a similarly March 1. He explained how the sponding decree. Now, along 20th century, millions of people tion of the former USSR from the Nazarbayev, which has dominated scaled project after last year’s presi- country’s difficult historic and with other celebrations like La- were grateful to each other for help central regions, 250,000 dispos- the Mazhilis. The right-centrist, dential poll. This year, the institute political past is related to this bour Day and Family Day, the and support. This gave strength sessed kulak peasants were exiled pro-business Ak Zhol Democratic announced it would put surveyors holiday and how multi-ethnicity Day of Gratitude is a new date and ability to survive to people here. During the same time, 1.2 Party and the leftist Communist at 550 polling stations across Ka- was formed. on the national calendar. I am deprived of everything, to regain million people were sent for the People’s Party will seek to main- zakhstan. Kuchinskaya estimates His proposal to establish the cel- convinced that this holiday will hope and rebuild their lives,” he construction of industrial facili- tain and, if possible, increase their the margin of doubt for her exit poll ebration was delivered at the 2015 further strengthen trust, harmo- added. ties,” said Nazarbayev. presence in the legislature. Left- to be around 0.5 percent. session of the Assembly of the ny and friendship in our soci- The President indicated the day Continued on Page A2 of- -centre agrarians the Auyl Par- Continued on Page A2 President Says Crisis Provides Think Tank Gathers New Development Opportunities International Experts By Aiman Turebekova to Discuss Terrorism, ASTANA – Emphasising that the global economic turbulence continues to generate social and Relations among Powers political upheaval in the world, world initiatives. twenty-five years Kazakh President Nursultan Naz- By yerbolat uatkhanov ago, thanks to his political will arbayev said this situation cre- Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site ates opportunities both for his ASTANA – New global chal- was closed, which started the fight country’s development and for lenges were discussed by foreign for a nuclear weapons free world. the new level of cooperation in experts March 2 at the Kazakh- Today, the Kazakh President an- stan Institute for Strategic Stud- Eurasia. nounced a new initiative which ies (KAZISS). Growing strains in “We have to use this historic op- is supported by many politicians relations between world powers portunity to lay the foundations and experts,” said The Jamestown and strengthening terrorist organi- of an adequate, effective and bal- Foundation analyst Jacob Zenn. sations were debated by leading anced global economic develop- He highlighted Nazarbayev’s experts from the United States, ment model. Therefore, I suggest- “The integration potential of sation for Security and Develop- reiterating his earlier call for hold- speech at the United Nations (UN) Russia and Turkey. ed creating the unified Eurasian the Eurasian Economic Union and ment in Asia.” ing a high level international con- Representatives from the Min- General Assembly about creating space,” Nazarbayev said March 2 implementation of a joint project The head of state noted Kazakh- ference in 2016 to reaffirm these an international anti-terroristic with China for the New Silk Road stan became a full member of the principles. istry of Defence and the Academy during an annual meeting with the of National Security Committee network. Economic Belt will strengthen Ka- World Trade Organisation last year Even more important, accord- diplomatic corps accredited in the discusses the current situation in Russian Academy of Sciences zakhstan’s position as an important “It will help us to expand our ing to Nazarbayev, is to continue country. Syria, Afghanistan and the Middle expert Irina Zvyagelskaya spoke business partner and hub in Eura- foreign trade and increase invest- with the development of a Plan He added today’s Eurasia is a East and its impact on the security about Kazakh and Russian bilat- sia,” he said. ment capacity,” he said. of Global Strategic Initiative up key geo-economic and geopoliti- in Central Asia. eral relations. cal player in world politics. According to Nazarbayev, Moreover, the President elabo- to 2015, the centenary of the UN, “We have the highest level of which he put forward in Septem- “Today, international terrorism “The interests of all global giants statistics shows Kazakhstan al- rated on measures taken in the is in close coordination with re- confidence. We help each other. such as China and Russia, the Unit- ready is making serious inroads country to achieve sustainable ber 2015 and which would outline We count on each other. And this a roadmap to “remove reasons for ligious extremism and has a very ed States and the European Union, in capitalising on its geographic development and raised the issue well-organised form. So, we have greatly affects the stability and or- India, Iran and Turkey intersect in position in the centre of Eurasia. of promoting safety and equable conflicts and set a new trend of ganisation of the security system. development based on an equal ac- to name them as terrorist quasi- this territory. Geopolitical games, While in 2013, 6,000 containers development in the modern world. states and networks operating all The current challenge is very seri- mutual economic sanctions and were shipped across the coun- “The 21st century has brought cess of all nations to infrastructure, ous, because it is realised not only resources and markets.” over the world. And we have to ac- other archaic vestiges of the cold try going from China to Europe, many challenges in the econom- cept that these terrorist states have in the military and political sphere, war have to go into the past. Build- in 2015 this number reached ic, environmental, geopolitical, Another important priority for but also in ideology. the fight for Kazakhstan is nuclear disarma- an ugly, but their own ideology,” ing a peaceful, stable, prosperous 95,000.