-4°C /-2°C WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2014 No 23 (66) www.astanatimes.com Astana, Moscow Kazakh President Visits Kiev Nazarbayev Offers to Advance Ties, Mediate in Ukraine, Plans to Launch to Re-boost Ties, Seek Solutions Stresses Kazakhstan’s EEU on Jan. 1 By Yulia Mager to Conflict in Eastern Ukraine Economic Resilience gress in negotiations over lasting MOSCOW – Presidents of Ka- By Zhanar Abdulova peace in eastern Ukraine.” zakhstan and Russia Nursultan “We have no conflict of inter- Nazarbayev and Vladimir Putin ASTANA – President Nursultan ests. I am like an objective manag- exchanged views on the most Nazarbayev held his annual end- er who does not support any side, pressing issues on the regional and of-year news briefing covering a takes a neutral position and can international agendas, discussed broad range of areas from the situ- contribute in a constructive way,” bilateral cooperation, as well as ation in Ukraine to Kazakhstan’s he continued. “There is a need to the course of the Eurasian integra- economic stimulus package, ter- agree on those issues where as- tion during their meeting in Mos- rorism threats, prospects of inte- pirations of Ukraine, Russia and cow on Dec. 22. gration in Eurasia and Almaty’s Europe coincide: ending the way, Nazarbayev stressed that they bid to host the Winter Olympics in freeing prisoners, assisting in res- first met with Putin 15 years ago as 2022. toration in eastern Ukraine, de- he wished his Russian counterpart During an hour-and-a-half ques- termining the status of languages. success in leading his country. tion-and-answer session shown These are the issues that need to be “This year, we signed the Eura- on national television channels on brought up to the level of the presi- sian Economic Union (EEU) trea- Dec. 21, Nazarbayev said the rea- dents and need to be agreed upon, ty in Astana. The treaty will enter sons for the continuing confronta- together with the Europeans.” into force. Despite all the chal- tion in Ukraine which had crippled [In the early morning of Dec. 22 lenges we should support this or- the fellow post-Soviet country for Nazarbayev left Astana for a visit ganisation and make it viable and the past year laid in the failure by to Kiev to hold talks with Presi- interesting for all,” he said. that country’s political elites to se- dent Petro Poroshenko, which will In turn, the Russian leader drew cure adequate economic progress be followed by a trip to Moscow attention to key prospects of bilat- over the past two decades. “As a on Dec. 23 for meetings with Pres- eral relations and plans for further result of weak social policies, pov- ident Vladimir Putin of Russia and integration. erty of many groups of the Ukrain- other leaders in the Eurasian Eco- The heads of state signed a pro- ian society led them to being ma- nomic Union and Collective Secu- tocol on the exchange of ratifica- nipulated by third parties of all rity Treaty Organisation formats.] tion documents for the Treaty be- kinds,” he said. tween Kazakhstan and Russia on Nazarbayev emphasised Good-Neighbourliness and Alli- Ukraine’s historical closeness to Economy Resilient, ance in the 21st Century signed in Kazakhstan, as well as the pres- November 2013. ence of a large Ukrainian minority While Government Has On Dec. 23, Moscow hosted in Kazakhstan. the Collective Security Treaty Or- President Nursultan Nazarbayev (l) met with President Petro Poroshenko in Kiev on Dec. 22 to re-boost bilateral trade “The fratricidal war has brought Resources to Withstand ganisation (CSTO) summit with that shrank one-third this year because of the conflict in eastern Kazakhstan and to seek solutions for that conflict. true devastation to eastern Pressure the participation of the presidents By Malika Orazgaliyeva This was the first visit for the jects in the fields of engineering Ukraine, and it is a common task Speaking of the impact of recip- of Kazakhstan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakh leader to Kiev since the and agriculture, cooperation on to stop the war there, strength- rocal sanctions between the West Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. President of Kazakhstan Nur- change of leadership as the result the implementation of innova- en Ukraine’s independence and and Russia, Nazarbayev said they sultan Nazarbayev visited Kiev on On the same day, the leaders of of Euromaidan revolution and tive technologies in the priority secure territorial integrity of had no direct impact on Kazakh- Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus as Dec. 22 for talks with his Ukrain- Ukraine,” the Kazakh leader said. subsequent presidential and par- sectors. The two leaders also in- stan but there was nothing good for well as Armenia and Kyrgyzstan ian counterpart Petro Poroshenko “Both Ukraine and Russia are liamentary elections in the fellow structed the two governments to his country in this situation either. also met in the Kremlin in the for- and other officials seeking to rein- equally close to Kazakhstan that is In his words, the sanctions stand- post-Soviet country. evaluate promising projects in mat of the Supreme Eurasian Eco- vigorate bilateral political and eco- renewable energy and “green” why I am ready to continue talk- off is among the reasons of the cur- Following the talks, the two nomic Council on the eve of the nomic cooperation and find lasting economy. ing to leaders in both Kiev and rent crisis in global economy that entry into force of the EEU on Jan. peaceful solutions to the bloody presidents agreed to intensify Moscow, as well as in European also brought the falling oil prices. 1, 2015. conflict in eastern Ukraine. the implementation of joint pro- Continued on Page A8 capitals, in a bid to promote pro- Continued on Page A2 FM Idrissov’s Visit to Washington Country Turns 23 Solidifies Kazakhstan-U.S. Partnership By Altair Nurbekov na was committed to Kazakhstan’s and Danna Bupezhanova multi-vector foreign policy and called for all international actors WASHINGTON, DC – Ka- to move past the “big game” ap- zakhstan Foreign Minister Erlan proach and adopt the “big gain” Idrissov visited the United States approach to benefit all involved. on Dec. 10-11 to meet with top Idrissov and Kerry also dis- American officials to advance bi- cussed pressing international is- lateral relations and discuss chal- sues, including the fight against lenges on the global agenda. His terrorism, countering the so-called meetings at the White House, Islamic State and the critical situa- departments of state, energy and tion in Ukraine. commerce, as well as interaction Idrissov confirmed Kazakhstan’s with American private businesses steadfast commitment against ter- showed the growing recognition in rorism and extremism, as well as both capitals of the importance of the unacceptability of using re- the wide-ranging bilateral strategic ligion as a cover for terrorist ac- partnership and a great degree of tions. Referring to Ukraine, he mutual understanding on key inter- expressed deep concern about the national issues. ongoing conflict in that country, On Dec. 10, Idrissov and Sec- which resulted in a large number retary of State John Kerry co- of casualties and affected interna- chaired the third annual meeting of tional relations, with Western states the bilateral Strategic Partnership Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov (l) met with U.S. Secretary of and Russia implementing recipro- Dialogue, which covered a broad State John Kerry on Dec. 10 during his official visit to Washington that saw bilateral ties strengthened. cal sanctions. He highlighted the range of issues of Kazakhstan-U.S. importance of an early end to the cooperation. that Kazakhstan has been show- oping situation in Afghanistan af- armed confrontation in Ukraine “I am very proud that today we ing,” he added. ter the withdrawal of U.S. troops, and of resolving conflicts by peace- will have the third meeting of our The Strategic Partnership Dia- Kerry particularly underlined the ful means through negotiations, in- Strategic Partnership Dialogue logue is currently the only mecha- significance of Kazakhstan’s ini- cluding on the basis of the Minsk with Secretary Kerry and I coming nism of such type in the relations tiative to implement an education agreements agreed to in September. here to confirm our strong desire to between the Central Asian states programme for 1,000 Afghan stu- A joint statement was adopted further cement the strategic part- and Washington that provides a dents, which became “a critical at the end of the meeting. The nership between Kazakhstan and platform for Kazakhstan and the component of capacity building document outlined Kazakh and the United States and take it to the U.S. positions on a number of is- future,” stated Idrissov prior to his U.S. to maintain a dialogue on bi- for Afghanistan and of stability.” lateral, regional and multilateral During the talks, Kerry com- sues, including partnerships on meeting with Kerry. global issues, non-proliferation, “We’re very grateful for Ka- cooperation. mended the gradually developing Before the meeting, the par- strategic partnership between the democracy, human rights and de- zakhstan’s engagement with us velopment, trade, investment and on a number of issues – nonpro- ties took an opportunity to stress countries and balanced foreign the productive cooperation exist- policy of Kazakhstan. He con- energy, Afghanistan and regional liferation, issues of Afghanistan, integration, cooperation on secu- trade, development,” Kerry said. ing between Kazakhstan and the firmed U.S. support for Kazakh in- U.S., as the nations joined efforts itiatives, including participation in rity and law enforcement, military “And I think it’s fair to say that cooperation, education, partner- to work on the challenge of the so the international exhibition EXPO in the region the relationship be- ships in science and technology, called “Islamic State”, counterter- 2017, as well as promoting Ka- tween the United States and Ka- humanitarian aid and development zakhstan is really one of the most rorism, nonproliferation and issues zakhstan’s accession to the WTO.