+22°C / 14°C WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014 No 11 (54) www.astanatimes.com Turkic-Speaking States Summit Historic Treaty Creating Eurasian Focuses on Tourism Economic Union Signed Presidents Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus (l), Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan (c) and Vladimir Putin of Russia (r) shake hands after they sign the EEU treaty in Astana on May 29. By Meruert Nemerbayeva The 4th Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States on June 5 in Bodrum gathered the presidents of Kazakhstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan dents of Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, as well as the president of Turkmenistan, which is not a member of the four-country grouping. ASTANA – The leaders of Ka- two countries currently in talks zakhstan, Russia and Belarus met about joining the new group – all By Malika Rustem is not a member of the four-coun- Nursultan Nazarbayev noted that region among the CCTS member in the Kazakh capital, Astana, on three leaders called the signing of the try grouping, also participated as at the previous meeting various is- states but also in other countries. May 29 to sign the treaty establish- treaty an historical, epochal event. BODRUM, TURKEY – Ka- a guest. At the conclusion of the sues were discussed, the main one The Joint Cooperation Proto- ing the Eurasian Economic Union The signing of the treaty, which zakh President Nursultan Naz- summit, the four member nations was the development of the tour- col on Tourism by the ministers (EEU), a common market of 170 must be ratified by the three coun- arbayev visited Bodrum, Turkey adopted the Bodrum Declaration. ism industry. in charge of tourism affairs of the million people and a combined tries’ parliaments before entering on June 4-6 to participate in the Opening the forum, Turkish “Turkey is well advanced in the field member states was approved and gross domestic product valued at into force on January 1, 2015, fourth Summit of the Cooperation President Abdullah Gul expressed of tourism, and we agreed to adopt its the decision on the establishment $2.7 trillion. heralds a “qualitatively new devel- Council of Turkic-Speaking States confidence that the summit will experience to prepare the necessary of a Joint Tourism Business Asso- President Nursultan Nazarbayev opment stage of integration in the (CCTS), which focused on coop- give a new impetus to cooperation personnel in Turkish universities,” ciation under the aegis of the Tur- hosted President Vladimir Putin of Eurasian space,” President Naz- eration in tourism development. among member states. Gul noted said the President of Kazakhstan. kic Council was made in order to Russia and Alexander Lukashenko arbayev told the audience, which The presidents of Kazakhstan, the importance of partnership in In the Bodrum Declaration, the initiate multilateral cooperation in of Belarus for the ceremony at also included officials from the Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan various areas, including the eco- leaders noted that the expansion of tourism among private sectors of Astana’s Palace of Independence. three countries and members of the attended the June 5 summit. The nomic, social and cultural spheres cooperation in tourism will not only the four countries. Addressing almost 1,000 assem- Parliament of Kazakhstan. president of Turkmenistan, which as well as in the tourism industry. serve to stimulate awareness of the Continued on Page A3 bled guests – including the presi- Continued on Page A3 Blogger Raises Awareness for Australian Duo Bikes Handicapped in Kazakhstan Across Eurasia for Charity, By Dmitry Lee ASTANA – Addressing the needs of Kazakhstan’s disabled popula- Stops in Kazakhstan tion has become one of the biggest By Jan Furst tween youth who live in commu- ference by supporting the work of and more prominent domestic is- nities divided by conflict using the Ultimate Peace) are accrued. “Our sues in the country in recent years. ASTANA – Two Australian cy- character building sport of Ulti- ambitious target of raising 100,000 After decades of Soviet exclusion, clists, Dan Rule, 26, a sports coach mate Frisbee,” Rule explained. Australian dollars (about $92,500) working to create an inclusive soci- and sport developer from Cres- “The centerpiece of Ultimate through the Creswick-to-London ety is a challenge – but one taken on wick, Victoria, and Jess Mumford, Peace is an annual camp for Is- bike ride will partially assure the by many, including blogger Almaz 26, a science teacher from Murwil- raeli, Palestinian and Arab youths. future of the camp, which opened Yerzhan. lumbah, New South Wales, have The majority of the funds go to im- in 2009,” Rule added embarked upon a type of jour- Yerzhan, 33, a blogger and social proving the camp. Ultimate Fris- ney that most people never will: activist for disabled rights, recently bee is the world’s only self-refer- Which countries have you trav- a 23,000-kilometre bicycle trip rose to Facebook fame when he ar- eed team sport and provides many elled through so far? How long Disabled blogger and social activist for disabled rights Almaz Yerzhan, recently across 23 countries, lasting over rived in Astana for treatment for the opportunities for on-field conflicts do you stay in each country? rose to Facebook fame when he arrived in Astana for treatment for the disease 15 months and crossing oceans, Kazakhstan is the eleventh disease he has been fighting pri- and began the public discussions of his condition. to be resolved by the players under mountains and steppes. country on our journey to London. vately for more than 20 years, and an honour system called the Spirit “Creswick is [my] hometown; The amount of time in each coun- when he began to publicly raise the “When I was 22 years old, as my Today, sitting in a wheelchair, he of the Game. The camp helps play- awareness of problems faced by peers and friends moved on to uni- inspires bloggers from thousands we started there at [my] parent’s try differs depending on its size ers understand differing views people with disabilities. versities and colleges and in their of kilometres away. While Yerzhan place. Our goal is to cycle across and whether we have stopped to from around the field and transfer “When I was about 12, I was di- lives in general, I was stuck in a was in Astana he had visitors every the great landmass called Eurasia, teach, play or pickup visas for our this understanding back to their agnosed with lupus erythematosus, wheelchair. I withdrew into myself hour. His doctors advised tranquil- on which London is an appropri- onward travel. communities,” Rule explained. a syndrome that can be described as and was questioning God’s exist- ity, but Yerzhan couldn’t turn down ate end point,” Rule said in an ex- Each year, costs close to a collection of autoimmune diseases ence. I started to look for the an- the chance to see his virtual friends clusive interview with The Astana What has your typical day been $200,000 to bring in experienced in which the human immune system swers in different religions; I was in reality. Yerzhan created a closed Times. like recently? Tell us a little about becomes hyperactive and attacks looking for my identity and pur- Facebook group called Disabled of The two are fundraising for a coaches and mentors from around the conditions you have faced on normal, healthy tissues. Symptoms pose, asking questions like why this Kazakhstan Are Equal to All, where cause called Ultimate Peace. “Ul- the globe (much of which is fund- this trip regarding lodging, food, of these diseases can affect many disease, why me, why poverty and he often addresses challenging so- timate Peace builds bridges of ed by the coaches themselves – etc.? different body systems like joints, why all at the same time.” He tried cial issues that disabled face each understanding and friendship be- people who want to make a dif- Continued on Page B7 skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart and to quit taking the medications that day in Kazakhstan and has hundreds lungs, et cetera,” he explained. Yer- made him sick, but became even of followers. Beyond the group on zhan could at least walk in the first sicker without them. Facebook, Yerzhan is known just years after his diagnosis, but in the He struggled mentally and emo- for being an interesting conversa- difficult 1990s, as the country got tionally as well as physically, he tionalist and a man with a big heart. bogged down in poverty, so did Ye- said. “I was looking for friends and rzhan. “I was going through hardships socialising, and my hobby was fi- “My legs started swelling and I and found myself in a mental trap, nances and stock exchanges,” he had to see a doctor. We lived in a vil- and it’s important that your friends explained. “Through the Internet I lage and the doctors didn’t have the treat you as an equal in those times, learned about KASE [the Kazakh- necessary equipment and sent me that they support you, maybe not stan Stock Exchange], and that’s to Almaty for examination, where financially, as not everyone can do how I drew the attention of the In- doctors confirmed the current is- that, but just by cheering you up, ternational Financial Centre of Ka- sue and started my treatment,” he joking sometimes, as if everything zakhstan, who started interviewing remembered. is normal. That distracts you from me. I put it all out on Facebook.” However, the medicines Yerzhan the bitter reality: you’re sick and “I used to refuse to indicate on took had many side effects, which you’re alone,” Yerzhan said. social media that I was disabled,” were eventually too much for his As Yerzhan started to look for Yerzhan said.