December 2015 4-7 Ambassador Doulat Kuanyshev: prospects for cooperation between Kazakhstan and Israel 8-10 President Rivlin receives diplomatic credentials of new ambassadors to Israel 11-18 Be Well in Israel conference 20-27 Israeli healthcare review Dear friends, 2015 was an eventful year, during which We wish you all the joy and happiness all of us fostered hope for peace.We for the next year. We want you to enjoy wish the Middle East a happier 2016, peace and prosperity, and live happily focused on peace and development, where with good health and familial pleasures. hatred dissolves and harmony blooms. No matter what you need, you may come to us for suggestions. Merry Christmas! According to Christian tradition, We also hope that all the political and Bethlehem is the birthplace of Jesus of economic problems will be solved Nazareth and the town is inhabited by as soon as possible. We wish that no one of the oldest Christian communities more bombs would fall in the Middle in the world, though the size of the East and other parts on this planet! We community has shrunk in recent years are sure that some of these wishes are due to emigration. According to Biblical just dreams, but we are also sure that tradition, the city is also believed to be the sometimes dreams can become true. So birthplace of David and the location where don’t stop to believe in it. he was crowned as the king of Israel. Happy New Year! Happy Holidays! New Year is one of the best festivities of Julia Verdel and The Diplomatic Club team the year. This event is treated specially by people across all the cross-sections of life, all round the world, even though a certain degree of trepidation is always attached to it. New Year 2016 will surely be no different. Each of us would weave a veil of fantasy and contemplate about the high and low tides that may affect our life in the next year. We at The Diplomatic Club will be your friend in need, through the thick and thin all- round the year. Interview Ambassador Doulat Kuanyshev: prospects for cooperation between Kazakhstan and Israel By Eveline Erfolg clear that European standards Prime Minister to Kazakhstan. We are being implemented, and the hope that this visit will be historic, fact that Israel is a member of not only because it will take place the OECD is appropriate. towards the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of our relations So much for personal impressions; in 2017; I believe it can give a now, in terms of professional certain impetus to their further experience, here I have a very deepening. good understanding and cooperation with my direct partners from Kazakhstan has close and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. consistent cooperation with I also interacted with Israeli Israel; we are linked by intensive diplomats before I had been bilateral economic and trade posted here, in India and in various relations, as well as common other countries, even during my activities within the framework first mission as a young diplomat of the UN, CICA, WTO and other A year ago Doulat Orazbekovich in 1992-94 in Turkey. I always international formats. Kuanyshev was appointed as enjoyed good relations with Ambassador Plenipotentiary of Israeli diplomats; they are very Historically, Kazakhstan has been the Republic of Kazakhstan to professional and responsive a place of great diversity. While the State of Israel. A historian, a partners. the country is predominantly teacher, a translator of Spanish Muslim, we have 17 different and Portuguese, and all-in-all a Essentially, I was impressed and faith groups living in peaceful very pleasant man, he agreed to puzzled by the scope of work co-existence and freedom, as answer a few questions and share that needs to be done here. At guaranteed by our Constitution. some of his perspectives and the same time, on a personal level, We are proud to be a multi-ethnic, insights on a variety of subjects. Israel is definitely something multi-cultural country, and our worth seeing. In addition to the forward-looking tolerance and DC: Doulat Orazbekovich, is it textbook places in Jerusalem hospitality have been recognized difficult to be an ambassador to and Bethlehem, my wife and I, by many world leaders and Israel? together with our son, also visit traditional confessions. other beautiful places, such as Ein DK: Well, in terms of, say, Hod, Caesarea and Zichron Yaakov. personal comfort we are fine. My We founded the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional family and I have settled in well, DC: Israel and Kazakhstan, Religions in Astana that plays and we feel great. Naturally, the were the majority is Muslim, significant role in preventing first thing one notices when one established diplomatic relations divisions, as well as enhancing comes to Israel, after hearing in 1992, and the countries have openness and cooperation so much specific news about formed strong ties since. How between traditional faiths and this country, is that the situation would you describe the different ethnic groups. The is not as tense as it was thought current state of Kazakh-Israel Congress provides platforms to be. If we speak in terms of relations? for dialogue and cooperation to personal impressions, I was here promote peace and stability. In three times before, yet so much DK: Kazakh and Israeli relations this regards, it is necessary to say has changed. The country has are very developed; it is sufficient that the Israeli Chief Ashkenazi become more beautiful, greener, to say that on the agendatoday and Sephardic Rabbis participated it is obvious. In general, it is is the first ever visit of an Israeli in these events. 4 Interview DC: Both countries, Israel and and poultry farming projects DK: In 2014, Kazakhstan became Kazakhstan, report ongoing in Kazakhstan. In addition, the a part of the Eurasian Economic bilateral trade across a world leader in water treatment Union (EEU), alongside Russia, widerange of economic sectors. solutions IDE Technologies, for Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and What are the general prospects several years has been working in Armenia. The EEU will act, not in for mutual cooperation? the western region of Kazakhstan, competition with Europe, but in a providing technical solutions for way that we believe will serve the DK: Israel is ranked 5lh water supply in rural areas. interests of both sides. among Asian trade partners of Kazakhstan. Our mutual trade We are extremely interested Recently, during the EEU summit turnover amounted to nearly $1.6 in enhancing and widening in Kazakhstan, the organization’s billion in 2014. Over the last cooperation in high-tech, leaders have decided to start a decade, Israel business investment agriculture and medicine. Only negotiation process on creating in our economy amounted to $212 for the last year more than 100 a free trade zone agreement with million. 270 joint companies are Kazakhstan doctors and nurses Israel, which expressed interest operating in various industries of underwent medical training in launching such negotiations. Kazakhstan’s market. courses and internships at leading We believe that a new agreement Israeli medical centers and clinics. will be aimed at removing trade The main items of Kazakhstan’s barriers between countries – export market are crude oil, One of the opportunities to expand members of EEU and Israel, and ferrous and non-ferrous metals, our bilateral economic relations will increase trade balance and and cereals. In the same time, could be a new economic policy Kazakhstan imports agricultural “Nurly Zhol” (“The Path to the investment flow to the EEU. products, industrial equipment Future”) declared by President N. The EEU offers great and pharmaceutical products. Nazarbayev in November 2014. Nevertheless, we believe that “Nurly Zhol” is a response to opportunities for Israeli business. the potential of our relations the challenges of external factors This single market includes more is not fully realized, due to related to the fall in energy prices, than 170 million consumers and the fact that so far, Israeli the deepening global economic a unified legislative code, which partners were hesitant and did crisis, as well as the “war of functions based on the WTO not risk investing in Kazakh sanctions” between the West and norms, and is harmonized with projects. For Kazakhstan, the Russia. Among the seven priorities the macroeconomic policy areas, concept of economic and trade of the Program: the development competition rules, technical cooperation is closely linked to of transport and logistics, industry regulation systems, transports, the investment aspect, because it and innovation, energy, housing as well as natural monopolies’ allows the creation of long-term, and utilities, social infrastructure, tariffs, agricultural and industrial fundamental relations, which as well as support for small and subsidies. surely reflects the seriousness of medium enterprises. In this intentions. regard, Kazakhstan invites Israeli DC: Kazakhstan’s foreign companies to take active part policy is aimed at the Israel is one of the world’s in implementation of the development of widespread leading nations for innovation and infrastructure development technology, and it takes a leading cooperation with the countries projects related to the initiatives of Europe, Asia, America and position in the areas of water of the President of Kazakhstan. desalination and agricultural the Muslim states. As your industries. There is huge potential DC: Kazakhstan doesn’t view country pushes forward with of mutual cooperation for membership in the Eurasian building multifaceted ties, how Israeli and Kazakhstan business Economic Union as mutually will it maintain the balance it and companies. The leading exclusive to strong economic has struck with the key players Israeli agricultural companies relations with the European in the region, namely Russia, are implementing greenhouse Union.