+4° / -4°C WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017 No 19 (133) www.astanatimes.com President tours memorial in Almaty region AIFC governor talks blockchain development, mid-shore concept and head hunting zerland, this direction is strongly By Zhazira Dyussembekova encouraged and Japan supports some cryptocurrencies as a means ASTANA – December will be a of payment. We want to say that in fascinating month for Kazakhstan’s this direction AIFC will be on the financial sector, as the long dis- ‘edge’ concerning understanding cussed and awaited Astana Interna- the processes that are taking place. tional Financial Centre (AIFC) will But on the other hand, we are re- be officially presented. AIFC Gover- sponsible for issues of financial nor Kairat Kelimbetov talked about stability and regulation of certain some of the nuances of the project financial institutions,” he added. during a Sept. 20 press conference. Earlier this month, AIFC signed The centre will be located with- a memorandum of coopera- in a portion of the EXPO 2017 tion with Microsoft to create the pavilions, as the grounds are suit- Blockchain Innovation Centre, able for developing the trending which will create an effective plat- blockchain and cryptocurrency form to initiate and develop start- technologies, he said. up projects. “We assume that the territory Kelimbetov also spoke about of the expo will become a kind of the Astana International Exchange crypto valley or crypto harbour. (AIX). High-tech infrastructure The whole world is very interest- for the exchange, which prom- ed in this. Some central banks are ises to adhere to the best world supporting this direction, others Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev meets with Chemolgan village residents during his visit to the Almaty region. standards, will be installed in the are looking [at them] closely. The centre. AIX is expected to become Staff Report dedicated to the Kazakh batyrs state pointed to the need to re- The museum is being built United States and Singapore want the main platform to privatise the (warriors). flect in the museum’s exposi- with private funds and construc- to equate the activities of crypto- companies of Samruk Kazyna ASTANA – President Nursul- In addition, the head of state tions the key milestones of the tion is scheduled to be complet- economic with ordinary activities Sovereign Wealth Fund. tan Nazarbayev visited recently was shown a portrait gallery country’s independence, includ- ed in December. in the financial sphere. In Swit- Continued on Page A4 the Batyr Babalar memorial of famous historical figures of ing the construction of its new Nazarbayev was also briefed complex in the Raiymbek rural khans, biys (judges), batyrs, capital. on the progress of construction district of the Karasai district who distinguished themselves Next to the museum, a bas- of a sports and health complex during a working visit to Almaty in the struggle for the independ- relief picture will be erected, in the Karasai district, which and the Almaty region, accord- ence of the nation. revealing the historical stages of is also being built with private Alphabet change is ing to the presidential adminis- The President also met with the development of independent funds. tration press service. prominent representatives of the Kazakhstan. In the centre of the The facility will include box- Nazarbayev was acquainted Karasai district community and ensemble it is planned to install ing equipment, wrestling halls, with the expositions of the me- discussed the socio-economic a flagpole with the national flag. a swimming pool, tennis court, important part of a morial complex, which demon- situation in the region and pros- In addition, during a working gym and universal gyms, a foot- strate the history of Kazakhstan, pects for development. trip to Almaty and the Almaty ball field with a stadium for beginning with the Saka culture Nazarbaev also got acquainted region, Nursultan Nazarbayev 1,000 seats, as well as medical and ending with the formation of with the progress of the con- visited his birthplace at Chemol- offices and cafes will be located larger modernisation the Alash Orda government. The struction of a museum in the gan village and had an informal in the sports and recreation com- central part of the memorial is Karasai district. The head of conversation with villagers. plex. process, says expert tions and discussed the process of By Aigerim Bulambayeva switching the alphabet as part of modernising Kazakh identity. Kazakhstan, Latvia launch container service ASTANA – The draft of the Lat- One might argue the alphabet is in-based Kazakh alphabet present- just a tool that conveys language, ed in September resulted in heat- whereas the language itself is an es- along China-to-Europe transcontinental route ed discussions and a number of sential part of the nation’s concept. questions among Kazakh people. Schamiloglu, however, does not Yelubayev signed a memorandum Uli Schamiloglu, a professor and agree an alphabet is merely technical. By Aigerim Seisembayeva on cooperation to develop transit chair of the Department of Kazakh Keeping an alphabet in use is a state- routes, the harbour logistics centre Language at Nazarbayev Univer- ment, as is the decision to change it. ASTANA – Latvian President of the future Khorgos harbour and sity, addressed some of those ques- Continued on Page B5 Raimonds Vejonis and Kazakhstan’s new transit flows through the cen- First Deputy Prime Minister Askar tre. According to the memorandum, Mamin launched Sept. 29 via tel- both parties will provide container econference in Riga a new contain- transport from China through Ka- er service in the China-to-Europe zakhstan to Riga and cooperate on transcontinental route, the Kazakh handling goods transported to the More than 1,700 Prime Minister’s press service re- port of Khorgos. ported. LDz’s subsidiary LDz Logistika The container train’s route starts signed a transport expedition agree- in Urumqi, China, runs through ment with Kazakhstan’s railway rural settlements to Kazakhstan, Russia and Latvia and subsidiary KTZ Express. then navigates through the port of “Kazakhstan is a very important Riga to the port of Rotterdam. partner in providing transit flows “Kazakhstan is one of Latvia’s between China and Europe, and the access broadband key partners for the successful in- creation of a new strategic partner- tegration into the Eurasian transport ship is crucial for attracting new routes and the creation of an efficient freight. Kazakhstan, like Latvia, is transport corridor on the Eurasian currently playing a major role in se- internet through Kazakh First Deputy Prime Minister Askar Mamin (L) and Latvian President scale,” said Vejonis at the meeting. Raimonds Vejonis. curing China’s freight, and the port The Kazakh government has said of Khorgos at the Chinese border is it hopes the new routes, the diversifi- Latvia seeks to develop a direct air and distribution centre in the Baltic a far-reaching solution. Just as far- cation of the existing ones, the opti- transport with Kazakhstan. He also region and called for cooperation to sighted, we need to get involved in Digital Kazakhstan mal use of the railway infrastructure said there is potential to increase co- develop the port of Khorgos at the both this and the upcoming strategi- ter digitalising the economy, gov- and the implementation of a flex- operation in education, information Kazakhstan-China border, LDz’s cally important projects that will en- By Assel Satubaldina ernment and public services. ible tariff policy will allow China- and communication technologies, press service reports. sure a growing flow of freight in the Abayev noted providing high speed to-Europe container traffic to reach as well as in environment and clean Mamin said containerised cargo future,” Berzins said. ASTANA – More than 1,700 rural broadband internet nationwide is es- 200,000 containers through the Bal- technologies. traffic along the Kazakh railway sys- Negotiations on cooperation in the settlements, home to approximately sential for building a strong economy. tic region. “I am convinced that Latvia’s par- tem could reach 200,000 containers port of Khorgos were launched this two million people, will gain access “The Digital Silk Way direction in Mamin and Vejonis also discussed ticipation in the Astana EXPO 2017 by 2020. summer, when EXPO 2017 hosted to broadband internet as part of the the Digital Kazakhstan programme economic cooperation and Mamin international exhibition has given “This is a significant number. We LDz’s Transit and Logistics Week Digital Kazakhstan programme, said focuses on building an advanced noted his visit continues the progress our countries the opportunity to de- have chosen Latvia as the place to events with the participation of Minister of Information and Com- digital infrastructure,” he said, add- made during the Latvian President’s velop bilateral political and econom- build a logistics and distribution Prime Minister’s office and KTZ’s munication Dauren Abayev during a ing it does not only entail afford- July 9-10 visit to Kazakhstan. He ic cooperation,” said Vejonis. centre in the Baltic region, there- senior management. Sept. 26 government meeting. able access to high speed internet, also said Kazakhstan would like to At a meeting with the president fore we rely on close cooperation,” The port of Khorgos is considered The government reviewed the but also decreases the digital gap increase cooperation in information, of the Latvijas dzelzceļš (LDz) Mamin emphasised. an important logistics development progress of the programme that between urban and rural areas and space and green technologies. railway company Edvins Berzins, Berzins and Kazakhstan Temir project for Kazakhstan and authori- seeks to build an affordable digital introduces e-government services, According to the Latvian Presi- Mamin said Kazakhstan had chosen Zholy (KTZ) national railway ties hope it will attract new freight infrastructure nationwide, includ- interactive education and healthcare.