+12°C /-1°C WedNeSdAy, oCToBeR 1, 2014 No 18 (61) www.astanatimes.com Caspian Summit in Astrakhan Makes FM Idrissov’s First Official ‘Breakthrough’ on Road to Convention Visit to Mexico Boosts Ties By Malika Orazgaliyeva After 22-Year Hiatus The presidents of the five Cas- pian littoral states reached several By Altair Nurbekov and Malika lectured at the Matías Romero Orazgaliyeva important agreements, including Institute and held bilateral meet- an agreement on the conservation ings with the Mexican Secretary MeXICo CITy – Making up for a of marine resources, on their way of economy Ildefonso Guajardo 22 year hiatus in diplomatic relations to settling the legal status of the Villarreal and President of the since their establishment in the early sea at the fourth Caspian Summit Senate Miguel Barbosa Huerta. He in Astrakhan, Russia, on Sept. 29. 1990s, Kazakh Minister of Foreign also met with former President of Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azer- Affairs erlan Idrissov paid his first Mexico Vicente Fox Quesada and baijan, Hassan Rouhani of Iran, official visit to Mexico Sept. 18-19 mingled with representatives of Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakh- to strengthen political dialogue, con- various Mexican companies. stan, Vladimir Putin of Russia and tinue friendly relations and promote during their talks, Meade said Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov economic exchanges and coopera- that despite the geographic dis- of Turkmenistan participated in the tion between the two countries. tance between Kazakhstan and talks in the city on the Volga River, The visit, done at the invitation Mexico, the nations have much not far from the Caspian Sea. of Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign in common. Both countries are The leaders of the five Caspian Relations José Antonio Meade leaders in their respective regions, states first met in a narrow format Kuribreña, was full of both sym- have large territories and natural to discuss the most sensitive prob- bolism and substance. resources and hold similar general lems on the agenda: the legal status during the trip, Idrissov met development priorities and posi- of the Caspian Sea and the military with Meade, participated in the tions on international issues. component of security there. Kazakh-Mexican business forum, Continued on Page A3 Then, the talks continued in an extended format, followed by a signing ceremony of joint docu- ments and a statement. A joint po- litical statement was made by the In a symbolic gesture, the presidents of five Caspian littoral states, along with other officials, release sturgeon fingerlings President Addresses five presidents, which will become into the Volga River in Astakhan, Russia, on Sept. 29. a cornerstone of a future conven- tion on the legal status of the Cas- convention on the legal status and 15 years. Kazakhstan’s position on Sea of 1982 relating to the width pian Sea. the delimitation of the Caspian the legal status of the Caspian Sea of the modes of different parts of Pressing Issues The main theme of the summit Sea. The talks over the document is to apply certain provisions of the the sea. of Caspian states was the future have been ongoing for more than UN Convention on the Law of the Continued on Page A8 During SCO Summit in Dushanbe U.S. Energy Secretary Pays Tribute By Malika Orazgaliyeva ing measures and the reduction of armed forces in border areas. Kazakh President Nursultan- The President also noted that Nazarbayev attended the Sept. 12 food security is an important area to Kazakhstan’s Leadership summit of the Shanghai Coopera- of economic cooperation for SCo tion organisation (SCo) in du- member states. “According to shanbe, Tajikistan. the predictions of the experts, by The event was also attended by 2050, the world population will in Nuclear Non-Proliferation the heads of SCo member states, reach 9 billion people. Whereas, By Daniel Massow including Xi Jinping of China, “Nuclear Weapons Testing: His- A multilateral treaty adopted said that “today’s conference is food production in the world in the just the latest example in a long Almazbek Atambayev of Kyr- tory, Progress, Challenges” and by the UN General Assembly next 10 years will be reduced due WASHINGToN, d.C. – U.S. line of important successes.” gyzstan, Vladimir Putin of Russia, was symbolically held at the U.S. on September 10, 1996 to ban to weather anomalies. Such a per- Secretary of energy dr. ernest He reminded the audience that emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan Institute for Peace. all nuclear explosions in all en- spective favours the reopening of Moniz said Sept. 15 that the world Addressing a full auditorium vironments for military or civil- on Aug. 29, 1991, the Semi- and Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan. will be a safer and more secure Kazakhstan’s initiative to establish and viewers who watched the ian purposes, the CTBT has not palatinsk nuclear test site in during the meeting, the Kazakh place if nuclear testing is relegated President pointed out issues he felt a mechanism to ensure food safety event via webcast, Moniz admitted entered into force due to the Kazakhstan was shut down by to the pages of history. a unilateral presidential decree. should be a priority for the SCo and approval of the relevant coop- He was among several eminent that there was a time when an ac- non-ratification of eight specific given the world’s current geopo- eration programmes,” he said. tive and robust United States nu- states, namely China, egypt, In- “In the 20 years since President speakers at a special event organ- (Nursultan)Nazarbayev’s dra- litical and geo-economic realities. In addition, Nazarbayev stressed clear explosive testing programme dia, Iran, Israel, North Korea, ised by the Kazakh embassy in matic decision, the United States one of the items he stressed is that the problem of water scarcity is was necessary, but that time is Pakistan and the United States. the U.S. and its American civil and the Republic of Kazakhstan unresolved border issues between a major factor affecting stability and society partners to mark the an- more than 20 years in the past. The The United States has signed the have worked together closely to SCo member states. In this re- security in the region. In this regard, nual United Nations day Against United States, Moniz said, remains CTBT, but not ratified it; there is achieve our shared nuclear se- spect he drew attention to the im- he said that the proposal of Kazakh- Nuclear Testing and to discuss committed to the ratification and ongoing debate whether to ratify curity goals,”said U.S. President portance of compliance with the stan to create a water committee the importance of the Compre- entry into force of CTBT, along the treaty. Barack obama’s top energy of- basic documents of the SCo such could become a practical mecha- hensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty with the monitoring and verifica- Highlighting Kazakhstan’s lead- ficial. as Shanghai and Moscow agree- nism in cooperation on this issue. (CTBT). The forum was called tion regime. ership in nuclear security, Moniz Continued on Page B5 ments providing confidence-build- Continued on Page A8 EBRD Predicts Central Kazakhstan Urges Peaceful Settlement Asian Economic Growth, to Ukraine Conflict, End to “Trade Wars” disputes. Countries in the region and “There is a need to lift sanc- “We sincerely hope the arrange- Negative Impacts from By Altair Nurbekov key allies have an important role to tions. Kazakhstan is interested in ments made in Minsk will be fully play in encouraging this approach. strengthening mutually beneficial implemented. The ceasefire and NeW yoRK – Kazakhstan calls Kazakhstan is playing its part.” trade and economic cooperation, the elaboration of a viable for- Ukraine-Related Sanctions and works for the peaceful settle- “For Kazakhstan, close rela- within the Customs Union, with mat of cooperation between Kiev, ment of the Ukraine crisis and is tions with Ukraine have always Ukraine and with the european donetsk and Luhansk will contrib- was predicted in January 2014 and strongly opposed to the unfolding been a priority. We are connected Union. We are ready to discuss ute to the stabilization of Ukraine By Michelle Witte downgraded in May). Kazakhstan “sanctions war” between the West to Ukraine by a common history, ways of normalising multilateral and recovery of its economy,” is not expected to be dramatical- and Russia over it, the country’s close economic links and shared trade links,” the minister said. the minister said referring to the ASTANA – The european ly affected by the conflict unless foreign minister said in New york priorities. Indeed, the Ukrain- Swiss Federal President and agreements first reached during Bank for Reconstruction and sanctions toughen and begin to on Sept. 26. ian diaspora is one of the largest Councillor (Minister) for Foreign the multilateral summit in Minsk development (eBRd) released affect the country’s oil trade with Speaking at the event, “The in Kazakhstan, with more than Affairs didier Burkhalter person- on Aug. 26, where Kazakhstan its Regional economic Pros- and through Russia. (The slow- Ukraine Crisis, the oSCe, and 330,000 people,” Idrissov told ally chaired the event organised participated, and then confirmed pects report on Sept. 18, showing down in growth is attributed to oil the Future of european Security”, assembled foreign ministers and by the Swiss chairmanship in the by an agreement signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of relatively strong growth in Cen- project delays as well reverbera- other officials from 57 participat- oSCe on the margins of the UN group of negotiators there in early tral Asia, improving growth in Kazakhstan erlan Idrissov said, ing states of the organisation for General Assembly. tions from the conflict in Ukraine.) September.