Welcome

Dear Friends,

A very warm welcome to my blog which I have launched with great pleasure as a means of dialoguing with the American public.

Like the United States, Kazakhstan is also a country blessed with a grand landscape along the Steppes and a diverse and dynamic population that is coming into its own in the early 21st Century.  Our independence as a country is not unlike what America experienced over 200 years ago and I trust we are on the same path to democracy and civil society that will most certainly strengthen relations between our two countries.

My country can lay claim to about 3-4% of the world’s proven oil resources in addition to a remarkable treasure trove of minerals. But despite its warm and ever evolving strategic relations with the US, not so many Americans know much about its origins as a country with a great nomadic heritage. Or about its extraordinary late 20th century transition from impoverished Soviet backwater to a tolerant and prosperous modern democracy building state.

My aim is tell you something of Kazakhstan’s present-day aspirations as well as a little of its culture and history.   But I also want to learn from you. An ambassador can most effectively serve his country if he possesses a deep and sympathetic understanding of the people, culture and institutions of the country in which he is based. I do of course have official and diplomatic duties that I must perform in Washington, D. C. But importantly, I also see my mission as reaching into America’s heartland to better understand its history and culture, to appreciate its ethnic diversity and political legacy, and most of all to capture the spirit and character of the American people.

For the people of both our countries, it is about shared values and mutual support that can be achieved by reaching out to one another.  I want to share my thoughts and experiences with you and exchange views on topics of mutual interest and concern.   Your comments, opinions and questions are not just welcome, I believe that they can come to form part of a dialogue that has the potential to enrich the political, economic and cultural links between our countries.

April 2012: A Month Full of Diplomatic Events and Productive Discourse

Dear Friends,

April was full of events and diplomacy, building bridges, helping nourish important ties and reviewing foreign policy strategies. Here are some of the highlights:

Astana meeting of Kazakhstan’s Ambassadors and Envoys. On April 20, Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev convened a meeting of Kazakhstan’s ambassadors and envoys from 73 Kazakh embassies, consulates and other posts in more than 60 countries. At the meeting, which coincided with the 20^th anniversary of the country’s diplomatic service, President Nazarbayev laid out his vision for a new foreign policy designed to continue the Kazakhstan’s growth in trade and influence.

President Nazarbayev named several factors that he feels will help bring about the transformation, including new technological innovations, the shift of economic growth centers to Asia, expansion of the global information community and formation of a multi-polar world. He highlighted the need to bring economic diplomacy to the forefront of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy. To ensure that diplomacy serves to strengthen the Kazakh economy at home while economic statecraft enhances its diplomatic position abroad, the Government will welcome international partners in accelerated industrial and innovative development projects. According to the President, every region of the country should have a deputy governor who is savvy about economics, fluent in English and capable of working toward strengthening the country’s international cooperation. President Nazarbayev also announced plans to send young diplomats to study at top international universities through the Bolashak Scholarship. His hope: Kazakhstan’s next generation of diplomats will be even more prepared to work with the country’s international partners.

I am optimistic that these initiatives will have a positive impact on our strategic partnership with the U.S. The U.S. remains one of the top sources  for high technology know-how and investments and high quality universities, which offer tremendous opportunities for dynamic countries such as Kazakhstan.

Visits by economic officials to the US. In line with the President’s vision for economic statecraft, a number of visits were organized to advance the economic ties between our two countries. The meetings focused on environmental and economic issues.

During his visit to the U.S. from April 30 – May 1, Minister of Environment Nurlan Kapparov met with Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman and other senior officials from the State Department, the World Bank, the Environmental Protection Agency and USAID, as well as representatives of think tanks and environmental NGOs such as Brookings Institution, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Solar Energy Industries Association, The Alliance to Save Energy and executives of U.S. corporations. At his meetings, Minister Kapparov discussed Astana’s Green Bridge initiative, which the Kazakh delegation plans to present at the upcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20) in Rio de Janeiro this summer. The Minister was particularly interested in the U.S.’s experiences in waste management and sustainable development programs. He also discussed Kazakhstan’s plans to explore the production of shale gas.

A delegation headed by Chairman of the Civil Service Agency Alikhan Baimenov visited the U.S. from April 23-24 to meet with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, John Berry, and other top managers of training institutions. They discussed key aspects of potential cooperation, including the Memorandum of Understanding to expand cooperation with Kazakhstan’s Public Administration Academy, as well as Kazakhstan’s potential to turn into a regional hub to promote good governance and best civil service practicies.

Deputy Prime Minister Kairat Kelimbetov and Governor of the National Bank of Kazakhstan, Grigori Marchenko, took part in the annual Spring Session of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund on April 19-21. They were joined by Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, Gulshara  Abdykhalikova, Vice Ministers of Trade and Development, Timur Zhaksylykov and Madina Abykassymova, as well as other senior representatives of the Kazakhstan based economic think tanks.

The Ministers attended brainstorming sessions on the status of the world economy, the financial crisis in Europe, the meeting of Millennium Development Goals, food security, sustainable development and other key topics. During the bilateral meetings with the World Bank leaders and their U.S. counterparts, they discussed developmental projects in Kazakhstan and regional issues such as water management in Central Asia. Kazakhstan’s role in developing regional cooperation was highlighted. Greater business-to-business ties were discussed with senior executives of corporations and financial institutions, such as AGCO, Boeing, GlaxoSmithKline, JP Morgan Chase, Kimberly-Clark, General Electric, BNP Paribas, Textron and Chevron. As graduates of Georgetown University, Governor Marchenko and Deputy Prime Minister Kelimbetov were invited to give lectures there. Their talks were focused on economic trends in Eurasia, including the evolution of the Customs Union and Kazakhstan’s forthcoming accession to the WTO.

Embassy Open House Day. To show our openness and transparency, the Embassy annually participates in the World Embassy Tour, which showcased foreign embassies. This year, our Embassy held its annual Open House Day on May 5 in cooperation with Cultural Tourism DC, an independent nonprofit promotional organization.

Nearly 1,500 Washingtonians visited the Embassy to learn the history, culture and traditions of the Kazakh people, as well as the latest economic, political, and international achievements of Kazakhstan. In addition, guests could see traditional Kazakh jewelry and souvenirs depicting our beautiful landmarks. On displays spotlighted colorful traditional costumes, weapons of warriors and other historic replicas made by Kazakh artisans.

Visitors also enjoyed photos of contemporary Kazakhstan, including picturesque landscapes and unique buildings of Astana and Almaty and  an exhibition of paintings by the Kazakh artist, Marina Sharipova, who worked under the pseudonym “Make” and united three countries, Kazakhstan, USA and Russia, through her art.

A documentary film about Kazakhstan’s tourist spots, investment opportunities and social life was screened. Visitors were offered a wide range of informational materials including tourism guides and books about the history and development of the Central Asian nation. Each guest was also given a bar of delicious Kazakh chocolate made by the Bayan Sulu confectioner company.

Armed Forces Day of Kazakhstan. May 7  marked the 20th anniversary of the formation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which were established by the Decree of the President of Kazakhstan in 1992. In their proud history, Kazakhstan’s Armed Forces have not only served to maintain domestic and regional stability, but they have also served with distinction in the international arena. Divisions of the Kazakh Armed Forces participate on permanent basis in international organizations such as the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as well as the North American Treaty Organization (NATO). The first Kazakh peacekeeping brigade, the “KAZBRIG,” served proudly alongside coalition forces in Iraq, where its Engineering-Sapper Unit successfully neutralized more than 4.5 million explosive devices. In addition, Kazakh military medical personnel assisted with the treatment of more than 5,000 Iraqi citizens who were injured in the conflict.

In the days leading up to the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan, the second international exhibition of arms and military equipment, called “KADEX-2012,” was held in Astana. KADEX-2012 demonstrated the latest capabilities of the Kazakh military and helped establish new business links with international partners.

KADEX-2012 brought together military industrial leaders from countries such as Germany, Russia, the U.S., Italy, Spain, France, Turkey and many others. The exhibition promoted Kazakhstan as a militarily capable country that can produce its defense high quality equipment. I am also happy to highlight the participation of the US Air Force, Europe, military band in the miltary parade of international miltary bands in Astana which was part of celebrations there.

Our Defense Attaché, Major General Bakhtiyar Syzdykov, and I hosted a Reception on the evening of May 10, which was attended by high ranking U.S. officials from White House and the Departments of State and Defense. Speaking at the event, I highlighted Kazakhstan’s overall growth for the last 20 year and raised a toast for further continuation of our long-term strategic partnership with the USA, including in defense. Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense Peter Lavoy congratulated Kazakhstan on this auspicious day, appreciated Kazakhstan’s assistance in Iraq and Afghanistan and praised the Kazakh Armed Forces’ professionalism and high capabilities. Till the end of the event, the guests mingled and socialized  in an informal and friendly atmosphere.

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As you can see, we worked hard in April to continue to strengthen our friendship and advance mutually beneficial cooperation. It is my hope that we will be able to keep this dynamism throughout the year and beyond to build stronger cooperation and  people-to-people ties, including direct links between our businesses, students, teachers, scientists and many other stakeholders.

Erlan Idrissov

American Public Celebrates Turkic Melodies and Culture

Dear Friends,

Last year’s Nowruz celebration concert in Washington, D.C. went so well that it was truly a tough act to follow. So, this year, the International Organization of Turkic Culture, or “TURKSOY,” organized two concerts on April 23, one at the Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York City, and a second at the Strathmore Music Center in North Bethesda, Maryland on April 25.

While the last year’s concert showcased the rich culture and traditional heritage of Turkic nations, this year’s events were dedicated to universal humanism and tolerance. The TURKSOY Symphony orchestra chose to perform Ahmed Adnan Saygun’s classical pieces inspired by the philosophy of the thirteenth-century Turkish dervish, Yunus Emre. The symphony’s interpretations of Emre’s poetic works, which feature divine love, commonality of human feelings and international friendship, were particularly appropriate for the event’s themes.

The concert I attended at the Strathmore, entitled Turksoy Presents: Symphony of Voices from Turkic Lands, was widely attended and enjoyed by US government officials, business executives and scholars. The TURKSOY orchestra, which is composed of 80 distinguished musicians from eight Turkic nations, including Kazakhstan, performed brilliantly and was met with multiple standing ovations.

The concert was co-produced by the Karabakh Foundation and Vokaliz Management and was supported by the Embassies of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkey and other Turkic-speaking nations in Washington, D.C.

Under the dynamic leadership of its General Secretary Duisen Kaseinov, TURKSOY has become more active, organizing cultural events and concerts showcasing Turkic nations’ rich heritage not only in member countries, but also in Europe, the US and other parts of the world.

Ambassador Kaseinov serves as a member of the Advisory Council of the Nowruz Commission, which I helped found in 2010. He has a long and distinguished record as a diplomat and scholar and is also a dear friend of mine. Most recently, he served as Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan – Special Representative of Kazakhstan on cultural and social issues and to UNESCO. Before that, he served as Minister of Culture of Kazakhstan, Chairman of the Committee of Culture, Ministry of Education, Culture and Health and as Rector of Almaty State Conservatory.

Kaseinov has won numerous honors including the Kazakh National “Tarlan” Award, the Astana Medal of 10th Year in 2008, Medal of the 100th Anniversary of Kazan in 2005 and the Medal of Astana in 1998.

But beyond his professional success, Duisen was educated at Kurmangazy State Conservatory, and has studied and worked extensively in the fields of music and Turkic culture.

From beginning to end, the evening was a smashing success marking a joyous occasion. I hope that you will consider joining us at the next cultural event to celebrate our proud cultural heritage.

Sincerely,

Erlan A. Idrissov

Kazakhstan-U.S. Strategic Partnership Commission/Dialogue’s Inaugural Meeting Opens a New Avenue for Bilateral Cooperation

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to report the conclusion of what was a tremendously productive week in U.S.-Kazakh relations. Last week, on April 9-11, the inaugural meeting of the Kazakh-American Strategic Partnership Commission/Dialogue (SPC/D) was held here in Washington, D.C. The decision to establish the SPC/D was made at last February’s meeting between Kazakh Foreign Minister Erzhan Kazykhanov and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in order to provide a mechanism to enhance the bilateral dialogue and strengthen our partnership on a wide range of key issues.

The meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Umarov and Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake. The Kazakh delegation included Vice-Minister of Industry and Trade Kanysh Tuleushin, Ambassador-at-Large Madina Jarbussynova, Ambassador-at-Large and Director of Americas Department Askar Tazhiev and myself. We were joined by senior officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Prosecutor General’s Office, Ministries of Economic Development and Trade, Defense, as well as our  new trade promotion agency, KAZNEX Invest. and Kazakhstan’s business and academic communities who met their American counterparts during the two days of meetings.

Senior members of the United States’ delegation expressed appreciation for Kazakhstan’s support for the U.S. coalition in Afghanistan, including its contribution to development of critical Northern Distribution Network as well as a scholarship program to train Afghan students in Kazakh universities. We, in turn, spoke in support of Afghanistan’s integration into regional economic relations, and closer cooperation with its Central Asian neighbors.

The delegation then broke up into various smaller working groups designed to allow subject matter experts to exchange views and outline a joint course of action.

• The political working group agreed to promote non-proliferation and disarmament to follow up on the recent successful bilateral meeting between President Nazarbayev and President Obama in Seoul.
• The working group on economic cooperation focused on trade and investment issues and Kazakhstan’s prospective accession to the WTO. Both sides expressed satisfaction that the last year the volume of trade between the countries increased by 25.7 percent to $2.7 billion. As you know, the U.S. continues to be one of the leading investors in the Kazakh economy – with foreign direct investment exceeding $22 billion since 1993. In the energy sector, the  sides reported progress on hydrocarbon extraction, the peaceful use of nuclear energy, alternative energy sources as well as energy saving technologies.
• The working group on science and technology agreed to strengthen collaboration in the fields of information and biotechnology, energy conservation and the commercialization of scientific innovations. The group’s main objective is to implement the Bilateral Agreement on Science and Technology, which was signed during President Nazarbayev’s visit to the U.S. in April, 2010. To ensure the timely execution of planned projects, videoconferencing, as well as traditional meetings of officials and scholars will be utilized. The key role is assigned to the University of Nazarbayev, which in a short time has established fruitful relationships with many prominent U.S. universities, including Carnegie Mellon, Duke, Pittsburgh and Harvard University.
• As part of a dialogue on the human dimension, an NGO Forum was held, which was attended by seventeen NGOs involved in Kazakhstan’s political modernization efforts. All parties pledged to continue constructive cooperation in Kazakhstan’s political development, improving its legislative framework and creating favorable conditions for the further strengthening of civil society. Opening the NGO Forum, Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights, Democracy, and Labor, Michael Posner noted that Kazakhstan has been witnessing positive changes in recent years. With the contributions from civil society, the Kazakh Government has adopted and is implementing the 2009-2012 National Human Rights Action Plan. Kazakhstan’s OSCE Chairmanship and the Astana Summit of the Organization in December 2010 had a positive impact on the modernization of the political culture in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan and the U.S. have agreed to share experiences on ensuring rule of law, good governance and democracy.

Major priorities of strategic partnership were further discussed by Deputy Minister Kairat Umarov during his separate meetings with senior officials from the U.S. State Department, National Security Council, as well as the Departments of Defense and Energy.

On the sidelines of the SPC/D,  Kaznex Invest organized a “Road Show,” in cooperation with the US-Kazakhstan Business Association, in order to present investment opportunities and encourage direct business-to-business links with American business leaders from Case New Holland, DARPA, Raytheon, John Deere, AGCO, Caterpillar, Orbital Sciences, Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, Du Pont, Google, Transcosmos and many others. Secretary Blake, in his speech to the Road Show, recognized economic cooperation as the most important component of the U.S. – Kazakh strategic partnership.

Other speakers at the Road Show included Vice-Minister of Industry and Trade, Kanysh Tuleushin, and KazNex Invest’s Deputy Chairman of Board, Kairat Karmanov, who called on business executives of both countries to work together to make the most of Kazakhstan’s innovational and diversification efforts to find new niches in major sectors, including agriculture.

I would like to thank the U.S. – Kazakhstan Business Association for helping organize the Road Show and all that attended here in DC, as well as in New York City and San Francisco in the days that followed.

Overall, all the SPC/D discussions served to reaffirm the willingness of both sides to work together on the long-term goals identified by President Nazarbayev and President Obama at their meetings.
I am very much looking forward to returning home for the next meeting of the SPC/D, which is scheduled to be held in Astana next year. Until then, we will hold a mid-year review in New York later this year.

In the meantime, it will be my pleasure to keep you, My Friends, apprised of the progress we continue to make on deepening the economic and political ties between these two great nations.

Best,

Erlan A. Idrissov

Zhanaozen Events Trial

Dear Friends,

As you know, the court proceedings in Zhanaozen continue. They have been held in an open and transparent way and in full accordance with the law. A special room has been made available – equipped with live video screens – so that the media and public can observe the trials. The family members of the victims and other have also been able to sit in the courtroom and witness the proceedings.

I am confident that the trials are being conducted fairly and that ultimately justice will be served. For more of my thoughts on the proceedings, I invite you to read a recent article I wrote for the National Interest: http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/perspective-kazakhstan-6742 .

Erlan Idrissov

Event Honoring the Robertson Foundation for Government

Dear Friends,

On March 30, the Kazakh Embassy hosted an academic event honoring the Robertson Foundation for Government and its distinguished Advisory Board member, General Brent Scowcroft, a former National Security Advisor to the U.S.

The Robertson Foundation for Government is a nonprofit family foundation that identifies, educates and motivates top U.S. graduate students to pursue U.S. government careers in foreign policy, national security and international affairs. It was an honor for me to host such a distinguished gathering.

The event was attended by U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs Robert Hormats, the National Security Council Director for International Cyber Policy David Edelman, former CIA Director Michael Hayden, former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, former Mayor of the District of Columbia Anthony Williams, as well as deans and students of five of the most prestigious universities and educational institutions in the U.S., including the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and the University of Maryland.

In my welcome address, I told the guests about the history of Kazakhstan, its culture, politics, economy and potential for future growth. The country recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its independence. In its brief history, Kazakhstan has taken a number of bold actions – it renounced our nuclear arsenal, embraced free-market initiatives and opted for pro-active foreign policy to strengthen peace both regionally and internationally. Kazakhstan will soon become one of the top ten oil-producing countries in the world, I said.

I also drew a parallel between Kazakhstan’s major educational program “Bolashak” (Future) and the Foundation:

• Bolashak was established in 1990s as in the newly independent country; the Foundation is also a new arrival to the philanthropic landscape.
• Bolashak’s task is very ambitious: to help train the new generation leaders, managers and decision makers. So does the Foundation.
• And even though Bolashak and the Foundation are both young and ambitious, they have been remarkably successful. Bolashak is recognized not only in Kazakhstan but also among top-level universities worldwide. So is the Robertson Foundation,

I praised the work of the Foundation and underscored the importance of education in general. The Foundation has put a spotlight on government’s need for talent and is doing something about it. I pointed out that the Foundation is supporting exceptional students and helping them find ways to serve their country.

Others spoke about the importance of selfless service. Their speeches were received with great enthusiasm. Guests were also encouraged to learn about Kazakhstan and the immense opportunities it offers in the areas of education, culture and economic investment. It was a truly inspiring event.

Erlan Idrissov