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.

President Nazarbayev’s Visit Strengthens Bilateral Ties

Last week marked an important step forward in the relationship between the United States and Kazakhstan. In concert with President Nazarbayev’s visit, numerous events and milestones took place that increased bilateral cooperation, expanded awareness of Kazakh culture, and deepened the bonds between our nations.

Prior to the commencement of the Nuclear Security Summit, President Nazarbayev met privately with President Obama to discuss critical issues related to nonproliferation, stability in Afghanistan, economic partnership, regional security, and other opportunities and challenges affecting our countries. During the exchange, both leaders were able to identify ways for the United States and Kazakhstan to assist each other in these areas.

President Obama recognized the importance of President Nazarbayev’s presence at the summit and the example of Kazakhstan in establishing itself as a non-nuclear state. Over the days that followed, President Nazarbayev shared his experiences in achieving this and engaged with other world leaders to seek specific solutions to the threat of nuclear terrorism.

We are grateful to so many who welcomed President Nazarbayev to the United States and recognized his achievements in leading an independent Kazakhstan over the past two decades. Seeing him honored by the EastWest Institute on Tuesday for his leadership in encouraging tolerance was yet another confirmation to me of the strong, positive relations developing between our countries.

I have marveled as I’ve watched this relationship grow over the years and extend well beyond the level of government and our nations’ leaders—we are also increasing cultural understanding on a personal level. I was delighted to take part in the opening of the 2010 Washington Kazakhstan Festival on Wednesday. The Smithsonian Institution and Chevron kindly sponsored this beautiful event, where they unveiled a new Smithsonian online exhibition about Kazakh explorer and ethnographer Chokan Valikhanov. The exhibit, Discover Kazakhstan: The Expeditions of Chokan Valikhanov, will give Americans the chance to learn more about Kazakh history and heritage.

Guests at the reception mingled over traditional Kazakh food, wandered through exhibits of Kazakh art and artifacts, and enjoyed performances from three Kazakh musical groups. Later in the week, the three groups performed separate concerts. It was an honor to bring some of my country’s beloved music to share with our American friends.

On April 14, the Library of Congress hosted the launch of Nazarbayev and the Making of Kazakhstan, a book by former British MP Jonathan Aitken. First published in Britain in 2009, the book now saw its American edition presented at one of the most prestigious venues in Washington. The author was delighted to be joined by several distinguished speakers, including Senator Richard Lugar, Librarian of Congress James Billington, and Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Kairat Umarov. The book is an excellent insight into the past and present of Kazakhstan and can be purchased at www.nazarbayev.net.

In addition to the activities of the summit and the festival, we also recently reached a milestone in the arena of technology, as Kazakhstan and the United States entered into a major Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement. This will open the door for future joint research and development in key endeavors related to energy, the environment, and information technology, among others. And U.S. companies are already seeing the value in working with Kazakhstan to achieve common economic objectives. General Electric and the Pilot Training College each concluded deals this week providing two Kazakh companies critical technology and training.

I am encouraged by the further progress we are achieving in our relationship with the United States. The events of last week are an indication that the Congress, administration, the media, influential organizations, and the general public are increasing their understanding of Kazakhstan. This is definitely an exciting time for all of us as we look to the future and the promise of a deeper strategic partnership.

Embassy of Kazakhstan holds its first ever online seminar

Embassy of Kazakhstan holds its first ever online seminar

With the web’s ability to bridge huge distances and bring people closer, I would like to welcome our friends on both sides of the Atlantic to participate in the Embassy’s newly established tradition of holding online seminars – webinars.

The webinar technology allows the attendees from all over the United States to participate in “virtual conferences” to discuss recent economic and political developments in Kazakhstan as well as bring their own ideas on new ways of developing partnerships for the benefits of our two great nations.

I would like to share with you an article, prepared by our friend Charles Raether, Managing Partner of the “Amlaw Group” and co-organizer of the webinar on the Customs Union, presented on June 10th 2010

I am hopeful that the Embassy’s online workshops will become a good tradition and I encourage everyone to take part in them. At future events, we will be targeting to involve high-level government officials for attendees to communicate directly with some key decision makers in Kazakhstan.

Expanding Business Ties between the U.S. and Kazakhstan –
a Webinar on the Customs Union
Prepared by Charles Raether, Managing Partner, AmLaw Group

On June 10th, 2010, a unique event took place utilizing modern Internet technologies to bring together business people from around the world interested in the Kazakhstan market. Through the use of an Internet service that allows individuals to connect together at a “virtual conference,” specialists from the U.S., Kazakhstan, and Europe were able to come together to discuss the new customs union between Kazakhstan, Russia, and Belarus and how it will affect foreign companies in the region.

The event was organized by AmLaw Group together with the assistance and support of Grata Law Firm, the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Kazakhstan Chamber of Commerce. AmLaw Group (www.amlawpro.com) is a specialized law firm in Washington D.C. that focuses on international trade and investments with extensive experience in Kazakhstan and CIS markets. AmLaw assists U.S. firms in their business and investment plans to enter Kazakhstan as well as working with Kazakh firms to expand their partnerships and business activities in the U.S. market.

The impetus for the event was the relative lack of information and events in the United States about market opportunities in Kazakhstan for U.S. business, especially for small and medium businesses that have limited resources. This recent webinar is the first of a planned series of events later this year devoted to market developments in Kazakhstan in order to better educate the American business community about Kazakhstan. Of particular interest is the fact that AmLaw’s client base consists primarily of small and medium-sized companies, which fits well with the diversification strategy of the government of Kazakhstan to support and expand the SME sector.

To this end, AmLaw is working together with the Embassy and the Kazakhstan Chamber of Commerce to organize trade delegations of small and mid-sized companies from Kazakhstan and the United States to expand business relationships. The goal of these delegations will be to put firms in contact with companies they need from each other’s market: suppliers, strategic partners, investors, legal advisors, etc. As Kazakhstani companies expand beyond their familiar markets in Eurasia, their ability to effectively work with partners, suppliers, and buyers from the U.S. will become increasingly important.

The delegations will try to focus on sectors of interest to SME’s as well as sectors in high demand in Kazakhstan, including franchising, agribusiness, food processing, and others. To receive more information about the planned delegations or more information about how to effectively work with U.S. partners, please contact Charles Raether, Managing Partner, AmLaw Group, charles@amlawpro.com or Anuar Kurzhikayev, Third Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, anuar@kazakhembus.com.

Trip to Chicago

Trip to Chicago

On May 12-15, I joined a fantastic trip to the gorgeous city of Chicago together with a group of other foreign diplomats. The tour was arranged under the “Experience America” program organized by the US Department of State and very able and energetic Ambassador Capricia Marshall, the US Chief of Protocol.

It was indeed a great experience of exploring America as Chicago is exemplary in representing a “mini-scale” US at its best – the city has everything: unique architecture, fascinating diversity and amazing entrepreneurial spirit.

“The Second City”, “The Windy City”, “City of Big Shoulders”, “City That Works” – Chicago deserves all of its nicknames but the latter in particular! And visits to Chicago Mercantile Exchange and Globex Trading System Command Center contributed a lot to my view of Chicago as a true business magnet.

Chicago welcomed us with nice and warm weather (although it rained the first day) and a great cultural program, which included the tour of the Matisse Exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago. I was deeply impressed by the unique works of one of the greatest artists of the 20th century, including the highlight of the exhibition – the Bathers by a River. The painting has been the subject of numerous studies striving to uncover the specific details of the evolution of the piece as well as the techniques and methods employed by Matisse. Cultural program was followed by an exquisite dinner at the Institute with Mayor and Mrs. Daley as well as Governor Pat Quinn.

The night before the departure day Ambassadors were entertained in the most elaborate way – they were divided into three groups and taken to dinners by Chicago’s prominent citizens. I and my wife Nurilla were privileged to be invited by Thomas Pritzker and his charming wife Margot and their friends. The pep of the event was that we were dining on stage – of the famous Pritzker Pavilion. That was an unforgettable theatrical experience for us. Our hosts were most courteous and displayed a good sense of humor and wit as well as rare knowledge of international politics.

The next day of the tour was a mixture of discovering Chicagoan business opportunities and hi-tech excellence. We participated in the Panel Discussion hosted by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange featuring World Business Chicago, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce as well as a tour of the Wrigley Global Innovation Center.

And the hit for Ambassadors’ spouses program was their participation in the shooting of The Oprah Winfrey Show. During the Show they were deeply impressed by the life-experience of two strong and endurable personalities. One of them was Bret Michaels, once a very famous member of metal band that’s sold more than 25 million records. He is a lifelong diabetic, he faced appendix burst, and he was forced to undergo an emergency appendectomy. He also suffered a brain hemorrhage, a serious condition that’s often fatal. But his energy and love to his family let him overcome those black days of his life. And now he enjoys the life with his two daughters.

Also on the trip we toured the grand Field Museum, enjoyed amazing Chicago Architecture Boat Tour and visited the Cabrini Green Neighborhood. It was a fascinating visit to the hometown of President Obama and I greatly enjoyed my time in one of the most innovative, vibrant and historic cities of the US. Chicago’s cultural heritage, vivid scenery, impressive buildings makes it truly “the crossroads of America”.

My secret mission for the trip was to understand how one can grow and become the President of the United States of America being a Chicagoan. Having witnessed the City’s energy and dynamism, diversity and cultural heritage, dedication and forward looking philosophy I consider my mission fulfilled.

And here are some links to media coverage of the trip:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/2276736,CST-NWS-foreign15.article

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-05-12/news/ct-met-chicago-diplomat-visit-20100512_1_chicago-mercantile-exchange-art-institute-latin-america

http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=164637

Roundtable Report Enhancing Asia’s Security Dialogue: The Role of CICA Thursday, June 17, 2010

Roundtable Report
Enhancing Asia’s Security Dialogue: The Role of CICA
Thursday, June 17, 2010

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Institute for New Democracies (IND) hosted a roundtable on the role of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in enhancing Asia’s security dialogue. The two main speakers were Turkish Ambassador Namik Tan and Kazakh Ambassador Erlan Idrissov.

Bulent Aliriza (Director, Turkey Program, CSIS) introduced the two speakers and the event was moderated by Margarita Assenova (Executive Director, IND).

Ambassador Namik Tan focused on Turkey’s role in CICA and the results of the Third CICA Summit that took place in Istanbul in early June. At the Summit Turkey took over the CICA chairmanship from Kazakhstan. Ambassador Tan said that the rotating chairmanship will strengthen the CICA initiative and emphasized the importance of cooperation in tackling common security threats in Asia. CICA is special in that it is not an exclusive entity: all countries are equal members and participants in the forum. According to Ambassador Tan Turkey’s goal during its chairmanship is to develop strong relations between CICA and other organizations such as NATO, OSCE, the Shanghai Corporation Organization (SCO), and the EU. He explained that CICA is a multilateral forum for political dialogue which is target oriented through its confidence building measures (CBM) ranging from security to environmental protection. The goal of CICA is for countries to join and share their perspectives on issues that affect Asian security. He concluded by saying, “if CICA did not exist, we would have to invent it.”

When asked about the advantages of having Turkey as chair of CICA, Ambassador Tan reiterated Ankara’s objectives in its foreign policy. He spoke about Turkey’s strategic geographic position, nestled between the West and East, its role in international organizations, and its active engagement in the Middle East. Turkey is intent on adding energy and dynamism to CICA.

Kazakh Ambassador Erlan Idrissov stated that this CSIS-IND roundtable marked the first time that CICA was highlighted with such prominence in the United States. He highlighted the origins of CICA: after the fall of the Soviet Union there was a political vacuum in security and political arrangements in the former Soviet bloc and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev sought to create an Asian organization that mirrored the OSCE, in fact a pan-Asian organization where states could address their security concerns. Initially he confronted skepticism from other countries and CICA still faces skepticism in the West. Ambassador Idrissov explained that the twenty two CICA members, including China, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Israel, represent over 90 percent of the Asian territory and over half of the world’s population. As a result, CICA has significant potential even though it is not yet a fully developed international organization. According to Idrissov, the strength of CICA lies in the fact that there are more areas that unite the member nations than ones that divide them.

Ambassador Idrissov also explained the functions of the CICA working groups of which there are many: environmental, economic, security, transport and transit, unconventional threats, and military security. Different member states of CICA lead the various groups; Iran for example leads the travel and tourism working group while India hosts the transport and transit group. Debates and ideas from the working groups are brought to the CICA floor where countries come together and discuss the confidence building measures (CBM) necessary to promote security in the region.

Ambassador Idrissov spoke about Kazakhstan’s work in developing CICA and Turkey’s current chairmanship. He explained Kazakhstan’s commitment to preserving CICA by hosting two summits and numerous meetings in the past few years, as Astana is committed to inter-state dialogue. CICA has the capacity to enhance dialogue but it is too early for the forum to settle disputes as it is not yet an organization, but rather a process. Turkey takes over CICA as an important nation in the region because of its links with both East and the West, its good relationships with various states, and its strong market economy. These factors created a consensus among member states to pass the chairmanship to Turkey.

With regard to American involvement and interest in CICA, Ambassador Idrissov said that the U.S. and the developed states should dedicate more time and attention to exploring what opportunities CICA can offer as the multi-national initiative can help the U.S. play a more meaningful security role in Asia in the future.

Margarita Assenova concluded the conference by stating that CICA can be instrumental in conflict resolution in Asia because of its ability to engage directly with many diverse political leaders.

Birds of prey and ancient burial grounds draw tourists to Kazakhstan

Dear Friends,
It is with a great pleasure that I would like to share with you a very interesting and eloquent article about Kazakhstan by Erik Heinrich, a freelance writer from Canada. It caught my eye as the article vividly describes Kazakhstan’s natural beauty and has some useful information for those who are interested in traveling to my country. I hope you will like it.
Birds of prey and ancient burial grounds draw tourists to Kazakhstan
By ERIK HEINRICH
ALMATY, Kazakhstan – From his high perch, a huge hunting eagle fixes his intense copper eyes on the moving shape below. He pitches forward, signaling his intention and showing talons the size of puma fangs.
Paul Pfander trains birds of prey, including Dima, a long-legged buzzard, at the Sunkar Raptor Sanctuary.
Suddenly, the eagle is airborne, his 6-foot wingspan an awesome sight. A pale-brown head and shiny mahogany breast set off a white-streaked underside. One moment the raptor is gliding effortlessly; the next, he’s dropping to earth at top speed like a fighter jet.
He grabs a young wolf, sinking razor-sharp talons into the animal’s hide just behind the shoulder blades. The impact sends the pair into a high-velocity roll that will decide their fates. If the wolf is not already dead from the hit, it’s certainly paralyzed with fear. There is always a chance the mighty raptor will break his wing during the tussle, in which case the tables will turn and predator will be dispatched by prey in the snap of finger.
In Kazakhstan, a nation of 15 million situated between Russia and China, sporting enthusiasts pay upwards of $1,000 to see a primal encounter of this kind.
However, at the Sunkar Raptor Sanctuary on the outskirts of Kazakhstan’s historic capital, Almaty, in the nation’s mountainous southeast, moments after this attack there is no immediate ripping apart of living flesh. Instead, a golden eagle named Khan sits proudly atop his wolf-skin quarry, waiting to be rewarded by Paul Pfander, a 50-year-old German-Kazakh who dragged the skin across his show lawn for a spellbound audience of politicians and friends.
Pfander, who wears the traditional peaked hat and embroidered overcoat of an eagle hunter, beckons his prize raptor to jump atop a heavy leather gauntlet. Then he retrieves a raw chick from a leather pouch slung over his shoulder, and makes a fist around the bird’s middle so Khan can feed.
A changing land
Pfander is probably the top falconer in Kazakhstan. His hourlong raptor show is the only one in the country performed daily. Khan may be the star attraction, but he’s supported by a first-rate cast that includes trained saker falcons that attack a baited rope, eagle owls and a Eurasian black vulture, the largest flying bird in Asia, with a 9-foot wingspan.
Over the next few days, I will be a falconer’s apprentice, learning from Pfander how to handle birds of prey that have been status symbols for the rich and powerful in this part of the world since before the days of Genghis Khan in the Middle Ages. I will break from my lesson to travel back in time to Kazakhstan’s Bronze Age to explore ancient burial mounds every bit as mysterious and intriguing as England’s Stonehenge or Egypt’s Valley of the Kings.
Kazakhstan is about four times the size of Texas and to many seems more distant than Nepal or Bhutan. In fact, Kazakhstan, formerly part of the Soviet Union, is a country whose nomadic and Communist past is being replaced by a new capitalism fueled by natural resources, including uranium and oil from the Caspian Sea.
The nation has moved more quickly toward a modern and affluent future than any other former Soviet republic. For example, the new capital, Astana, in many ways resembles Dubai or Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, with construction cranes erecting shiny towers at a relentless pace. Under development is Khan Shatyry entertainment center, a giant glass tent that will cover an area equal to 10 football stadiums when completed.
This year, Kazakhstan will take a lead role at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the largest security coalition in the world, representing 56 countries.
However, some old traditions, such as falconry, are too ingrained in Kazakh culture to be swallowed up by the nation’s newfound prosperity. Pfander has performed at the Sunkar sanctuary for more than a decade, attracting audiences that range from the country’s business elite to schoolchildren. He’s the public face of this home to hundreds of eagles, falcons and vultures, but the main business here is breeding saker falcons, an endangered species indigenous to Central Asia.
The sanctuary releases a few dozen sakers into the wild each year. Funding for this project is provided by exports of these coveted hunters to Saudi Arabia and U.A.E., where falconry ranks as an elite sport on par with horse racing. A saker falcon trained by Pfander can fetch up to $10,000 in overseas markets.
The next morning, I watch Pfander train a long-legged buzzard named Dima that will soon be the property of Katja, Warrior Princess of the Moscow Circus. The young bird, whose leg is tethered by a sort of kite string, is learning to return to his falconer on cue. Meanwhile, the well-mannered killer Khan perches on my arm.
I’m tempted to stroke Khan’s majestic wing, but Pfander warns, “A raptor is not a dog.” Birds of prey don’t like to be touched, he explains. The relationship forged between a falconer and his hunting bird hinges on a tricky combination of respect, patience and a steady supply of dead chickens.
Steeped in history
That afternoon, I stand with translator Rimma Zaitovna and her anthropologist friend Bakhyt atop a kurgan, or burial mound, that’s nearly 340 feet around. We’re in the middle of the Museum of Nomadic Culture, probably Central Asia’s biggest outdoor museum. It contains 47 Scythian burial mounds covering an area equal to about 266 football fields.
They were constructed more than 2,500 years ago by a horse-riding, nomadic people of Turkic stock who inhabited an area north of the Roman and Persian empires for nearly a millennium, says Bakhyt, who works at the State Museum in Almaty. The group traded with the dominant cultures of the time but remained separate. Today, they’re one of the ancient world’s greatest mysteries, having left only tantalizing clues in their wake.
The most famous mound in Kazakhstan is the Issyk kurgan, where the skeleton of a Scythian in full warrior regalia, including a suit of golden mail and a wizard’s hat, was discovered during the Soviet era. Known as the Golden Man, this noble’s funerary treasure rivals that of Tutankhamun from Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. The Golden Man may be a national symbol here, but he is largely unknown outside Kazakhstan and Russia.
The burial mound on which I stand is nearly twice the size of Issyk, which means its occupant was a great chieftain with higher social status than the Golden Man’s. Unfortunately, grave robbers got to the great treasure buried here centuries ago, perhaps as early as the Middle Ages, and it has long since been melted down to bullion or remade into jewelry.
Still, this great kurgan field radiates a timeless and mystical energy similar to Angkor Wat in Cambodia or Stonehenge. Did the builders of these monuments see them as gateways to the heavens, just as ancient Egyptians believed pyramids transported Pharaohs to eternal life among the stars? A falcon circles overhead, and I try to put myself inside its head to see what this kurgan field looks like from 2,000 feet.
Watching Pfander’s show on my last day, a saker falcon tries to bolt before the leather jess attached to his leg is released. As a result, he tips over and flails like a drowning man. It’s an uncharacteristically clumsy moment for this precision hunter.
When Pfander finally releases the slightly rumpled saker, I can sense the bird’s trepidation. As Pfander swings his baited rope in ever-widening circles, the saker makes a halfhearted pass at the bait, then skims the top of his felt hat, nearly knocking it from his head. On his second pass the falcon ignores the rope altogether and goes straight at Pfander. Falcon and falconer’s face are one for a split second as the raptor forgets all his training and rakes his handler’s nose with lethal talons.
Pfander, who half-expected this, takes a kerchief from his leather pouch and wipes away the blood. He received only a deep scratch from the temperamental falcon, but the cut will leave a scar. It will be a reminder that a raptor can never really be tamed, no matter how good the falconer.
I think of a much larger raptor and say to myself, “It’s a lucky thing this didn’t happen with Khan.”
When you go
Getting there
The best and least expensive routing is New York-Frankfurt-Almaty with Lufthansa.
What to do
• Sunkar Raptor Sanctuary, near Arasan Spa Resort, about six miles south of Almaty at the foot of the Alatau Mountains. Sunkar is a short taxi ride from the city center. It displays indigenous raptors, including golden eagles, endangered saker falcons and Eurasian black vultures. Master falconer Paul Pfander performs a daily show April-November ($20 per person). Sunkar has a guest lodge; single rooms begin at $55. There is also a cozy restaurant-bar. Dinner for two, including kebab, vodka and beer, $40.
• Museum of Nomadic Culture, opened in 2010, is on the northern edge of Almaty. Probably Central Asia’s biggest outdoor museum, it contains 47 Scythian burial mounds (kurgans).
• Central State Museum, on the east side of Panfilov Park in Almaty, showcases some Scythian treasures, including the priceless Kargaly diadem. This golden crown was the property of woman shaman about 2,500 years ago.
Where to stay
• Astana International Hotel, 113 Baitursynov St., Almaty; www.astana-hotel.com. Comfortable business hotel. About $300 per night double occupancy.
• Hotel Zhetysu, 55 Ablai Khan Ave., Almaty; www.zhetysuhotel.kz/index_eng.php. Budget hotel, from about $55 per night.
Tours
• Ecotourism Information Resource Centre, 71 Zheltoksan St. (corner of Gogol), Almaty; www.eco-tourism.kz. Promotes community-based ecotourism nationwide.
• Arnai Tours, 53, district Khan-Tengri, Almaty; www.arnaitours.kz offers good options, including mountain and horse treks into the nearby Assy Plateau. Can arrange Sunkar sanctuary stays (rooms from $55).
• Tamerlan Tour, Dostyk Avenue, 46/17, Almaty; www.tamerlantour.kz/en/almaty.html. In business since 1994. Offers 10-day treks into the Tian Shan mountains and Charyn Canyon, featuring lakes, gorges and glaciers.

IDRISSOV: Kazakhstan unfairly criticized in human rights case Activists can’t kill people with impunity

IDRISSOV: Kazakhstan unfairly criticized in human rights case
Activists can’t kill people with impunity
By Erlan A. Idrissov
The international community is quick to believe the worst about certain governments. That’s far too often been the case with Kazakhstan. The recent jailing of human rights advocate Yevgeni Zhovtis is a perfect example. The worst is simply not true for him and it’s time to set the record straight.
On July 30, 2009, Mr. Zhovtis was driving home from a fishing trip when he was blinded by the headlights of oncoming cars. As a result, his SUV struck and killed a young man in the middle of the road near the city of Almaty.
These facts are not in dispute, nor is the following: In Kazakhstan, running over pedestrians is a crime. From January to July of 2009, 179 similar cases occurred in Kazakhstan and in every one of those that involved loss of life or serious injury (136 cases, or 76 percent), the person responsible was sentenced to prison.
Mr. Zhovtis was treated no differently than anyone else. He was not punished because he publicly disagreed with the country’s Internet policy. He was not punished because he spoke out about what he considered human rights problems. He was punished because he broke a law and for no other reason.
The Kazakh legal system imposes absolute liability on anyone who causes death or severe injury to another human being. The court ruled that Mr. Zhovtis did not take the necessary precautions to avoid the accident. He failed to stop or slow his vehicle as the law required him to do when his vision became impaired. He continued to drive at more than 80 kilometers per hour and, as a result, he hit 35-year-old Kanat Moldabayev, who was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of multiple injuries.
Mr. Zhovtis was given a fair trial at which his friends and colleagues testified to his character and professional integrity as director of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law. He was credited by the judge for not being drunk, for not exceeding the speed limit, for not leaving the scene of the accident and for calling the ambulance and police.
He was sentenced to four years in prison, which was almost exactly in the midrange of sentences given to the other people who were convicted of killing or seriously hurting pedestrians with their cars. In addition, he was sent to a minimum-security facility instead of a regular detention facility out of respect for his standing in the community and his behavior after the accident.
Nonetheless, groups like the Committee to Protect Journalists insist on saying that Mr. Zhovtis is being held in “a penal colony.” It also asserts without evidence that the presiding judge appeared to have composed the verdict beforehand, giving the false impression that the charges were trumped up.
Such distortions have complicated Kazakhstan’s relations with other governments, including the United States. This year, Kazakhstan chairs the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and is negotiating to hold a first-ever summit of world leaders at its capital, Astana. But at least some officials in the U.S. State Department are resisting that proposal until Mr. Zhovtis is released.
To do so would be a repudiation of what Mr. Zhovtis stands for - the rule of law.
Critics of Kazakhstan have speculated that the verdict against Mr. Zhovtis was politically motivated. That is untrue. Despite the overheated rhetoric and efforts to sensationalize the case, the fact is that a person died because of Mr. Zhovtis’ actions and that fact cannot - and should not - be ignored.
In his role as director of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, Mr. Zhovtis worked closely with the government to improve national legislation. His constructive criticisms have been valuable to the many efforts still underway to reform the nation’s legislative and legal systems. He is widely respected by his colleagues in the nongovernmental organization community and in the government of Kazakhstan.
Yet the court, independent of government involvement or interference, found Mr. Zhovtis guilty in the death of Mr. Moldabayev. The trial was open and transparent. Many of Mr. Zhovtis’ supporters, including officials from the U.S. Embassy, received unimpeded access to the court’s proceedings.
The government of Kazakhstan deeply regrets the tragic accident and recognizes that its timing could not have been worse. The government would surely be much better off if Mr. Zhovtis were available to lend his expertise to the process of reform, especially this year when Kazakhstan is working so hard to advance the humanitarian mission of the OSCE.
But Mr. Zhovtis broke the law by killing a man with his car and, like anyone else, must pay his debt to society.
Some of Mr. Moldabayev’s relatives insisted that judicial authorities pursue the criminal case against Mr. Zhovtis. We should honor them and the law by not bowing to the misguided belief that Mr. Zhovtis is a political prisoner.
Mr. Idrissov is the Republic of Kazakhstan’s ambassador to the United States.

Roundtable event: Assessing the Need for on OSCE Heads of State Summit in 2010

Roundtable event: Assessing the Need for on OSCE Heads of State Summit in 2010
It is my pleasure to inform you that on July 6 I attended a roundtable event titled “Assessing the Need for on OSCE Heads of State Summit in 2010” hosted by Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Institute for New Democracies. The event was of interest for me as Kazakhstan is working with its partners on generating support for its initiative of convening the first OSCE Summit in a decade. The following is a brief summary of the event prepared jointly with CSIS-IND.

Leading experts on Eurasian security, democracy development, OSCE and Central Asia; Col. Jon Chicky (National Defense University) Dr. Ariel Cohen (the Heritage Foundation) and Janusz Bugajski (CSIS) delivered their remarks and assessments.

At the event, the U.S.- Kazakhstan OSCE Task Force that supports Kazakhstan’s OSCE Chairmanship presented the eighth Policy Brief «Formulating an OSCE Summit Agenda: the Security Dimension», presenting arguments and possible agenda items in support of the summit (enclosed) . “The Summit will have the important task of overcoming the stalemate in decision-making within the OSCE, pursue the implementation of important agreements and treaties such as the CFE and the Vienna Document, and prepare substantively for dealing with existing conflicts and emerging security crises. The logical focus of the Summit will be on Eurasia and specifically on Central and South Asia. Therefore the Kazakh Chairmanship of the OSCE offers an ideal opportunity for enhancing the OSCE’s relevance throughout Eurasia,” concluded members of the CSIS-IND Task-Force.

Remarks at the event focused on the progress made by the OSCE since Secretary of State - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kanat Saudabayev reiterated at 2009 Athens OSCE Ministerial Meeting the proposal of Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev to hold 2010 OSCE Summit. U.S. experts provided participants with the arguments for the Summit and possible Summit agenda which would address the urgent issues, including the U.S. interests, within the OSCE area.

Janusz Bugajski (CSIS) began the roundtable by stating that a summit of the OSCE heads of state will be essential this year. This is underscored by the emergence of violence in Kyrgyzstan and the ongoing Afghan war in close proximity to the region. Security cooperation, especially with regard to Eurasia must be developed and decision-making processes should be streamlined in order to mobilize peacekeeping forces with greater efficiency. Bugajski laid out three key topics for discussion at the potential summit: (1) what has the OSCE accomplished, where has it failed, and where is it going? (2) What are the major threats to security and how should the OSCE respond? (3) How can the OSCE further cooperate and coordinate with NATO and other political-military alliances?

Jon Chicky (NDU) discussed the shortcomings of the OSCE, particularly referencing its major security treaties; the Vienna Document of the Negotiations on Confidence and Security Building Measures, and the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE). Although Chicky agreed that a summit is necessary, he said that the two aforementioned treaties would not be ready for revision this year. They must be completely reworked, an endeavor that has not yet begun. Both treaties are outdated and have not been functioning properly. The Vienna Document, a legally-binding treaty signed by all OSCE members, deals with military transparency while the CFE treaty is a document that only some states have signed. Russia suspended its participation in the adapted CFE treaty in 2007 for several reasons: its conflicts with Moscow’s military presence in Georgia and Moldova; does not include the Baltic States; and does not fit with their ideal flank limits. The U.S. administration’s refocus on broad European security, following the conclusion of the START negotiations, is producing rhetoric in line with the principles laid out in the Vienna Document. However, the U.S. is also calling for more conflict prevention, further information sharing on military capabilities, and an overhaul of CFE. So, what should happen at the summit? Chicky suggested that basic principles should be established, relating to where the documents fit in and how security issues in Central Asia should be dealt with.

Ariel Cohen (Heritage Foundation) asserted that the potential summit’s focus should be on Central Asia and Eurasia. The current Kazakh Chairmanship is favorable in its location (as far as crisis-prevention) and status (as a post-Soviet state) to discuss issues relevant to the region. Cohen mentioned the need for streamlining the OSCE decision-making process in order to accelerate crisis response. OSCE must also advance its cooperation with international organizations, such as the UN and NATO. Additionally, the organization needs an early warning system in place in order to try and prevent crises such as the one in Kyrgyzstan. According to Cohen, Kyrgyzstan represented a complete failure of both the OSCE Charter and the cooperation of its member states. The conflict in Kyrgyzstan could potentially affect the security of the U.S. and Europe. There is an overwhelming number of missions required presently in Kyrgyzstan; from policing to judiciary, infrastructure reconstruction, and refugee aid. Commitment and cooperation among member states, however, is lacking. Overall, this demonstrates that the OSCE is facing a crisis of legitimacy. In Cohen’s opinion, it must prove itself or face becoming irrelevant.

Erlan Idrissov (Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the U.S.) affirmed Kazakhstan’s strong support for an OSCE heads of state summit. He mentioned the 2006-2007debate on whether or not Kazakhstan should chair the OSCE. In his opinion, all fears were eased and the chairmanship has been successful. Kazakhstan has pushed for the summit because Astana would like to put Eurasian security back into focus. Unfortunately, the OSCE has been incapacitated and is in dire need of breakthroughs. He also suggested that the U.S.¬-Russia ‘reset’ policy be spread throughout Central Asia to the benefit of all parties.

The presentations were followed by a Q & A session.

Janusz Bugajski asked the panelists whether they thought it was in the interest of the OSCE’s two largest powers, Russia and the U.S., to raise or lower its stature. Ariel Cohen said that due to conflicts in the Caucasus, the U.S. sought to raise the organization’s stature. However, Russia has taken aim at weakening its power, by shutting down observer missions in the occupied territories of Georgia. Additionally, if the U.S. seeks to protect the post-Soviet states then scrapping OSCE is the wrong move to take. Margarita Assenova (IND) reemphasized the OSCE’s significance to security in the region, saying that some states are only members of OSCE, not CSTO or NATO, and their security depends solely on the organization.

Jeffrey Lightfoot {Atlantic Council) made several comments relating to the current state of affairs in the region. Based on his assessment, the U.S. policy may be failing with regard to the Caucasus and Central Asia, and that a summit is necessary to put OSCE’s focus back on the region. He also brought up the ‘bureaucratic jam’ Washington is currently facing with three important summits later this year; with EU, NATO and OSCE. He suggested that the U.S. should adopt a common theme for the three, reflecting a comprehensive vision for the transatlantic relationship.

Stanley Kober (CATO Institute) brought up the need for the people of the U.S. and Europe to be willing to spend resources on future OSCE initiatives and the summit. Ariel Cohen said that in the case of Europe, a disconnect often exists between popular concerns at the national level and what needs to happen in Brussels. Ambassador Idrissov said that the public puts its faith in its leaders when they are elected. He asserted that if Central Asia is not attended to now, then more costs will be incurred in this region in the future.

Finally, Janusz Bugajski questioned the panel on whether they thought OSCE should more effectively engage China in the region. Ariel Cohen said that this could be a good option due to China’s increasing regional economic significance. Also, demographically China dominates the neighborhood and they have thousands of years of shared history with the area. Jon Chicky mentioned that China already plays a security role because three of China’s neighbors are both OSCE members and participants in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

CENTRAL ASIA NEWSWIRE NOW AVAILABLE

Dear Friends,

We announced through the Embassy’s News Bulletin that we found a new source of English-language news on Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

I hope you will enjoy it!

CENTRAL ASIA NEWSWIRE NOW AVAILABLE

We would like to inform our readers of the availability of a relatively new source of news and information on Central Asia. The Central Asia Newswire, or CAN for short, combines a website (www.CentralAsiaNewswire.com) which is free for all users, with a daily newswire that is available to subscribers.

Recent issues have provided extensive coverage of the recent turmoil in Kyrgyzstan, and the ripples this has sent through the region and beyond. The CAN newswires combine a mix of bylined stories and news analysis, with shorter pieces and briefs. It is issued every evening of the week (Washington time), Monday through Friday.

On the website, news items, images and information are organized according to geographical categories, including each of the five countries of the region, as well as by sector.

One interesting feature of CAN is its ability to use images uploaded by photographers anywhere in the world. These images can be purchased for commercial use, with the purchase revenue split 50-50 between CAN and the photographer.

CAN’s editor, Patrick Gilsenan (pgilsenan@centralasianewswire.com), says that the last major feature that has yet to be added to CAN is for news videos to be uploaded by individuals or media companies (they will also be available for purchase), using a revenue-sharing process similar to that for pictures.

Gilsenan pointed out that Central Asia suffers from a lack of comprehensive, independent coverage, and he believes there is a significant market for a ‘niche’ newswire such as CAN.

Gilsenan also noted that although CAN only offers a single daily newswire for the moment, there are plans afoot to offer a range of specialized newswires, including daily wires covering each of the region’s countries as well as newswires covering important sectors, such as energy, the economy and security.

CAN content is assembled by a team of editors and journalists in Washington and Astana, as well as contributors located in the countries of the region

Other publications wanting to use CAN content must subscribe, although costs are very low.

Observations on the Silk Road

Dear readers,

Below please find a couple of interesting articles that we distributed through Embassy’s News Bulletins.

I found them quite interesting and picked them out for you to read.

I believe that John Defterios caught exactly the spirit of the Astana Economic Forum and President Medvedev chose a very diplomatic and friendly way of congratulating President Nazarbayev.

Enjoy!

Observations on the Silk Road

CNN business blog, by John Defterios

Astana, Kazakhstan - Sometimes I feel like a hopeless romantic when it comes to the fabled Silk Road. The arteries of trade going back a half millennium conjure up images of Marco Polo in pursuit of Chinese silks and crossing the treacherous terrains of Central Asia where minus 40 degrees centigrade is common on the Kazakhstan steppes.

This week I went to the young capital city of Astana for the annual economic forum bearing the same name. Three Nobel laureates in economics, the animated former Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Chretien and 3,000 other participants from 68 countries gathered at the crossroads of East and West.

Kazakhstan is interesting in so many ways. It is a vast land - the size of Western Europe - and shares a 2,000 kilometre border with China and 7,000 kilometre border with Russia. Leaders here express their concerns about neighbouring Kyrgyzstan and tensions with and attacks on Uzbek minorities.

There is a reason –- in fact many reasons - businesspeople are willing to make the long trek to this sparsely populated corner of the world.

Kazakhstan is natural resource heaven. Oil production is set to double to three million barrels a day in a decade’s time; so is gold production. The country surpassed Canada last year as the largest uranium exporter. Then there are ample supplies of copper, iron ore and coal. The country is a key figure in the energy security equation.

Wen Jiabao has visited five times, most recently to expand supplies into an energy pipeline to Western China. The Central Asian state doles out its riches quite evenly to Russia, Western Europe and China, despite its historic ties to Moscow.

Kazakhstan despite all its wealth borrowed heavily from western banks - it was considered in vogue to list in london and borrow from western banks. They don’t plan to overexpose themselves again.

Larger-than-life building sites were brought to standstill in Astana as the country looked for and delivered a home-grown solution in a year-long bank restructuring. Lenders took a sizable hit (losing up to 70 cents on the dollar), but the final deal is now considered by World Bank and IMF regional officials to be a model for others to follow.

With the banking crisis behind it after a cash injection by the country’s sovereign fund Samruk-Kazyna, Kazahkstan managed to stay above water in 2009, posting growth of 1.3 percent. In the first five months of the year, we are witnessing growth of eight percent, more in line with its pre-crisis track record.

As I was chairing this forum, it struck me how incredibly different this world seems from the scenarios in the U.S. and Europe - where job creation is minimal and unemployment rates hover at or near 10 percent.

Kazakh officials have learned a few lessons in the last few years. It is now utilising the same approach in attracting foreign investment that it uses when selling its natural resources - it is wise to have a diversified base.

Chinese, Russian and Canadian companies are big players, but the latest entrants are coming from the Middle East. Abu Dhabi is finalising a half billion dollar fund and the Kingdom of Bahrain is exploring Islamic finance operations. The region is also keen to boost agriculture productivity to serve the needs of desert populations in the Gulf.

The team supporting the long-serving 70-year-old President Nursultan Nazarbayev are 40-something multi-lingual globalists who are busy with a decade-long diversification plan.

They want the country to move up the value chain, creating a larger middle class to bring Kazakhs into the global economy. They know it won’t be easy and have been frustrated by early attempts to expand into the fields of technology, textiles and energy services.

But challenges are all relative. Their two sovereign funds have about $50 billion on hand and the extractive industries are busy looking at ways and means to add value.

Human rights groups want to see more progress on developing an open society with a vibrant opposition and freer press. Both would raise the comfort levels of foreign investors.

The government, now holding the year-long chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), is promising results, as it has for some time.

Kazakhstan points to a per-capita income that has risen ten-fold in ten years as a sign of economic security - something it believes the OSCE should make a priority.

While that debate continues, leaders want to leverage their geo-strategic position as a stable hub in a less than secure neighbourhood, made more valuable by an array of natural resources that everyone else wants a piece on this key outpost of the modern Silk Road.

Medvedev Tweets Birthday Greetings to Nazarbayev

EurasiaNet, by Joanna Lillis

Kazakhstan’s leader had some surprise greetings as he celebrated his 70th birthday on July 6 – Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev not only sent his wishes via Twitter, he also wrote them in Kazakh.

“Today Nursultan Nazarbayev, a great friend of Russia, is 70 years old. Happy Birthday!” Medvedev – who’s known as an avid user of new media – tweeted in Russian, before continuing in Kazakh: “I congratulate you on your celebration!”

The shrewdly-designed tweet from the Kremlin will be well-received by Nazarbayev, both as testimony to his close relationship with the Russian president and as a boost to efforts to get Kazakhstan – where Russian dominates public life – speaking Kazakh.

Twitter has yet to take off in a big way as a social and media tool in Kazakhstan. Government officials are, however, eager to keep up with the times – Prime Minister Karim Masimov runs an active blog and the rest of the government is following his orders to do likewise, with mixed results.

Though officials in Kazakhstan’s corridors of power have yet to fully harness the power of new media, social networking sites such as Facebook and Russia’s Odnoklassniki are very popular among ordinary people in Kazakhstan, so much so that a Kazakh version, On, has recently sprung up. Kazakh pop stars are running blogs there, and ordinary people are busy taking part in the online exchange of views and looking up their old school friends.

Nazarbayev doesn’t yet have an On presence, but you never know – he may be lured into trying out the latest online trends by responding to media savvy Medvedev’s birthday tweet.

Anti-Israel Rant Drowns Out CICA’s Display of International Cooperation

Anti-Israel Rant Drowns Out CICA’s Display of International Cooperation

World Politics Review, Ambassador Erlan Idrissov | 14 Jul 2010

Last month, the Conference for Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) passed an historic milestone, as heads of state and ministers representing 36 Asian nations met for the first time outside of Kazakhstan for a summit meeting in Istanbul. The organization, Asia’s equivalent to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), boasts 22 member nations, ranging from Russia and China to Israel, India and Pakistan.

Regrettably, Western media coverage of the summit focused almost exclusively on one sensational event: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s tirade against Israel’s interception of the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The flavor of this coverage was summed up by CNN’s headline: “Asian Nations Get Together to Slam Israel.”

This reporting not only overlooked the significant diplomatic progress that was achieved at the summit, but also did a terrible disservice to a useful and progressive organization.

CICA is one of the few regional organizations in which Israel participates as a full member. As a result, Israel was represented at the summit by an ambassador, who was able to fully respond to the concerns expressed by other members of the organization about the flotilla and its aftermath.

While Israel clearly did not agree with all of the opinions expressed about its behavior, it was better off being able to address them at a forum that is not only open, but of which it is a member in good standing. At the same time, the other members of CICA benefited from hearing Israel’s defense of its actions first-hand.

When President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan called for the establishment of CICA in 1992, his vision was for an organization that would increase understanding among the nations of Asia by bringing them together for dialogue. It was his belief that increased understanding would ultimately lead to greater regional cooperation and enhanced security for all.

Last month’s summit took many steps toward achieving that vision — despite the harsh words from the Iranian leader.

In particular, the members strengthened the group for the long term. Turkey assumed the chairmanship of CICA from Kazakhstan, and two new members — Iraq and Vietnam — were added, bringing the total to 22. In addition, the members signed an agreement to provide diplomatic privileges and immunities to the organization’s staff, an essential step toward building the credibility and professionalism of the institution.

Both Turkey, as the new chairman, and Kazakhstan, as the immediate past chairman, are committed to increasing interaction between CICA and its sister-organization in Europe, the OSCE. Prior to the summit, they hosted the first-ever ministerial-level conference between the two organizations. At the summit in Istanbul, President Nazarbayev called for the establishment of an OSCE-CICA Forum, which could serve as a platform for ongoing dialogue between the two organizations and their members.

As the current chairman-in-office of the OSCE, and the first Asian member of the OSCE to ever hold that position, Kazakhstan is uniquely situated to advance cooperation between the OSCE and CICA. Kazakhstan is working to convene the first OSCE summit since 1999 later this year, at which it will offer an ambitious agenda for revitalizing the OSCE. High on that agenda will be the idea of increased interaction with CICA.

If this concept is adopted, the result will be a new East-West dialogue — not the stale, Cold War dialogue between competing camps that characterized the OSCE for much of its existence, but a genuine dialogue between Europe and Asia, two of the world’s most dynamic regions.

President Nazarbayev’s hopes for CICA are coming close to realization but, unfortunately, very few people were able to hear about the organization’s accomplishments above the din of Iranian recriminations and the media coverage they provoked.

Erlan Idrissov is the ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United States.