Speech of Mr. Ural Mukhamedzhanov, Chairman-in-Office of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking Countries (TURKPA), Chairman of Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Dear participants of plenary meeting!

Turks by origin and by language!

On the behalf of the Kazakhstan parlamentarians I welcome you on the hospitable Kazakh land, in our new capital – Astana.

It is great honour for us to meet the delegations of Milli Mejilis of the Republic of Azerbaijan headed by Oktai Malim Asadov, Jogorku Kenesh of the Republic of Kyrgizstan headed by Ahmatbek baike Keldibekov, the Great National Majilis of the Republic of Turkey headed by Mekhmet Ali bei Shahin.

The goal and importance of our today’s meeting are specific. This year Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan being equal members of the international community will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their independence. In 2011 the President Nursultan Nazarbayev pointed out in his address to the Kazakhstan people: “Independence is our main achievement, our invaluable victory”. The independence gave start to a new period in the history of the young country. And it has been the period of stable and dynamic development. It has been the period of challenges and vital issues for each of the named countries. Kazakhstan has been able to pass through the challenges and entered the XXI century with success and great achievements. We could find our own way and it led to the status of a well known country in the world with great potential supported by the unity.

Since the first days of independence building the basis of the economy has become the main issue of the state policy as only strong economy could increase social standards and provide the real independence.

However, the realization of our objectives turned to be much more difficult than we had expected. On the one hand the collapse of the economy of the Soviet Union and inheritance of totalitarian ideology compelled Kazakhstan to start anew; on the other hand, the country had to create the market economy that replaced the planned economy within the short period basing on the experience of developed countries.

One of the main issues was to get involved in the world economic relations. So when we opened doors of our market to other countries we faced the globalization process. And this process brought advantages together with disadvantages.

Nowadays we can firmly state that on the basis of different countries’ experience we were able to reach the independence of our economy. During the years of independence direct foreign investments of 122 billion dollars flowed into the economy of our country.

For these 10 years the world community has been witnessing the dynamic development of Kazakhstan. Even the global financial economic crisis was not an obstacle for our development. The proof is the fact that in 2010 the GDP increased to 7% exceeding 140 billion dollars, 9000 dollars per capita.

The young country supported developing small and medium businesses, nowadays more than 2,5 million people are involved in this sphere. And the goods they produce comprise 32% of GDP.

Since 2002 the state policy on development of rural areas is being implemented. Several projects were realized in this sector and the laws aimed at improvement of legislation concerning agricultural industry complexes were adopted.

Due to these activities, investments into the agricultural industry sector have been increased 50 times within the last 10 years.

During this period the industry productivity in the agricultural industrial complex has increased more than 3,5 times, the export of agricultural products 3 times.

The main goal of all economic reforms and infrastructural changes was to upgrade the living standards, to improve the social live of Kazakhstan people. During the last 10 years the average wages have grown 5,5 times and pensions 6 times. It demonstrates that during the crisis wages and pensions have increased 3 times.

The healthcare and education spheres became the main priorities and very important indicators of living standards.

During the last 10 years the budget sums allocated to this spheres have increased 10 times. Due to these measures 450 healthcare facilities were constructed, more than 4000 medical centers were capitally repaired and 750 schools and educational centers were opened.

Nowadays more that 25000 Kazakhstani young people are studying abroad in leading world universities.

More than 4 000 of them are financed by the State Programme Bolashak. We also create favorable conditions to study at the international level within the country. Nazarbayev University and Nazarbayev intellectual schools which meet international standards are good examples.

The economical achievements of Kazakhstan facilitated the political reforms. The new political programme directed towards the further democratization and creation of civil society is being implemented.

In this regard the constitutional reform in 2007 marked the important period of political renovation. That reform enhanced the role of the Parliament and increased the impact of political parties on the society.

During the independence great changes took place in the Kazakhstani people’s outlook. Trust in the principles of the market economy and protection of the rights and interests by means of the law have become the features characterizing the Kazakh society.

Dear friends!

Kazakhstan as one of the unique multinational countries succeeded to maintain internal stability and unity of the society during the years of independence. Friendship, peace and unity among the representatives of more than 130 ethnics are getting stronger from year to year. The Assembly of Kazakhstani people which comprises of 820 ethnocultural societies is turning into the main institute of the interethnical concordance and works fruitfully in this sphere. In accordance with the Constitutional reform in 2007 the Assembly was authorized to elect 9 deputies to Majilis.

Implementing the constructive policy suggested by our president to establish interethnic concordance in our society we consider the multinationality not as disadvantage but as advantage. In terms of economy it has turned into the priority of competitiveness of Kazakhstan. In this regard the openness of Kazakh culture for innovations can become an instrument to obtain spiritual concordance.

Dear Colleagues!

After gaining the independence the issue concerning establishment of independent foreign policy emerged in addition to one connected with reconstruction of the country.

The world recognized the contribution of Kazakhstan into the strengthening of not only regional security but the world one. The historical initiative of our President to stop the nuclear tests, to close the Semey test field, to reject nuclear weapon which took the fourth place in the world attracted the attention of the whole world to Kazakhstan and demonstrated the effectiveness of establishing cooperation and friendship with our country.

Kazakhstan supports balanced diplomacy directed towards the good neighborhood relationship with Russia, stable and effective cooperation with China, the strategic partnership with the EU member - states and the USA, constructive dialogue with the Muslim world.

Through development of its friendly and open policy with other states Kazakhstan has created good opportunities for the further development of the country.

The Kazakhstani initiatives on integration also played a significant role. CICA, CIS and Eurasian economic Community are the evidences of that policy. The potential of SCO is also great. In the framework of this organization the formula to struggle international terrorism, extremism and separatism is being elaborated.

The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions initiated by the President of Kazakhstan became an integral part of the global dialogue between the world religions. Our experience in solving the problems of security, interreligious and interethnic cooperation enhanced the prominence of our country at the OSCE.

Kazakhstan was elected as the first Chair country among the Turkic speaking and Muslim countries. The first summit in 11 years period held in Astana on the initiative of the president of our country was the excellent result of the chairmanship. The historically important Astana declaration adopted there put Euro-Atlantic security as well as Eurasian security on the agenda.

Coming Kazakhstani chairmanship in OIC will make positive effects to implement Kazakhstan’s mission as the golden bridge connecting East and West.

Thus, today Kazakhstan has become an independent country with the definite strategy in the foreign policy, enjoying global authority and recognition by the international community.

Dear colleagues,

This is a brief review of our 20 years independence which are equal to the centuries judging its historical importance and development. The evidence of our activities is a snap presidential election of Nursultan Nazarbayev who highlighted the way of development and recognition of the Kazakh nation by the world community. About 90 percent of the electorate took part in the election and 95 percent out of them voted for the president. Demonstrating the further development of our country the unity of Kazakhstani people and also faithfulness to the core values which are basis of the stability and patience and the policy of president.

Dear friends,

Due to the initiatives of the president of Kazakhstan and heads of Turkic speaking countries the idea of the Turkic identification was evolved and enriched with new content. In October 2009 at the Nahichivan summit the council of Turkic speaking nations cooperation was established. The council aimed at the strengthening of the great potential political economic cooperation of Turkic speaking nations. In the framework of the council the wise men council which includes respected representatives of our countries has started its work. The Parliamentary assembly of Turkic speaking nations which unifies the parliamentarians of the countries with common history, language and religion is continuing this positive trend.

The contribution of TURKSOY which was established in 1994 into development of our relationship in culture and spiritual spheres is very great. With the assistance of this organization the activities in the maintaining of cultural treasure of Turkic nations, particularly, historical and cultural monuments and reconstruction of folklore traditions are being effectively implemented.

The establishment of Turkish academy in Astana was the important event for all Turkic speaking nations. The academy is not only an educational and cultural center, but it will become a research laboratary of history, ethnography and arts of our countries.

We deeply realize that we are not sharing common culture and history, But we share the same interests.

On the whole the cooperation of Kazakhstan with the Turkic speaking world takes the main place in its foreign policy.

As for the Kazakhstan-Azerbayjan relations joint projects in economy, energy, transport sectors are under way. Among them creation of the specialized economic region-Aktau sea port, the agreement on strategic cooperation in oil and gas sphere as well as the memorandum on joint implementation of Trans-Caspian project can be mentioned. The agreement on support of oil transportation into international markets through Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan system aimed at creation of the whole infrastructure in Caspian basin is of great importance. We can be proud of effective trade and economic cooperation between our countries. Trade turnover in 2010 exceeded 1.5 billion dollars, in comparison with 2009 it has increased by 31 and it is the result of our relationship so far. The significant actions that are based on mutual respect between the great son of azerbayjan nation Geydar Aliyev and Nursultan Nazarbayev great are continuing. Last year the room named after Geydar Aliev was opened at Eurasian national university and the statue of national leader of azerbayjan is a good example of our fruitful relations.

Good neighborhood relations and friendship with theKyrgyz nation with whom we have been in close ties for centuries are developing. These two nations who witnessed and overcame difficulties and challenges together, shared felicities from the ancient times never forget each other.

In 2010 the trade turnover with Kyrgyzstan increased to 14 percent. In the spheres of economy, transport, industry, construction materials production of Kyrgyzstan more than 400 enterprises by financial support of Kazakhstan. In Kazakhstan more than 250 enterprises with the participation of Kyrgyzstan are registered. They are involved in trade, construction, tourism, transport.

During and after the election which took place in Kyrgyzstan in order to maintain peace and stability as the chair-country of OSCE Kazakhstan supported Kyrgyzstan and this fact is one example of such support. The official visit of new elected Jogorku Kenesh, supreme council of Kyrgyzstan to Kazakhstan will add new impetus to the political and economic relations between two countries. If we evaluate the cultural relations which go back to centuries we clearly see that our friendship has been developing like friendship between Toktogul and Jambyl, Auezov and Aytmatov.

Dear friends,

We will never forget that Turkey was the first country to recognize the independence of Kazakhstan in 1991 on 16 December when the law of independence was adopted. This step put the cornerstone of our permanent relationship based on friendship and trust.

At this point the words come into mind by the founder of the republic of Turkey, Kemal Ataturk who foresaw the fate of Turkic nations living in the USSR: “the times will come when the USSR collapse and equality establishes in the world. Under the rule of the Soviet Union there are our brothers of common language, common religion and mentality. We must be ready to support them”.

Our two countries have filed the vast base of more than 90 documents and the most important of them is the agreement on strategic partnership (2009, 22 October). Nowadays Turkey is one of the main trade and economic partners of Kazakhstan. According to the outcomes of the last year, the trade volume between the countries increased by one third. Since 1993 the direct investments of Turkish business into Kazakhstan economy have increased to 1.8 billion US dollars. Kazakhstan, in its turn, has invested about 500 million dollars into Turkey economy since 2004.

One of the outstanding samples of our fruitful relationship in the sphere of education is H.A.Yassawe international Kazakh-Turkish university in Turkistan. Each year it accepts 200 hundred students from Turkic speaking countries. Moreover, each year Turkey give grants to 125 Kazakhstani students to study in its universities. It is necessary to underline the highly productive activity of 240 Kazakh-Turkish lyseums in all regions of the country.

The monument of the founder of Turkey Kemal Ataturk in Astana and the monument of the first president of Kazakhstan in the center of Ankara are real embodies of friendship between our two countries.

Our trade, economic and cultural relations with Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are rapidly developing. The relations with Turkmenistan in energy and fuel sector have considerable perspectives. Moreover the problems pertaining to highways reconstruction and opening of new sea routes in the Caspian Sea are being tackled.

In the framework of the 1988 agreement on the eternal friendship friendly relations with Uzbekistan are being established as expected.

The example of the effective trade and economic relations is the fact that in comparison with 2009 the commodity turnover has increased to 31 and exceeded 1.5 billion dollars.

Honored brothers,

The time has come for Turkic nations to revive our mutual spiritual values and make known to the whole world. The history makes it possible for us. In order for us to take advantage of the opportunity we have to make bold steps to make our relations closer and get to know each other better.

Reaching these goals requires from us, that is parlamentarians to facilitate inter-parliamentary diplomacy in the framework of the structure. Reaching the necessary harmony in legislation, coordinating national legislation and developing integration processes further provide us great opportunities.

In this regard I would like to point out the TURKPA potential in coordinating our national legal systems.

The Parliamentary assembly of Turkic speaking countries is a young organization. Mentioning that the anniversary of independence is an important focus of our meeting there is no doubt that TURKPA as the influential organization which has a great potential to strengthen the position of Turkic world on the international arena. In conclusion, I would like to assure you that Kazakhstani colleagues will support all TURKPA initiatives and proposals directed to common goals and tasks.

Thank you for your attention!