SOURCE : http://www.inform.kz/
08.04.2005
Brussels. April 8. KAZINFORM.
Thursday the Royal Institute of International Relations with assistance of Kazakhstan Embassy to Belgium carried out an expert seminar titled Focus on Kazakhstan.
The forum was attended by the official delegation of the Government of Kazakhstan with Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexey Volkov in the head, representatives of the NATO, European Commission, European Parliament, Brussels Government, country manager of Belgium in the OSCE, Brussels diplomatic body and members of world non-governmental organizations.
The central questions of the agenda were political development, foreign policy, economy and energy complex of Kazakhstan. The discussers of the forum positively assessed the reforms introduced in the country’s politics, economy, building democracy, growth of GDP, interethnic and interconfessional harmony, joining the nuclear nonproliferation, fight against terrorism, drug traffic and corruption.
It was stated that Kazakhstan was a reliable strategic partner and leader in the Central Asian region. The efforts of the government in reformation deserve respect. Special representative of the NATO Secretary General on Central Asia and Caucasus Robert Simmons said: “NATO and Kazakhstan has entered a new stage of partnership and there is necessity for joint work on a number of problems.”
Belgium country manager in the OSCE Bertran de Cromburgge announced that Kazakhstan was a progressive country which has become a reliable and faithful partner of the OSCE. “If Kazakhstan chances to chair in the OSCE in 2009, it may propel the organization ahead in several questions.”
In the course of the session the participants received the English version of Kazakhstan President’s Message to his nation titled Kazakhstan on the Way of Accelerated Economic, Social and Political Modernization. The idea of Nursultan Nazarbayev to establish the union of Central Asian states aroused particular interest among politicians.