ASTANA. April 29. KAZINFORM /Kanat Kulshmanov/ Kazakhstan approaches the 20^th anniversary of the Independence with confident steps, President Nursultan Nazarbayev thinks so.

"Over these years Kazakhstan established itself as a key state of our region. We strengthened political stability, interethnic concord, and interfaith tolerance of the society. Kazakhstan became a reliable and responsible partner in the international community. Our country takes the lead in the field of socio-economic reforms, in development of integration processes at the CIS space", N.Nazarbayev said in Akorda on Thursday.

The Head of the State reminded that the anti-recessionary measures taken by the state allowed to prevent recession last year and reach economic growth by 6.5 percent in the first quarter of 2010.

N.Nazarbayev emphasized that today Kazakhstan lay foundation of its post-crisis development. This year there has been started implementation of the Program of Forced Industrial and Innovative Development, which opens wide opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation with many states.

The Kazakh President noted that Kazakhstan is the first post-Soviet country which chairs the OSCE. And in the nearest time it will chair the OIC, SCO and TURKSOI.

"High honor of chairmanship in the authoritative international organizations symbolizes success of socio-economic and public-political achievements of Kazakhstan over the years of independence, recognition of efficiency of the Kazakh development model by the world community", N.Nazarbayev resumed.