Kazakh Majilis OKs bill on ISTC

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Deputies of the Majilis, the lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, have passed the draft law "On ratification of the Agreement on continuation of the activity of the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) at the plenary session today.

The International Science and Technology Center is an international organization establishing contacts between scientists from Kazakhstan, Armenia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Georgia and their colleagues from research centers in the EU, Japan, South Korea, Norway and the U.S.

The ISTC activities include the implementation of international research projects and search for CIS and Georgian research institutes with unique know-how.

"ISTC is a non-profit organization established by an agreement between the EU, Russia, the U.S. and Japan in 1992 to prevent nuclear proliferation. Kazakhstan joined the center in 1995. The agreement on the continuation of its activity was signed in 2015 in Astana," said Minister of Education and Science of Kazakhstan Yerlan Sagadiyev, introducing the draft law.

According to the ministry, the ISTC has allotted $75 million for research projects in Kazakhstan over the past two decades.