Manifesto: The World. The 21st century expresses Kazakhstan's stand on war and peace globally
It expresses the momentous stand on the issues of war and peace, the threat of a nuclear apocalypse in the event of failure of the international community to promote and advance a total ban on nuclear weapons. This Manifesto is posted on the UN Secretariat's electronic system and is accessible to all the Member States.
Manifesto: The World. The 21st century
Humanity hoped that the 21st century would herald a new era of global cooperation.
This, however, may turn out to be a mirage.
Our world is once again in danger and the risks cannot be underestimated.
The threat is a deadly war on a global scale.
Our civilization, by scholars' estimates, has survived more than 15,000 wars, approximately three every year.
Hundreds of millions of people have died, cities and countries have been destroyed, cultures and civilizations have vanished.
At the dawn of the 21st century, stunning scientific discoveries are being made, and new technologies are being invented.
The world is at the verge of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Many horrific diseases are being successfully eradicated.
But the virus of war continues to poison the international situation.
It drives the military-industrial complex, which in some countries has become the most powerful sector of the economy.
It may even in the future infect the development of artificial intelligence.
Militarism has deeply penetrated our minds and behavior.
There are more than one billion small firearms in the hands of people. Thousands of civilians die every day from their use.
We cannot exclude the risk that this military threat could become a tragic reality on a global scale.
We can see the signs of such a terrible outcome.
In international relations, the risk of conflict has increased.
Conflict has engulfed the historic battlegrounds of the two World Wars - Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is not fulfilling its purpose.
Nuclear weapons and the technology that produces them have spread all over the world due to double standards of the main powers.
It may be just a matter of time before they fall into the hands of terrorists.
International terrorism has gained a more sinister character.
It has moved from isolated acts in individual countries to a large scale terrorist aggression across Europe, Asia and Africa.
The exodus of millions of refugees, the destruction of sites and historic monuments have become an everyday reality.
Economic sanctions and trade wars are commonplace.
Our planet is now on the edge of a new Cold War which could have devastating consequences for all humankind.
This threatens the achievements of the last four decades.
As a result of successful negotiations, the nuclear arsenals of the United States and Russia have been reduced substantially.
Five nuclear powers have announced and kept a moratorium on nuclear weapons testing.
The process of forming regional security systems has accelerated.
A unique and comprehensive security structure - the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe - was created on principles of mutual trust.
Coordinated action between world powers and UN peacekeeping operations saw many conflicts ended.
However, today we are witnessing the erosion of these international security achievements.
This is an increasing and serious concern for millions of people.
How will the world situation develop?
Could the tensions between the leading world powers escalate into a new long-term confrontation? Which country could be the next victim of the so-called "proxy-wars" between the world and regional powers?
Which territory, flourishing for now, will be torn apart by tank tracks and explosive shells? In which cities will children die under heavy rocket fire?
From where and where to will the refugees fleeing conflicts migrate next?
More than 60 years ago two prominent scientists Albert Einstein and Bertrand Russell presented their manifesto, in which they asked "a dreadful but an inescapable question: shall we put an end to the human race, or will mankind be able to renounce war?"
The most brilliant minds of the 20th century have warned the people that in a future world war nuclear weapons will inevitably be used leading to the destruction of all life on our planet.
Their demand that disputes between countries cannot and should not be resolved by military means remains hugely relevant in the 21st century.
To end all wars is the most challenging task for our civilization.
But there is no other reasonable alternative.
This task has to be treated by the world leaders as the highest priority on the global agenda.
In the 21st century humanity must take decisive steps towards demilitarization.
We won't get another chance.
If this objective is not achieved, our planet will end as a graveyard of radioactive materials.
Our planet is unique. We have no other home.
It is why we need a new comprehensive PROGRAM - "21st CENTURY: A WORLD WITHOUT WARS".
Through this global strategy we need to identify joint and responsible actions to be taken by all nations in order to destroy the virus of war.
This document should be based on three main principles.
First, there will be no winners in any modern war; everyone would be on the losing side.
Secondly, a new war will inevitably entail the use of weapons of mass destruction.
This will lead to the destruction of all humankind.
It will be too late to argue over who is responsible for this catastrophe.
This threat must be understood by all current and future national leaders and politicians.
Thirdly, the main tool for resolving all disputes between states should be peaceful dialogue and constructive negotiations on the basis of equal responsibility for peace and security, mutual respect and non-interference into domestic affairs.
Taking all of this into consideration, the world community must take comprehensive action towards these goals.
First, there must be gradual progress to a world free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.
An important step, to which Kazakhstan made a significant contribution, has already been taken in the right direction.
On December 7, 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration for the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapons-Free World put forward by Kazakhstan.
25 years ago Kazakhstan permanently closed the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site.
We were the first, and for now, only such country to take this action.
Our newly independent state then voluntarily renounced the world's 4th largest arsenal of nuclear weapons - the menacing legacy of the collapsed Soviet Union.
These decisions triggered a moratorium on conducting nuclear tests by world nuclear powers.
Twenty years ago, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was developed in the UN and was put forward to Member States to sign but has still to come into force.
Under the IAEA auspices, Kazakhstan is to host the Low-Enriched Uranium Bank on its territory, which will allow countries to develop civilian nuclear energy.
Global nuclear security summits are of great importance.
We now need global decisions to prohibit deploying lethal weapons in outer space, on the seabed and in international waters of the World Ocean, as well as in the Arctic.
We should develop and adopt international binding agreements to ban the creation of new types of weapons of mass destruction through new scientific discoveries.
It is necessary to create a register in the UN of such scientific developments, which could be used for the creation and advancement of weapons of mass destruction.
Secondly, we must build on and expand existing geographical initiatives to gradually eliminate war as a way of life.
There are already six nuclear weapon free zones in the world.
They encompass Antarctica, virtually the entire South Hemisphere, including Latin America, Africa, Australia, and Oceania.
The newest is a zone free of nuclear weapons in Central Asia created 10 years ago in Semipalatinsk by five states of the region.
Now we must intensify international efforts to create a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East.
In 1992, Kazakhstan put forward the initiative to convene the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia.
This century the forum has been successfully institutionalized with participation of 26 Member States of the continent, the United Nations and other international organizations.
Multilateral cooperation among the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's activities has had a positive impact.
Peace zones in South America, South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean have significant potential.
We should bring together these initiatives to create global areas of peace based on a special international law.
Issues of security and development in these Areas of Peace could be guaranteed by all the UN Member States as well as the UN Security Council.
Thirdly, it is necessary to eliminate such relics of the Cold War as military blocs, which threaten global security and impede broader international cooperation.
Geopolitical reality means that when one military bloc is established and developed an opposing bloc will be created.
Power generates anti-power.
Military blocs can include countries which are not always aware of their responsibility to promote peace and security.
We have also seen attempts by some states to use the protection of military blocs to their advantage in their interactions with third countries, including immediate neighbors.
It is how confrontation can be infinitely cloned in different regions and globally.
We should also have learnt from past wars and conflicts that it is impossible to ensure our own security by undermining the security of others.
That is why a Global Coalition of States for peace, stability, trust and security under the UN auspices should be set up against military blocs.
Our common task for the next decade should be to end wars and conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, and Syria, in eastern Ukraine and the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation.
We must reduce the dangerous potential of the situations on the Korean Peninsula, the basin of the South China Sea, and the Arctic.
Fourthly it is important to adapt the international disarmament process to the new historic conditions.
A short-sighted dismantlement of previous treaty limitations on anti-missile systems and conventional arms has resulted in militarization in the political space of Eurasia.
This increases the risk of a new global war, even by the possible failure of electronic defense management systems.
We need a new strategy for the UN Conference on Disarmament.
The world needs to eliminate the new threat of cybercrime, which can become a very dangerous weapon if used by terrorists.
Fifthly, a world without war requires primarily fair global competition in international trade, finance, and development.
During the 70th session of the UN General Assembly, Kazakhstan proposed the development of a 2045 Global Strategic Initiative Plan.
Its main goal is to eliminate the root causes of wars and conflicts.
This can best be achieved by through equal and fair access to infrastructure, resources and markets for all nations.
The plan should be implemented in time for the 100th anniversary of the United Nations in 2045.
Kazakhstan proposes to convene a high level UN Conference in 2016.
At this conference we should confirm the basic principles of international law to prevent devastating wars and conflicts in the 21st century.
Calls for reason and dialogue, restraint and common sense should not be the targets of attacks by those opposing global peace.
In the 21st century, we all need peace.
This is a key mission of our time.
Peace is worth fighting for just as deliberately and persistently as did people in the past century.
We should think hard about the future of our children and grandchildren.
We must combine the efforts of governments, politicians, scientists, entrepreneurs, artists, and millions of people around the world in order to prevent a repetition of tragic mistakes of past centuries and spare the world from the threat of a war.
Failing to act or putting limits on efforts to promote peace risk global catastrophe.
My Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" reflects a sincere concern for the fate of future generations, which will live and work in the coming decades.
We, the leaders of states and politicians, bear an enormous responsibility for the future of the humanity.
As an individual who went through hardship and difficulties, and as a statesman who made a difficult decision to close the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and renounce nuclear weapons, I urgently call on world leaders and the entire international community to listen to reason.
We need to do our utmost to free humanity from the threat of deadly wars forever.
There is no more important goal.
It is noteworthy to say that the Manifesto was fully supported not only by the people of Kazakhstan, but also by the international community.
A couple days after it was delivered by the Kazakh leader at the Nuclear Security Summit, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations Kairat Abdrakhmanov presented it at the Substantive Session of the UN Disarmament Commission (UNDC), which started its work in New York on 4 April 2016.
Kazakhstan played an important role, chairing UNDC working group on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. During his speech at the opening ceremony, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations Kairat Abdrakhmanov informed the delegations of Member States about the important initiatives of President Nursultan Nazarbayev and approaches that Kazakhstan took in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
Delegates were familiarized with the Manifesto «The World. The 21st century» posted on the UN Secretariat's electronic system and is accessible to all the Member States.
Kazakhstan's delegation in its statement stressed the role of the Nuclear Security Summits (NSS) and announced the results of the participation of the leadership of Kazakhstan in the Fourth NSS held in Washington, DC, including joint statements with several countries and groups aimed at strengthening the non-proliferation regime and nuclear security.
The initiatives by Kazakhstan, such as the adoption by the 70th session of the UN General Assembly of the Universal Declaration on the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World; the signing of an Agreement between Kazakhstan and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the establishment of the IAEA Low-Enriched Uranium Bank in Kazakhstan were noted especially. He also highlighted the proposal of the President that all the UN Member States consider transferring 1% of their defence budgets to the UN Sustainable Development Goals Fund; and finally the initiative to establish a Global Anti-Nuclear Movement.
Note: The UNDC is a deliberative body and a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly which is mandated to consider and make recommendations on various disarmament-related issues. The agenda of the Commission includes two major items: nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons; as well as conventional arms/weapons. UNDC holds its substantive yearly sessions in New York (usually in April) for approximately three weeks in the form of plenary sessions and two working groups.
Many political experts started to share their thoughts on the importance of the Manifesto and the role it can play in making the world nuclear-free.
Director General of the National Nuclear Centre Erlan Batyrbekov said that Manifesto defines five steps which can lead to nuclear-free world.
"As for the importance of the Manifesto presented by Nursultan Nazarbayev, to my mind, all the heads of state defer to this Address, since it outlines five main steps which could lead the world to a nuclear-free condition," Batyrbekov said.
According to him, the Kazakh President's Manifesto is one of the main stages of his contribution to preservation of stability and security across entire world.
"Sustainable global security system, namely nuclear security, is one of the main elements of stability of the global world. Being a scientist and head of the research organization, I think that all modern technologies must serve for the good of mankind," the expert added.
"Over the years of independence, Kazakhstan has adhered to the policy of non-proliferation of mass destruction weapons. The closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Testing Site, renunciation of the fourth largest nuclear arsenal, the ATOM project - all of these steps can serve as an example of such policy. In my opinion, there is no more crucial objective than nuclear-weapon-free world and security," he stressed.
Head of Hanns Seidel Foundation RO in Brussels Christian Forstner noted that the global anti-nuclear initiatives of Kazakhstan are up to date.
According to him, President Nazarbayev's Manifesto "The world. The 21st century" is up to date and essential for global security.
The initiatives underlined in the manifesto aim at achieving a world free of nuclear weapons, said Christian Forstner.
Special attention was paid to the country's success in non-proliferation including in the creation of the IAEA bank of low-enriched nuclear fuel.
"Kazakhstan is a bridge between Europe and Asia. It has a friendly relationship with the region. The country is an influential actor in both the regional and international arena. The domestic political situation is stable, and the economic potential is significant," concluded Christian Forstner.
The Manifesto of Nursultan Nazarbayev called "The World. The 21st century" is a relevant document under present conditions while the success of his anti-nuclear initiatives depends on joint work of all the countries of the world community, head of the representation of the Hanns Seidel Foundation in Brussels Christian Forstner told in an interview to Kazinform.
"In my opinion, this is a very relevant document, because right after the terrorist attacks in Belgium the information leaked that the terrorist attacks were also planned on nuclear plants. It was a real threat," C. Forstner said.
He said that the EU welcomed such initiatives including the ones prohibiting stationing of mass-destruction weapons in space and in neutral waters of the global ocean and in the Arctic Region.
"Speaking of the real prospects, I would like to note that when such politicians as N. Nazarbayev exert efforts we have much greater chances for realization of the initiatives, and Kazakhstan has already demonstrated its assertiveness in achieving the goals multiple times," he said.
At the same time, the success of such initiatives depends on joint work of the world community including nuclear powers such Russia and the USA.
Professor Wang Xianju of the Chinese think tank - the Institute of Eurasian Social Development, part of the State Council Development Research Center, also praised Nursultan Nazarbayev's anti-nuclear initiatives.
"The fact that President Nazarbayev's important initiatives gain traction of the UN and obtain the status of the official document of this international organization confirms the importance of the problems raised in the document. I would like to note that Chinese research community fully supports initiatives put forward by the Kazakh leader," Professor Wang Xianju told Kazakhstani journalists.
The Chinese expert pointed out that Kazakhstan's biggest contribution to assurance of global peace was renunciation of the world's 4th largest nuclear arsenal and closure of the Semipalatinsk test site.
"Kazakhstan continues to invest efforts in that direction and greatly contributes to non-proliferation ensuring peace on our planet. In Washington, President Nazarbayev suggested holding the next Nuclear Security Summit in Kazakhstan. I think it is a great idea and I am confident that Kazakhstan will further pay utmost attention to this problem," he noted.
Wang Xianju also lauded the creation of the Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) Bank in Kazakhstan together with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and joint statement of Kazakhstan and the U.S. on cooperation in the sphere of non-proliferation and nuclear security adopted at the summit.
As for Kazakhstani experts, member of the Board of the People's Assembly of Kazakhstan Anatoly Bashmakov said that Manifesto "The World. The 21st century" is of global political nature.
According to him, speaking at the UN summit on nuclear security in Washington back in 2010 the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan predicted growing processes in the nuclear world.
"I think that all three of President's speeches at the UN anti-nuclear summits in Washington in 2010, 2015 and 2016 have a logical sequence. Manifesto "The World. The 21st century" can be compared with the first speech at the UN summit. At the event N. Nazarbayev warned the international community on the accumulation of a huge number of nuclear weapons in the world," said Mr. Bashmakov.
He added that UN Council gave the President's performance the status of an official document which is a confirmation that the main organization of the world has given importance and commended the high level of the political document. This suggests that the performance is of global political nature affecting the interests of the entire international community.
Deputy of the Majilis of the Kazakh Parliament Kuanysh Sultanov noted that Manifesto "The World. The 21st century" is an address to the entire world.
"In his Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" the Head of State highlights that the Nuclear Weapons Non-Proliferation Treaty does not fulfill its purpose. 20 years ago, the UN developed and signed the Treaty on General Prohibition of Nuclear Tests. It has not entered into force yet, although temporary ban was announced by all countries. This is a significant step ahead. Therefore, the Kazakh President's Manifesto was and is addressed to the heads of state, countries and peoples of the entire world. The Manifesto calls all the nations and countries to unite in the fight for the nuclear-weapon-free world," K.Sultanov noted.
According to the deputy, such great interest of the global community to the program document authored by N.Nazarbayev is directly linked to indisputable leadership of Kazakhstan and its President in the global anti-nuclear movement.
Deputy of the Senate Akhan Bizhanov, in turn, pointed out that Kazakhstan is an example of the effectiveness of the steps proposed in the Manifesto "The World. 21st century".
According to him, the beginning of the 21st century was marked by the deterioration of relations between different states and religions.
These and other challenges have become are underlined in the main message of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan which gained the status of the official document of the UN General Assembly.
"Kazakhstan demonstrates the world the effectiveness of the steps proposed in the Manifesto "The World. 21st century.". I am convinced that the key theses of the manifesto will be reflected in the 2045 global strategic initiative plan put forward by Kazakhstan at the 70th session of the UN General Assembly," said Mr. Bizhanov.
Senate Speaker of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev and Head of the Orthodox Church and Metropolitan of Astana and Kazakhstan Alexander discussed the highlights of The Manifesto "The World. The 21st century" delivered by President Nursultan Nazarbayev at the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, DC.
According to Speaker Tokayev, it urges politicians and world community to assume effective measures to stop conflicts that endanger the entire humankind.
Kazakh President's Manifesto "The World. The 21st century" presented at the IV Nuclear Security Summit in the U.S. is one of the largest in the world and one of the first in our century, believes Professor of the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Laila Akhmetova.
"20th century is the century of wars. As soon as the world wars I and II stopped, the countries got involved in the race of armaments to strengthen their positions. This race gained its full capacity after the World War II. Nowadays, all the people are concerned over terrorism and new turns of military actions on the entire territory of the planet. The fact that our President became the first who presented this Manifesto, proves that Kazakhstan is one of the leading powers of the world which can tell its own military history. In particular, he speaks about the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Testing Site, about the consequences of those nuclear tests. 25 years have passed since then and our country has achieved a lot over this period. Therefore, he has every right to state that peace is what the world needs," noted Akhmetova.
Additionally, Laila Akhmetova added that she fully backs the Presidential Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century."
"I am standing for implementation of all the ideas outlined in the Manifesto. I want Kazakhstan to lead this movement in the 21st century," she stressed.
Secretary of State of the Republic of Kazakhstan Gulshara Abdykalikova talked about the Manifesto at a session on the issues of preparations for the International Conference themed Building world without nuclear weapons dedicated to the 25th anniversary of shutting down the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site.
Participating in the session were reps of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan, members of the Government, senators and other authorized state bodies.
At the session Secretary Abdykalikova stressed that one of the first decrees inked by President Nursultan Nazarbayev was the one on closing the Semipalatinsk test site.
"Throughout 25 years of Kazakhstan's independence President Nazarbayev paid utmost attention to the issues of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
Nursultan Nazarbayev's Manifesto: "The World. The 21st century" dedicated to these problems and delivered at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on March 31 sparked intense public interest. It outlines Kazakhstan's stance on and addresses many vital issues that are of interest to mankind.
The International Conference themed Building world without nuclear weapons will be held under the aegis of the 25th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence," she said at the session in the Akorda presidential residence.
Director-General of the Foreign Ministry's Department of European-Central Asian Affairs Gui Congyou believes that Kazakhstan made another contribution to global security when President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev spoke at the IV Summit on Nuclear Security and delivered his Manifesto "The World. The 21st century." which gained the status of an official document of the UN General Assembly and Security Council.
"Nursultan Nazarbayev is a politician with strategic thinking. China actively supports cooperation initiatives put forward by him in ensuring regional and global security. We sincerely hope that Kazakhstan, as a country-initiator of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), will play an even more important role in promoting the institutionalization of CICA mechanism and, in general, the security mechanism in Asia," said Gui Congyou.
Kazakhstan's global initiatives based on its peaceful foreign policy have gained respect to this country and its leader both among its neighbors and even far abroad. Azerbaijani expert Ilqar Velizade said it commenting on the Kazakh President's Manifesto "The World. The 21st century'.
According to Velizade, despite all obstacles and difficulties, Kazakhstan confidently moves ahead towards its strategic goal - to join the club of developed counties of the world by the middle of the century.
"It is only natural, that high authority at the international arena, all-round integration into the global economy and international relations are considered to be the ways of achievement of these goals. These ways are based on the principles of peacefulness, tolerance, harmony of external and internal development and strengthening of statehood. All these principles in one form or another comprise the present system of international security.
In his appeal to the global community outlined in the Manifesto "The World. The 21st century." President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev stresses that ignoring fundamental principles of international law which underlie the modern architecture of security is inadmissible. Alongside, the Kazakh Leader points out the importance of development of new approaches and solutions which neutralize the risks of destabilization of the situation arising from such destructive phenomena of present time as terrorism, religious extremism and intolerance, threat of nuclear weapons proliferation etc.
While proposing to overcome such vestiges of militarism as the existence of military blocs jeopardizing the global security and hindering broader international collaboration, the Leader of Kazakhstan, in fact, stands as the initiator of a new post-bloc world order which helps reduce tension in a plenty of countries and regions. On the other hand, namely post-bloc or "blocless" world guarantees the implementation of a huge potential of cooperation to all countries including Kazakhstan.
Standing for the global world, N.Nazarbayev calls for a global dialogue with the participation of the representatives of all nations and states which is a pledge of development of this dialogue and successful realization of his initiatives. Such politics is based on the best humanistic ideas, and the author says, "sincere worry about the destiny of future generations who will have to live and work in the 21st century," the expert says.
Secretary of State Gulshara Abdykalikova also said that the Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" delivered by President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington proceeds from sincere concern over the destiny of mankind. She expressed such point of view at the enlarged meeting of the People's Assembly of Kazakhstan in April.
Manifesto "The World. The 21st century" has caused a wide international resonance and has been included in the list of the UN's official documents.
In her opinion, the initiatives of President N.Nazarbayev prove that Kazakhstan has formed as a sovereign state which enjoys respect and authority around the globe.
"The next initiative which was added into the final communique of the XII Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation launches the process of Islamic reconciliation as a new model of relations in the Muslim world. We can see that in all its foreign policy initiatives Kazakhstan strictly follows the logic of development of relations applied in its internal policy," the Secretary of State added.
It is worth mentioning that the Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" was fully supported by foreign diplomats in Geneva in May.
A delegation of Kazakhstan headed by Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Erbolat Sembayev participated in the 2nd session of the Open-Ended Working Group on Nuclear Disarmament in Geneva on May 9-13.
The Kazakh diplomat informed the meeting participants of Kazakhstan's approaches to nuclear disarmament and explained key provisions of the President's Manifesto. "The World. The 21st Century" to them, presented at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington.
In the course of the meeting, the members of foreign delegations and foreign diplomats expressed support to the Kazakh President's peacekeeping initiatives and noted relevance of the Manifesto in the context of global efforts in the fight for nuclear-weapon-free world.
Even former President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai lauded the Manifesto, saying that we all must help the President of Kazakhstan in his peacemaking efforts, while attending the 13th Eurasian Media Forum in Astana.
Hamid Karzai highly praised peacemaking efforts of President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev at the forum.
"I'm glad to be here in Kazakhstan again. Kazakhstan is the country that helped Afghanistan a lot and contributed greatly to its development. President Nursultan Nazarbayev has always been a friend of Afghanistan and a good partner in restoration of the country. First of all, I would like to remind you that President Nazarbayev and the people of Kazakhstan offered Afghani students thousands of scholarships to pursue their studies in Kazakhstan.
Over 180 of those scholars major in medicine. This is a huge contribution for the country that has been denied the opportunity to offer education to its youth for a long period of time. President Nazarbayev also contributed to achieving stability and peace in Afghanistan. His recent speech Manifesto "The World. The 21st century" is of paramount importance. I would like to wish Nursultan Nazarbayev the best in everything he does and we all must join and help him," Hamid Karzai told participants of the 13th EMF.
In conclusion, the ex-President of Afghanistan called on the participants to remember that the world should be free of violence, terrorism and nuclear weapons.
Speaking of the forum, Vice Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Dariga Nazarbayeva read out the address of President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to its participants.
"I think that the Eurasian Media Forum has become one of the leading dialogue platforms. Its participants discuss the most pressing issues, shape the new paradigm of development and the future. Presently humankind enters the era of unprecedented challenges. The new world and our common future depend on all of us. I delivered Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" [at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, DC], and its overarching goal is to abolish wars on the planet. This century should become the era of triumph of constructive dialogue," President Nazarbayev's address reads.
In this light, according to the Kazakh leader, open discussion of the global problems at the EMF platform in Astana and search for balanced solution will be an invaluable contribution to the movement for peace.
"I am confident that outcomes of the forum, your ideas and initiatives will greatly contribute to the development of global dialogue. I wish participants of the forum fruitful work," the address says.
The Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" was also mentioned at the presentation of the China-Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railroad in late April in Beijing.
The event was organized by the embassies of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in China and representatives of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy Company.
More than 130 guests attended the ceremony, among them were Ambassador of Kazakhstan to China Shakhrat Nuryshev, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to China Chinar Rustamova, Mayor of Xi'an city of Shaanxi province Shangguan Jiqing, Secretary of the CCP Party Committee of Lianyungang and Director of Administration of this city Wu Yiqiao, Vice President of China Railway company Huang Min, Head of the Marketing Department of the Turkmenistan Railway Transport Ministry Azat Arzymedov, Vice President for Logistics of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy Kanat Alpysbayev, representatives of the Kazakh MFA and about 40 Chinese transport companies and mass media.
"Two main transport corridors of "The Silk Road Economic Belt" run through the Central Asian territory. The first one runs from China through Kazakhstan and Russia to Europe (the Baltic Sea) and the second corridor comes from China through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to Iran and the Persian Gulf. Not everyone knows that these routes have already been built and are functioning now. The routes proved to be advantageous in the speed of delivery of goods compared to maritime transportations," Shakhrat Nuryshev said taking the floor.
He reminded that Central Asia is a nuclear-weapon-free zone and closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Testing Site 25 years ago.
"President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev is a leader of anti-nuclear movement. The Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" initiated recently by him calls the leaders of all countries to stop wars and conflicts. The Manifesto has been recognized as an official document of the UN General Assembly. We guarantee security of transportations through our countries, as the leadership of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan pay special attention to increasing their transit and transport potential," the Diplomat stressed.
According to him, removal of sanctions from Iran opens new prospects for the development of railroad transportations to Iran and back.
Taking the floor, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to China Chinar Rustamova noted that China-Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railroad communication shortens the distance of transportations between China and Iran more than twice, compared to maritime route.
"The new China-Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran line is the cheapest and shortest way of delivery of goods from China to the Persian Gulf markets, which is proved by the launch of the first test cargo train from China's Yiwu to Iran in early February. The train ran about 10 000 km through the territory of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to Tehran in two weeks, thus proving technical and logistical readiness of the new railroad for regular cargo transportations," she said.
The Turkmen Ambassador reminded that more than half a year passed since the railroad was put into operation.
"In future, we plan to hold similar meetings in other cities of China, namely in Yiwu, Xi'an, Shanghai, Urumqi, to adjust our interests in this issue. In two days,Lianyungang city will host a Turkmen-Chinese dialogue, during which our delegation will continue presenting its transit and transport potential," she added.
Vice President of Chinese Railway Huang Min told that on January 28, 2016 a container train successfully crossed Alashankou Checkpoint and arrived in Tehran through the territories of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. It took only 16 days to pass the whole route.
"This is the first international freight train sent to the Middle East for the purpose of expanding south vector of China-Europe container train," he noted.
Huang Min proposed to accelerate construction of infrastructure of the countries located along the corridor. He also offered to raise the standards of the route and speed of trains' movement, to simplify customs procedures, to strengthen cooperation among the railroad administrations of all countries, to jointly lower prime cost of container trains movement and to provide preferential prices for transportations and other issues.
Mayor of Xi'an Shangguan Jiqing, Secretary of the CCP Party Committee of Lianyungang Wu Yiqiao, Head of the Turkmen Railway Transport Ministry A.Arzymedov and KTZ Vice President for Logistics K.Alpysbayev delivered speeches too.
Akim (mayor) of Taldykorgan city Bagdat Karasayev believes that Nursultan Nazarbayev's Manifesto will give impulse to global prosperity.
"Today President Nursultan Nazarbayev's article Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" is discussed far beyond the borders of Kazakhstan. The document is minutely studied and supported worldwide. In the article President Nazarbayev outlined a number of priority tasks called to preserve stability and give impulse to prosperity of the global community," Mr. Karasayev told Kazinform correspondent.
"As the first country to abandon its nuclear arsenal, Kazakhstan greatly contributes to the cause of peace. Being a bright example, Kazakhstan demonstrates to the world community how effective that historic step was. The fact that the Manifesto has sparked interest among European parliamentarians and world leaders adds to the importance of the document," he added.
Senate Speaker of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev said that the Manifesto outlines the basic principles for preventing global cataclysm.
"We are living in the epoch of stability. The mankind's hopes for quiet life are not justified. The race of arms enhances, wars and conflicts keep to jolt the global security system. In this regard, I think the document contains basic principles which the entire world should apply to prevent the global cataclysm," K.Tokayev said.
"Kazakhstan calls to consistently move to the world fully freed from nuclear weapons, to put an end to the existence of military blocs, to affirm a fair paradigm of global competition in international finances, trade and development," the Chairman of the Kazakh Senate said.
Nursultan Nazarbayev's Manifesto was also discussed at the meeting of deputies of the Majilis of the Kazakh Parliament Bakhytzhan Ertayev and Gleb Shegelsky with a delegation of Qatar headed by Minister of Municipality and Environment Mohamed bin Abdullah Al Rumaihi.
Gleb Shegelsky handed over the Kazakh President's Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" to the Qatari Minister.
The parties discussed bilateral cooperation and expressed confidence in their further strengthening.
In turn, Mohamed bin Abdullah Al Rumaihi thanked the Majilismen for the meeting and pointed out that Kazakhstan and Qatar enjoy high-level relations in all spheres, primarily, in politics.
G. Shegelsky informed the delegation of the main areas of Kazakhstan's work in environment and emphasized the importance of the amendments to legislation on transition to "green economy" inked recently by President N.Nazarbayev.
The Manifesto was also debated at the ceremony of presenting credentials of Kazakh Ambassador to Jordan with concurrent accreditation to the State of Palestine Azamat Berdybay to President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas.
The ceremony took place in the Embassy in the State of Palestine in Amman and was attended by Secretary General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat.
At the meeting, the parties discussed the situation in the Middle East and the Palestinian problem.
A.Berdybay told about the main aspects of Kazakhstan's internal and foreign policies, the current socio-economic situation in the country and its large international initiatives. The Ambassador drew the Palestinian Leader's attention to the relevance of the Kazakh President's Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century."
Head of the history department of the Kazakhstan National Museum Shynar Uaissova says that President Nursultan Nazarbayev's Manifesto. "The World. The 21st Century" should become a go-to guide for every person in the world.
"In the article President Nazarbayev comes up with the solutions that will help keep peace on the Earth," said Ms Uaissova during a roundtable in Astana themed "Kazakhstan: new challenges to national security".
She stressed that global leaders need to push forward the initiative suggested by Kazakhstan in the article.
"We've witnessed an unprecedented phenomenon in the history of humankind when a country [Kazakhstan] renounced its nuclear arsenal and even shut down the Semipalatinsk nuclear site. It is crucial to prohibit nuclear tests on the ground, in the air and in the oceans since they pose a real threat to our existence," Ms Uaissova noted.
"In the article the Kazakh President proposes specific steps required to regulate conflicts and rid the world of nuclear weapons. We are confident that the Manifesto has sparked intense public interest both countrywide and globally," she said.
In her words, it is high time to step up international efforts to expand nuclear-free zones.
"The program put forward by President Nazarbayev in the article should become a go-to guide for every person in the world," Ms Uaissova added.
Current mayor of Amman Aqel Biltaji told in the interview to Kazinform that President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev made Kazakhstan one of the safest countries of the world and the Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" predetermines the future of the world.
According to the mayor of the capital city of Jordan, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev earned respect of all the world countries for promotion of the idea of the nuclear-free world.
"The address of the President of Kazakhstan left a strong impression at the Summit Security Summit in Washington. It was sent to all world leaders to make the 21stcentury a peaceful time. President Nazarbayev told about his experience in political life and about his fateful decision on closing nuclear laboratories in Kazakhstan. Therefore, the Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" is an address of a big politician with high moral values and it predetermines the future of the world," A. Biltaji said.
According to A. Biltaji, there is a possibility that terrorists will take possession of nuclear weapons use it.
"President Nazarbayev warns us and the world that the wars are now meaningless negating common values and moral principles. Therefore, one day the leaders of the world countries will come to understanding that the proposals outlined in the Manifesto must be fulfilled," A. Biltaji noted.
A. Biltaji also thinks that implementation of the provisions of the Manifesto is real and should be based on the example of Kazakhstan.
"There are Russian-speaking Jordanians in our country, who studied in the USSR. Thanks to them we learn about what is happening in the CIS. The Leader of Kazakhstan made a great contribution to development of his country. He made Kazakhstan one of the safest world countries with the tolerant society and developed industry. Compared to many world countries the people in Kazakhstan live in a safe and friendly country. It is obvious that the Government listens to the people of its country and N. Nazarbayev continues to build a civil and democratic state. I am sure that the people of Kazakhstan value it seeing what is happening in many Middle East countries," A Biltaji said.
Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Great Britain Erzhan Kazykhanov handed the text of the President's Manifesto "The World. The 21st century" to Mr. Tobias Ellwood, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office during the meeting in London.
The meeting saw the sides discussing the state and prospects of the Kazakh-British cooperation in a wide range of issues, including those in the investment, energy and cultural and humanitarian areas, as well as exchange of opinions on the international and regional politics.
Particular attention was paid to Kazakhstan's international initiatives, especially in the field of nuclear non-proliferation and strengthening the global nuclear safety. Ambassador Erzhan Kazykhanov informed Mr. Tobias Ellwood about the outcomes of President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev's participation in the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington DC in April and in him.
The sides also discussed the promotion of Kazakhstan's bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2017-2018, as well as the issues of holding EXPO 2017 in Astana.
In addition, the University of Warwick, UK, hosted a seminar titled "The World in XXI century. The position of Kazakhstan" to highlight President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev's Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century".
The seminar was run by the ‘KazAlliance' Kazakh students' organisation, the Kazakh students, who study at the University of Warwick in association with the Embassy of Kazakhstan to the UK and focused on the main theses of President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev's Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century", as well as Kazakhstan's other initiatives on the maintenance of the global non-proliferation regime and nuclear safety.
The event was attended by Dauletbek Kussainov, the Minister-Counsellor of the Embassy of Kazakhstan to the UK, Professor Peter Ferdinand, Department of Politics and International Studies, the University of Warwick, Mr. Richard Aldrich, Professor of International Security, the University of Warwick, Dr. Adrian Campbell, International Development Department, Senior Lecturer, the University of Birmingham, as well as Kazakh students, who study at the top UK universities and international students.
Addressing the participants of the seminar, Minister-Counsellor of the Embassy of Kazakhstan to the UK Dauletbek Kussainov noted that since the first day of its independence, Kazakhstan had always sought to be a responsible and reliable partner of the global community, taking concrete actions to maintain global peace and security. Our country had become one of the states in the world to voluntarily renounce the nuclear weapon and close the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site.
According to Dauletbek Kussainov, one of Kazakhstan's main achievements in maintaining the global non-proliferation regime was playing a key role in establishing the Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia and the creation of the IAEA Low Enriched Uranium Bank. In addition to this, Kazakhstan played the leading role in the solution of Iran's nuclear programme.
The initiatives, presented by Kazakhstan to the international community in maintaining global peace and security include President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev's Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century", which was adopted in the course of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington this April. The Manifesto has gained the status of the official document of the UN General Assembly and Security Council.
As Dauletbek Kussainov noted, the President of Kazakhstan's Manifesto sets out a comprehensive program of action aiming at the achievement of a nuclear-weapon-free world. In particular, the Manifesto suggests concrete steps towards arms reduction and the elimination of nuclear weapons, which should promote strengthening international security.
Professors of the Universities of Warwick and Birmingham Mr. Peter Ferdinand, Mr. Richard Aldrich and Dr. Adrian Campbell shared their opinions with the participants regarding the Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century". They noted that Kazakhstan, having abandoned its nuclear arsenal, contributed to the global disarmament and non-proliferation and strengthening international security and the Manifesto of Kazakhstan's leader promotes Kazakhstan's profile in the world stage.
Kazakh students, who study at the top UK universities, have also actively participated in the seminar. In particular, Oxford University graduate student Mr. Abulkhairkhan Zhunisbek made a presentation on the theme ‘The contribution of Kazakhstan to non-proliferation regime', whereas Birmingham University graduate student Mr. Gabidulla Ospankulov's presentation was called ‘New wars in the context of non-nuclear wars'.
The seminar also saw the presentations made by King's College London graduate student Ms. Gulmira Kappasova regarding strengths and limitations of education policy measures in Kazakhstan and Warwick University graduate student Ms. Assem Kozhabek, whose presentation related to the problems in developing the transport infrastructure during the Astana EXPO 2017.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Aslov also received a copy of the Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" from Ambassador of Kazakhstan Nurlan Seitimov.
At the meeting the parties discussed the state and prospects of bilateral cooperation. The Kazakh diplomat and the Tajik Minister emphasized dynamic development of the whole range of inter-state ties which are based on regular top-level bilateral dialogue.
S.Aslov congratulated A.Seitimov on appointment as Ambassador of Kazakhstan and expressed confidence that strategic partnership between the two states will develop progressively and all the agreements reached earlier will be implemented timely.
Kazakhstan Ambassador to Armenia Timur Urazayev met on April 22 with Minister of Foreign Affairs of this country Edvard Nalbandyan and also handed in him copies of credentials.
The Armenian Minister wished T.Urazayev success in fulfillment of his diplomatic mission and expressed hope that he will contribute to strengthening of the bilateral relations and expansion of cooperation.
The parties discussed the topical issues of bilateral collaboration and interaction within the EEU and CSTO. The sides pointed out positive role of the Kazakhstan-Armenia Foreign Ministerial Consultations held April 18 and importance of enhancing interaction in education, tourism and culture. The Armenian Foreign Minister and the Kazakh Diplomat agreed to exert every effort to ensure full implementation of both countries' trade potential.
T. Urazayev informed E.Nabaldyan of the key programs of Kazakhstan's development. In particular, he told about the 100 Specific Steps National Plan, Kazakhstan's initiatives presented during the 70th session of the UN General Assembly in New York and the Presidential Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century".
Upon completion of the meeting, the Kazakh Ambassador assured the Armenian FM that he will put the most efforts to ensure further development of the Kazakh-Armenian relations.
A delegation of the Kazakh Senate led by Speaker Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev participated in the 7th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in Baku.
Within the framework of the visit, Speaker Tokayev met with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
During the meeting Mr. Tokayev conveyed greetings and the best wishes from Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev to Ilham Aliyev.
The Senate Speaker congratulated Azerbaijan's President on hosting the 7th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations themed Living Together in Inclusive Societies: A Challenge and A Goal. He also handed Nazarbayev's article Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" to the Azerbaijani leader.
Ilham Aliyev, in turn, thanked the Kazakh delegation for participation in the forum and stressed Azerbaijan is ready to strengthen friendly ties with Kazakhstan.
Professor of the Public Administration Academy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Aidar Abuov says that Nursultan Nazarbayev's Manifesto is an explicit program of nuclear-free existence of humankind.
"In the era of globalization it is very important to ensure security of humankind's existence. The humankind has accumulated huge nuclear arsenal. In the article our President points out that with such amount of weapon one can completely eradicate humanity from the planet in a short period of time. What can we do today? First of all, the Head of State proposes an explicit program of nuclear-free existence - the 21st century without wars," professor Abuov said.
According to him, President Nazarbayev stresses the necessity of investing more efforts in order to ensure peace in the 21st century.
Academician of the National Academy of Sciences, Professor at the International Law Department of the Abai State Pedagogical University Salakhiden Sabikenov told Kazinform correspondent that he believes that President's Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" provides a deep analysis of the tendencies of the modern society's development.
"While analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of development of society, N.Nazarbayev makes well-founded conclusions on real threat of global war. In order to timely prevent this threat, he offers a number of well-thought and justified global-level propositions," noted the academician.
According to him, one of them is the Nuclear Weapons Non-Proliferation Treaty, as it was mentioned in the Manifesto. The Treaty has not been implemented properly yet, due to double standards of the world's major nuclear empires, he adds.
"The Kazakh Leader offers the World without Wars program. In his opinion, peace will be possible only when all the countries move to adhering the main principles of international law. The arising inter-state disputes must be solved in constructive talks," stressed Sabikenov.
The professor noted one more important idea of the Kazakh President - to create a sustainable world geography. "The President offers to eliminate all the existing large military blocs and create a global coalition of the countries standing for peace, stability, trust and security under the UN aegis. Being the Leader of the Nation, N.Nazarbayev is concerned about the fate of his country, his nation and whole mankind. His Manifesto clearly defines the most important priority areas of foreign global policy" pointed out the Professor.
Nursultan Nazarbayev's Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" was discussed at the Annual Interfaith Dialogue Dinner in New York with the participation of American religious leaders, representatives of the U.S. Administration and local expert and business communities and attended by Minister of foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov.
The meeting discussed the issues of promotion of religious tolerance and inter-faith mutual understanding, as well countering violent terrorism in the context of the Kazakh President's international initiatives presented at the 70th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2015 and in his Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century."
In his speech, the Foreign Minister noted that the meeting gives an opportunity to discuss the ways of overcoming the stereotypes of inter-religious relations and develop an effective formula of global tolerance and mutual understanding in the 21st century. The Minister stated that violent extremism poses a serious threat to the world and security and defined the main priorities of Kazakhstan's foreign policy as per the objectives outlined in the Kazakh President's speeches on this issue. He pointed out the importance of establishment of the "common front" under the UN aegis in fight against this common threat.
In this view, the Kazakh Minister told the participants of the meeting about the main provisions of the Presidential Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century".
Idrissov reminded that in late June 2015, Astana hosted the Regional Conference of the Central and South Asian Countries on Countering Violent Extremism and reaffirmed adherence of Kazakhstan to collective efforts on liquidation of violent extremism and international terrorism.
Launched in 2008, the annual Interfaith Dialogue Dinner found a broad support both in religious and political circles of the U.S. and has turned into an effective forum of further strengthening the relations between Kazakhstani and American communities.
President Nazarbayev's article Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" was discussed among other issues at the roundtable meeting on "Kazakhstan: 25 Years of Unity and Creativity" in Brussels.
The event was organized by the Kazakhstan Embassy in the Kingdom of Belgium and brought together the officials of European institutions including the European Commission and European External Action Service, diplomatic and parliamentary corps, NGOs and mass media.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan to Belgium Almaz Khamzayev welcomed the participants of the meeting and informed them about the main provisions of Kazakhstan's Nurly Zhol Program, 100 Specific Steps National Plan on implementation of the President's Five Institutional Reforms, as well as foreign policy initiatives of our country including G-Global, АТОМ projects, the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, Astana Economic Forum, EXPO-2017 and others.
"The European Union is the main investment and trade partner of Kazakhstan. Trade turnover between Kazakhstan and EU increased 13 times in the past 10 years while the volume of foreign investments from the EU rose by 10 times. Trade turnover reached 31.3 bln U.S. dollars in 2015 that corresponds to 51.4% of Kazakhstan's foreign trade turnover," Khamzayev said.
According to him, during the period from 2005 through September 2015, the inflow of direct investments from the EU to Kazakhstan made as much as 107.4 bln U.S. dollars.
"On December 21, 2015 Kazakhstan became the first CA country which signed a new generation agreement with the EU. The new Extended Partnership and Cooperation Agreement will give a significant boost to economic and political ties between the EU and Kazakhstan," he noted.
The Agreement covers 29 sectors of interaction, such as investments, trade development, infrastructure, innovations, culture, sport, tourism, cooperation of law-enforcement structures. The Trade section of the Agreement has been significantly expanded. While developing this provision, Kazakhstan was guided with its obligations before the CU countries, EEU and its membership in the WTO.
"A solid economic basis and political stability allows Kazakhstan to implement its well-known multi-vector foreign policy, which makes our country an active and responsible player at the international arena," the Diplomat added.
The Ambassador drew the participants' attention to Kazakhstan's efforts in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation area, the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Testing Site, renunciation of the world's fourth largest nuclear arsenal, placement of the Low-Enriched Nuclear Fuel Bank in its territory under the IAEA aegis and establishment of the Central Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (CANWFZ).
"From early on, Kazakhstan has been at the forefront of developing new initiatives on some of the most pressing contemporary problems, such as nonproliferation, confidence building, and civilizational dialogue. Kazakhstan's foreign policy - and its multilateral relations in particular - has expressed a clear logic: to establish the country as a respectable member of the international community," he highlighted.
According to him, in December 2015, Kazakhstan, at a request of the EU and in the frame of implementation of the nuclear deal with Iran, supplied this country with 60 metric tons of natural uranium as a compensation for the removal of low-enriched uranium from that country.
"In September 2015, President Nazarbayev called on the United Nations General Assembly to set a clear goal to eliminate nuclear weapons by 2045, the 100th jubilee of the UN. The UN has responded by approving the Universal Declaration for the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapons-Free World," Khamzayev stressed.
The meeting participants were also briefed about the Kazakh President's Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century."
"On March 31, 2016, at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington D.C. President Nazarbayev voiced Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" and challenged his global counterparts to commit to peace and dialogue. The President said the world was facing a real risk of plunging again into global conflict. He warned this would be a war with "no winners" as it would inevitably lead to the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The result, he said, was that the planet would end "like a graveyard of radioactive materials," said the Kazakh Ambassador.
Besides, A.Khamzayev told about the ambitious plans of Kazakhstan on non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council.
"We are confident that our unique history and our reputation will let us contribute to the work of the UN Security Council. This experience is reflected in the four pillars of food, water, energy and nuclear security which Kazakhstan has set out as priorities for our bid for the UNSC. In each important area, we believe we can speak with authority and help the world make progress towards fair and lasting solutions. 2017 will be the 25th anniversary of Kazakhstan's full membership in the United Nations. From the beginning, we have shown ourselves committed supporters of the UN's work and values. We hope that we will be given the chance to expand our contribution for peace and prosperity," he concluded.
In turn, Head of the Central Asia Division at the European External Action Service Toivo Klaar spoke about the role of Kazakhstan at the international arena, the importance of the region for the EU and the Kazakh-European Extended Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.
"Since the year of gaining independence, Kazakhstan has demonstrated huge political, economic and social achievements. The country has reached impressive economic growth and average rise in economy at 8% in the past 10 years. Kazakhstan's active foreign policy enabled it to join the club of authoritative global players. The Republic of Kazakhstan has gradually become one of the key economic and political partners of the European Union in Central Asia," said Klaar.
T.Klaar expressed confidence that the Agreement on Extended Partnership and Cooperation will boost the relations between the EU and Kazakhstan.
"Since May 1, 2016 we can apply some of the provisions of the Agreement. The full implementation of the document will be possible upon its ratification by all EU member states and the European Parliament," he said.
"We have much to do together with our Kazakhstani partners, in order to fully use our potential in all areas. We have already launched negotiations on how to achieve this goal during the meetings of the Cooperation Committee and at a recent meeting of the Trade, Investments, Energy and Transport Sub-Committee. The consultations will be continued on the threshold of the meeting of the Cooperation Council scheduled for late 2016 in Brussels," the European Diplomat added.
In general, the participants of the event highly appraised the measures taken by Kazakhstan in promotion of the idea of global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and biological threats. Special attention was given to historical and global importance of the Kazakh President's decision on closing the Semipalatinsk Polygon and renunciation of one of the world's largest nuclear arsenals.
Upon completion of the meeting, the guests were presented souvenirs and brochures with the Presidential Address to the Nation and national development programs published in English and French and photo albums about the country and sightseeing of Astana as well as materials about the oncoming EXPO-2017 International Exhibition and Kazakhstan's bid for the UNSC non-permanent membership.
Foreign Affairs Minister of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov expressed an opinion that Kazakhstan's president identifies the most pressing task for this century in the article titled "The Real Cause of the 21st Century".
Kazakhstan is among those countries that had more reason than most to celebrate the end of the Cold War. The improvement in global relations and the end of Soviet control gave our nation the chance to chart our own future. It is an opportunity we have seized with both hands.
It was also a time of hope that the mistrust which had divided our world would give way to a new era of peace, stability and co-operation. But the danger now, a generation later, is that this historic opportunity is being squandered.
Wherever we look, there is growing instability, conflict and fear. International terrorism has grown, as Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said in Washington last month, from isolated acts to large-scale and coordinated aggression which threatens not just lives but the territorial survival of countries.
Our world has failed to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, material and knowledge. The lead shown by Kazakhstan and a small group of other countries in the early 1990s in giving up our nuclear arsenals has not been followed. We now have the terrifying prospect of nuclear devices falling into the hands of violent extremists who would not hesitate to use them.
International attempts to tackle these grave challenges have been thwarted by the re-awakening of tensions between the main powers. Instead of increased co-operation, we are seeing an increase again in proxy conflicts and trade agreements replaced by economic sanctions.
It was against this background that Kazakhstan's leader, in a strongly worded Manifesto, "The World. The 21st Century," challenged his global counterparts last month to commit to peace and dialogue. Without such action, the president said the world was facing a real risk of plunging again into global conflict.
He warned this would be a war with "no winners" as it would inevitably lead to the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The result, he said, was that the planet would end "as a graveyard of radioactive materials."
Setting out a comprehensive program of action, Nazarbayev urged a series of inter-linked steps which must be taken to put the world back on track to a peaceful future. It was, he said, a Manifesto for a World without Wars.
The president called for real progress towards arms reduction and the elimination of nuclear weapons which must be the final goal. These steps should include a global agreement to prohibit the deployment of lethal weapons in space, on the seabed and in international waters.
This should be coupled, the Manifesto urged, with an outright ban on the development of new WMD. It is time to call a halt to the use of science for military purposes.
He made clear that an important building bloc towards arms reduction would be to strengthen and extend existing peace and nuclear weapons-free zones. In particular, he said there was an urgent need for a new zone to cover the Middle East.
Nazarbayev appealed, too, for the elimination of military blocs branding them as "relics of the Cold War." Not only do they lead inevitably to the creation of a countering group, he said, but their protection can be abused by individual members to threaten neighbors and increase instability.
Instead of reverting to old divisions, the president called for an intensification of efforts to defuse tensions and end regional conflicts. Disputes in the Middle East, Afghanistan, eastern Ukraine, the Korean peninsula and South China Sea all threatened global peace and security and needed urgent attention.
These steps must be matched, at an international level, to reverse the "short-sighted dismantlement" of arms treaties. The removal of limitations on anti-missile systems and conventional arms has led to militarization across Eurasia which only increased "the risk of a new global war."
But the Kazakh president made clear that these efforts, important as they all were, would not succeed without tackling the root causes of war and tensions. This needed "equal and fair access to infrastructure, resources and markets for all nations."
Delivering such an agreement would be the best way to mark the UN's 100th anniversary in 2045, the Manifesto suggested. President Nazarbayev promised that, to help achieve this goal, Kazakhstan was ready to host an international conference this year where countries could re-affirm their support for international law as a way of preventing war and conflict.
The Manifesto was a direct call for action to fellow world leaders who, he said, had an enormous duty to future generations. But he added it was the responsibility of all of us - "governments, politicians, scientists, entrepreneurs, artists, and millions of people to prevent a repetition of the tragic mistakes of past centuries."
It is an ambitious agenda. But as President Nazarbayev said, there can be no more important or urgent goal than permanently freeing "humanity from the threat of deadly wars." He was right to call it "the cause of the century." It is the only sane response to the challenges we face and to place our world again firmly on the path to progress and peace.
Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the Czech Republic with concurrent accreditation to Slovakia Serzhan Abdykarimov met with State Secretary at Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic Lukas Parizek, State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy Rastislav Chovanec and Chairman of the Parliamentary Constitutional Committee Robert Madej in Bratislava to hand them a copy of President Nazarbayev's Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century".
At the meetings Ambassador Abdykarimov and the Slovak officials discussed further strengthening of bilateral relations in various spheres. The Kazakhstani diplomat also established contacts with newly appointed officials after recent parliamentary elections in Slovakia.
The sides agreed to step up inter-parliamentary, commercial, economic and investment cooperation. In this context, both sides welcomed the upcoming visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia Miroslav Lajcak to Astana this year.
Ambassador Abdykarimov briefed the Slovak partners on the ongoing modernization of Kazakhstan's economy based on the new economic policy "Nurly Zhol" and the National Plan "100 specific steps". While handing the copy of the Manifesto, the diplomat stressed it is aimed at ensuring security in the world, reducing military conflicts and deadly nuclear disasters.
The Kazakhstani diplomat called on Bratislava to support Kazakhstan's bid to become non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2017-2018 and participate in the International specialized exhibition EXPO-2017 in Astana.
Kazakh Ambassador to Uzbekistan talked about the Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" at the press briefing for reps of local and foreign mass media, Uzbek researchers and Kazakh diaspora residing in Uzbekistan.
At the briefing Kazakh Ambassador Yerik Utembayev informed those present of the content of Manifesto delivered by President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington earlier this year.
The Kazakh diplomat also briefed those present on the outcomes of the 9th Astana Economic Forum held on May 25-26 in Astana under the topic "New economic reality: diversification, innovations and knowledge-based economy".
IMF Chief Christine Lagarde, EBRD President Sir Suma Chakrabarti, founder of Alibaba Group Jack Ma and many other international experts and politicians attended the high-profile forum in the Kazakh capital.
In conclusion, Ambassador Utembayev held a meeting with reps of the Kazakh diaspora in Tashkent and touched upon a number of issues related to further interaction with our compatriots in the Republic of Uzbekistan in the context of the 25th anniversary of independence of Kazakhstan.
President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev recently gave an interview to Rossiya 24 TV Channel in which the Kazakh leader mentioned the Manifesto.
"Nowadays more and more money are spent on weapons, thousands of people died in armed conflicts. I addressed the Nuclear Security Summit 2016 with the Manifesto "The World. The 21st century" to tell the humanity it is high time to stop," the Kazakh President said.
As the Head of State told Rossiya 24 TV Channel, trust between superpowers and nuclear nations has been shattered recently. "Currently there are over 15,000 nuclear warheads in the world, approximately 7,000 are owned by Russia and the U.S. has as many warheads," Nursultan Nazarbayev stressed.
"When trust is weakened, color revolutions happen. Over the past year, more than $1 trillion was spent on weapons. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, over 167,000 people were killed in the armed conflicts last year. Consider it for a moment. Someone had to say it is high time to stop them. That is why the Manifesto "The World. The 21st century" tells us what to do, how to overcome mistrust to each other. Sanctions and accusations... instead of becoming closer and fight for complete demolition of nuclear weapons, we feel the danger," President Nazarbayev noted.
"If things continue as they are going, more and more countries will want to possess nuclear weapon to protect their borders which always leads to conflicts," the Kazakh leader stressed.
According to Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan has the right to make such proposals as the country abolished the 4th largest nuclear arsenal 26 years ago by shutting down the Semipalatinsk test site.
President Nazarbayev's Manifesto and Kazakhstan's election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council were discussed by participants of the roundtable meeting in Beijing.
The election of Kazakhstan to the UN Security Council's non-permanent membership for 2017-2018 is evaluated by the global community as a recognition of the Kazakhs President's efforts on ensuring international security and development . Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the People's Republic of China Shakhrat Nuryshev said at the roundtable meeting on "Kazakhstan: 25 Years on the Path towards Peace, Security and Development" held in Beijing.
"Prior to opening our meeting, I would like to share good news about election of Kazakhstan as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for years 2017-2018. We evaluate this as a recognition of Kazakhstan President's efforts on building nuclear-weapon-free world, strengthening the global and regional security, establishment of a constructive dialogue of cultures and civilizations, preservation of inter-faith and inter-ethnic harmony, as well as ensuring step-by-step socio-economic development of the country," said the Kazakh Diplomat while welcoming the participants of the roundtable meeting.
Taking this opportunity, Sh.Nuryshev thanked the representatives of all partner countries for the support of Kazakhstan's candidacy. He expressed hope that all-round involvement of our country to the resolution of a complex of regional and global processes will enable Kazakhstan to promote resolution of the international security issues set to the UNSC.
"Since January 2016, Kazakhstan has been chairing the EEU. Recently, we have assumed the chairmanship in the SCO. I hope that due to joint efforts, we will be able to start working on integration of the SCO with the EEU and the Silk Road Economic Belt. Undoubtedly, amid implementation of the new initiatives, Kazakhstan attaches great importance to further strengthening of mutually beneficial and friendly relations with our closest neighbor countries including China. China has been and remains a reliable partner of Kazakhstan with whom we enjoy all-round strategic partnership," stressed the Ambassador.
The meeting participants discussed the Kazakh President's Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century", foreign policy initiatives of N.Nazarbayev put forward at the 70th jubilee meeting of the UN General Assembly as well as Kazakhstan's contribution to ensuring global peace, security and development.
Those attending the meeting were China's State Commissioner for Counter-Terrorism and Security Chen Guoping, Secretary General of the Shanghai cooperation Organization Rashid Alimov, representatives of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, the Institute of Development of Europe and Asia of the Research and Development Centre of China's State Council, Chinese Academy of Contemporary International Relations, the Institute of Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences etc.
Kazakh Ambassador to Japan Yerlan Baudarbek-Kozhatayev met with Head of the Organizing Committee for the 2020 Summer Olympics and former Prime Minister of Japan Yoshiro Mori on June 28.
Mr. Mori lauded socioeconomic achievements of Kazakhstan under the leadership of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, having stressed that Kazakhstan has been contributing greatly to maintenance of international peace and security for many years.
At the meeting, Ambassador Baudarbek-Kozhatayev spoke about Nursultan Nazarbayev's initiatives, including the Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" in detail.
The sides also touched upon the perspectives of promotion of the bilateral cultural and humanitarian cooperation given that Kazakhstan will host the 2017 Winter Universiade and Japan - the 2020 Summer Olympics.
In conclusion, Mr. Mori wished Kazakhstani athletes success at the upcoming Rio Olympics in August.
The Association of Chechen and Ingush people of Kazakhstan "Vainakh" says that Kazakhstan will be able to implement the proposals outlined in the Manifesto. The World. The 21st Century as a member of the United Nations Security Council after winning a non-permanent seat for 2017-2018.
"This is a deserved victory of President Nursultan Nazarbayev's policy.
Over 25 years of its independence Kazakhstan has followed the path of peace, unity and nuclear disarmament.
Kazakhstan has become a political power to reckon with. Membership in the UNSC will give us an additional opportunity to solve the global challenges," the association said in a statement.
In the Manifesto "The World. The 21st Century" President of Kazakhstan challenged his global counterparts to commit to peace and dialogue. The Kazakh President called for an intensification of efforts to defuse tensions and end regional conflicts. Disputes in the Middle East, Afghanistan, eastern Ukraine, the Korean peninsula and many more threaten global peace and security and need urgent attention. He called on the world to develop global dialogue and cooperation and enhance the peacekeeping role of international organizations. We hope that the Manifesto will play a decisive role in nuclear disarmament and restoration of peace globally.