Senator Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed, UNHCR rep Hans Schodder debate upcoming referendum
In his welcoming speech, the Chairman of the Committee on International Relations, Defence, and Security Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed highlighted the significance of the upcoming referendum to introduce amendments to the Constitution of Kazakhstan to take place on June 5 this year.
«Amends to the Constitution are to consolidate the final transition from an unltrapresidential form of government to the presidential republic with powerful Parliament and accountable Government. The constitutional reform is to considerably strengthen the representative branch of power and enhance the system of checks and balances. In this regard, the upcoming referendum will allow each citizen to take a direct part in a historic event to transit to the Second Republic,» said Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed.
The Deputy noted that cooperation with the UN is a key priority of Kazakhstan's foreign policy. He went on to note that the country highly assesses the activity of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as a leading international agency upholding the values and goals of the UN in the sphere of observance and protection of rights of refugees.
For his part, Hans Schodder commended the work Kazakhstan carries out in the direction, noting that the joint activity to protect the rights of people will not only improve Kazakhstan-UN relations, but elevate them to a new level.
He expressed special gratitude to the leadership of Kazakhstan for a temporary relocation of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and other UN agencies accredited in Afghanistan to Almaty.
According to the presidential decree, Kazakhstan is to hold a national referendum on changes to the Constitution on June 5.