In this issue:
Kazakhstan Eases Visa Regulations for Americans, Others
Kazakhstan Seeks OSCE Chairmanship in 2009, Foreign Minister Asserts
Kazakhstan Needs Carefully Implemented Education Reform
President Nazarbayev Meets Ronald Lauder
Citizen --- Azamat [Ah-zah-MAHT]
Kazakhstan Eases Visa Regulations for Americans, Others
Kazakhstan, this weekend, will ease visa regulations for Americans and citizens of 26 other countries who wish to visit Kazakhstan for business, tourist or private trips, officials announced this week in Astana.
Valikhan Konurbayev, head of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced the changes at a news conference on February 12. He said that as of February 15 the citizens of 27 developed nations, including the United States, all 15 members of the European Union, Australia, Japan and some others, will be able to obtain Kazakhstan entry visas without having to get an invitation first. Mr. Konurbayev said: "The citizens of these countries do not represent a migration threat, a threat of illegal labor migration or illegal trafficking."
To get a visa, an American will simply have to apply for it at a Kazakhstan's embassy or consulate and they will be issued one in due course. In the past, a person needed an invitation from a Kazakh entity processed through the Foreign Ministry before applying for visa. The changes apply to single-entry 1-month visas for business, tourist or private trips.
"This is a major step forward in liberalizing visa regulations," Mr. Konurbayev noted. He added the decision to liberalize the existing regulations stems from the President of Kazakhstan's instructions aimed at promoting tourism and attracting foreign investment to Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan will continue to expand the list of such countries in the future, Mr. Konurbayev said.
Kazakhstan Seeks OSCE Chairmanship in 2009,
Foreign Minister Asserts
Foreign Minister Kassymzhomart Tokaev says Kazakhstan will continue to work toward being selected as the rotating chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), an organization that unites 54 countries of Eurasia and the United States and Canada.
In an interview with Novoe Pokolenie weekly newspaper on February 6, Minister Tokaev said Kazakhstan sticks by its earlier bid to chair the OSCE. He said: "This will be a major test both for Kazakhstan, in terms of its reforms, and the OSCE, in terms of its approach to Kazakhstan."
"I have said on numerous occasions that the OSCE is our common organization, and Kazakhstan values the opportunity to work in it. I am sure we will preserve the principles of equal cooperation. This is what both we, and our partners in the OSCE, are aiming for," the Minister said.
"Right now the agenda includes expanding interaction across the spectrum of OSCE activity in Central Asia, including security, economy and environment, and human dimension," Minister Tokaev noted.
Late last year, Kazakhstan announced plans to seek the OSCE chairmanship in 2009. In November 2003, U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell sent President Nursultan Nazarbayev a letter saying the U.S. would support Kazakhstan's bid provided further improvements are made in the sphere of democratization. The decision will be made at an OSCE Ministerial in December 2006.
"A lot will depend on how internal processes develop in Kazakhstan over the coming years", Minister Tokaev said in an interview.
An early test will come in October 2004, when the next parliamentary election is held in Kazakhstan. Before that, the Parliament is due to approve legislation on election reform which incorporates important changes into the way elections are held.
Speaking of the election bill currently under deliberations in the Majilis, Minister Tokaev called it "step in the right direction" and said "it is important to use its potential to ensure the upcoming election held in an open and transparent way."
Kazakhstan Needs Carefully Implemented Education Reform
First Deputy Prime Minister Grigori Marchenko said this week Kazakhstan needs to reform its education, but this needs to be done carefully.
Speaking at an annual conference of the Education and Science Ministry in Astana on February 11, Mr. Marchenko said a concept of reform will be approved within several months. The concept has been published nationally and is currently under intense discussion which already produced more than 1,500 amendments reviewed by a task force. The Government is due to receive a proposed concept by February 24.
According to Kazakhstan Today news agency, Mr. Marchenko, who oversees social programs in the government, said that after 12 years of independence Kazakhstan "only now is getting close to systemic education reforms."
He said the Government supports "introducing international standards into the education system" and is willing to increase financing for these purposes. He warned, however, that the Government is going to finance only true reforms and will not just continue raising spending to preserve status quo.
Mr. Marchenko said the Government's priorities will include raising the quality of preschool, secondary and professional college education. "As far as higher education is concerned, it is a competitive area, and if it's not competitive, people will seek education in other countries," he warned.
He noted the Government understands "results from such reforms will be felt only in 10 to 15 years," but they are necessary for the sake of future generations. "For Kazakhstan to become competitive internationally, we will need to sustain education at a high level," Mr. Marchenko noted.
Earlier this year, officials announced plans to introduce an American-style credit system into undergraduate education in 2004 following its introduction into postgraduate system a year ago. One of the proposed measures is the switch from 11-year secondary education to a 12-year Western-style system.
President Nazarbayev Meets Ronald Lauder
President Nursultan Nazarbayev met Ronald Lauder, founder and president of the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation and one of the senior executives of the Estee Lauder Company, in Almaty on February 13 to discuss ways to strengthen cultural and economic ties between Kazakhstan and the United States.
As noted at the meeting, as of September 1, 2003, there were 346 active companies with the participation of American capital in Kazakhstan.
According to the presidential press service, Mr. Lauder pointed to the need for Kazakhstan to engage in a broader outreach for Americans to help them learn more about Kazakhstan's culture and art. He said he would be willing to help in this endeavor and thanked the people of Kazakhstan for their friendly attitude toward America.
Mr. Lauder is chairman of Clinique Laboratories, Inc., a division of Estee Lauder Company. In the 1980s, he served as U.S. Ambassador to Austria, and currently is engaged in promoting development of Jewish communities in Eastern Europe through the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation.
Things to Watch:
- February 12 marked the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Human Rights Commission under the President of Kazakhstan.
- On February 12, Kazakhstan adopted the program of uranium industry development up to the year 2015, which seeks to consolidate national uranium corporation Kazatomprom's position as one of the world's leading uranium companies. With 8 percent of global uranium ore production, it is number 4 in the world.
____________________________________________________________
News Bulletin of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the USA and Canada
(Compiled from own sources and agenciy reports)
Contact person: Roman Vassilenko
1401 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20036
Tel.: (202) 232- 5488 ext. 104, Fax: (202) 232- 5845
