Kazakhstan national day celebrated in Muscat
MUSCAT. KAZINFORM The Embassy of Kazakhstan hosted celebrations to mark its 23rd Anniversary of Independence on Monday evening, a historic occasion since it was the first time the central Asian country's national day was commemorated in Oman.
Ambassador Yerzhan Mukash presided over the event, which marks the country's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
It was attended by guests of honour including HE Ahmed bin Yusuf Al Harthy, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and HH Sayyid Mohammed bin Salim Al Said, Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Times of Oman reports.
"I'm also very pleased to have the honour to celebrate our national day as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan for the first time in the hospitable land of Oman," Mukash said.
The ambassador took the opportunity to congratulate the Sultanate of Oman on its 44th national day and gave his greetings to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said before talking about developments in bilateral relations.
"I avail this opportunity to congratulate the friendly people of Oman on their recent national day holiday and towards this my best wishes of good health and a long life for His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said," he said.
Mukash said that over the years since Kazakhstan's independence the leaders of the two countries have developed a close personal relationship of trust. President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan most recently came to Oman in 2008, a visit which strengthened bilateral ties.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullaah, has been invited to visit Kazakhstan next year, added the ambassador, which would further develop the friendly relations between the countries.
Mukash also took the opportunity to talk about some of the recent developments in Kazakhstan. In the president's most recent annual address to the nation a new economic policy was announced.
He said the core of the new economic policy plan development of infrastructure to help the national economy, including the development of transport, energy, agriculture, social infrastructure and small and medium sized businesses.
"In fact, the coming years will be very crucial and important for Kazakhstan," Mukash said, adding that the Expo 2017 will be held in the capital, Astana, and the former capital, Almaty, will host the Winter Universiade sports event that same year.
The country is campaigning to win a seat on the UN Security Council for the 2017-2018 term and Mukash said he hoped his homeland could count on Oman's support for this.