GOVERNMENT Weekly Review: 2010-2014 Program of Forced Industrial Innovative Development discussed. OSCE Chairman-in-Office Saudabayev participated in 37th session of OIC Foreign Ministers Council. PM Massimov on working visit to Belarus
Deputy Prime Minister- Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev presented his report to the deputies. According to him, the Government of Kazakhstan is preparing an appeal to the Head of the State to lift the moratorium on use of mineral resources in relation to investors, which are ready to take active part in the industrialization program.
As he said, the state is ready to admit the projects which are beneficial for the country. He also informed that a new institute of industrial policy will be established with long term plans, namely, development of inters-ectoral balances, distribution of productive forces and other directions that will allow to plan the production. According to him, the requirements on selection of projects to the Industrialization Map will be tightened as well. Mr. Issekeshev pointed out that that personal responsibility for each project will be laid on the Governors and Ministers.
The same day OSCE Chairman-in-office, Kazakh Secretary of State - Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev arrived in Afghanistan. He had talks with President of the country Hamid Karzai, Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmay Rasul and had a meeting with EU Special Representative in Afghanistan Vygaudas Usackas. Next day Mr. Saudabayev took part in the 37th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Dushanbe on May 18. Besides, he held a number of meetings with the OIC ministers of foreign affairs. "Time came to adopt a long-term program of financial-economic assistance of the OIC to less developed countries of the region", K. Saudabayev stressed while delivering a speech at the 37th Session of the Council of the OIC FMs. Talking about the situation in our region, Mr. Saudabayev noted that potential security risks for Central Asia are caused with instability in Afghanistan. In his opinion, though the military operation of the international coalition forces against the Taliban movement led to marked reduction in direct terrorist threat for Central Asia, today a dead end of military solution of the Afghan problem is obvious. "Assistance in transfer of the society from armed confrontation to the way of meaningful development - this is what Afghanistan needs now", K. Saudabayev said. "Our fraternal duty is to render system support to Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan so the nations of these countries could ensure their development by themselves. Kazakhstan realizes its liability for stable and progressive promotion of Central Asian region and renders assistance to neighbors. I have arrived to the forum from Kabul, where I discussed the issues of further assistance. We also render assistance to the interim government of the Kyrgyz Republic", Kazakh Secretary of State-Minister of Foreign Affairs concluded.
On Monday Minister of Oil and Gas Sauat Mynbayev held a visiting meeting on implementation of investment projects and development of coastal infrastructure of the Kazakh sector of the Caspian in Atyrau. According to him, all issues on modernization of the Atyrau Oil Refinery were resolved. After finishing modernization of the plant and construction of the first integrated complex the western region will become a center of the country's petrochemical sector. An output at the Atyrau refinery will increase from 4.3 mln tons to 4.5 mln tons per annum. According to the Minister, the issue on construction of the first gas chemical integrated complex is under consideration still today.
On May 18 Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov held a meeting with a delegation of the Federation of Austrian Industry-heads of the largest Austrian companies headed by Veit Sorger. The current status and prospects of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Austria in trade-economic sphere were discussed at the meeting. On behalf of the Federation of Austrian Industry Veit Sorger expressed interest in strengthening cooperation and widening business contacts between the representatives of the Austrian business and Kazakh partners in the spheres of energy, transport, construction, engineering, telecommunications, food processing and other fields of economy. Prime Minister, in his turn, informed the Austrian businessmen of the measures taken in Kazakhstan in 2007-2009 for stabilization of economy and the prospects of the country's economic development in the post-crisis period. He emphasized that in the light of implementation of the Strategic Plan of Development of Kazakhstan till 2020 and in connection with implementation of the State Program of Forced Industrial and Innovative Development the Government conducts the policy on improvement of investment, fiscal conditions and creation of a favorable climate for doing business in Kazakhstan. "The Austrian industrial enterprises can help to achieve goals of Kazakhstan's industrial development. We have raw material resources which allow attracting technologies", K. Massimov said.
In the middle of the week Kazakh PM got acquainted with the activity of the High Technologies Park in Minsk within his working visit to Belarus. Minister of Communications and Informatization Nikolay Panteley familiarized his Kazakh counterpart with the projects conducted within the framework of "e-Belarus" state program. "Today I have surveyed the High Technologies Park. I think that high technologies development is on a high level in Belarus. We saw many new projects connected with e-government development", K. Massimov said. According to him, Belarus and Kazakhstan have many similarities and some differences in the field of high technologies. "Our several state bodies which are responsible for e-government development and companies which work in the field of high technologies can learn a lot from Belarus", the Premier noted. In addition, he reminded that last year during the visit of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev to Belarus there were concluded many agreements and the Belarusian companies have got an opportunity to take part in Kazakhstan's industrialization. He also held an meeting with Prime Minister of Belarus Sergey Sidorsky. Later in the day the Heads of the Government took part in the plenary session of the Kazakh-Belarusian Business Forum in Minsk. "The Customs Union will open new perspectives for mutual cooperation of Kazakhstan and Belarus", Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov said at the enlarged negotiations with his Belarusian colleague.
By the why Russian economists are ready to adopt positive experience of Kazakhstan in business support. President of the Opora Rossii (The Pillar of Russia) all-Russian public small and medium entrepreneurship organization Sergey Borisov said it during the II annual business forum which was held the same days in Moscow. "We should intensify cooperation within the framework of our agreement with the National Economic Chamber "Atameken" and we should exchange information, interact on the industrial and regional directions", the expert said. "This is especially important now - in anticipation of the entry into force of the new Customs Code of the Customs Union", he added.
The Head of the Kazakh Government noted that all agreements achieved within the visit of the Kazakh President to Belarus are implemented and expressed satisfaction with participation of the Belarusian companies in the industrialization of Kazakhstan. PM Massimov complimented the scientific-technical potential of development of Belarus in the field of high-tech, in particular, the E-Government. Mr. Sidorsky noted that Belarus reckons on development of effective cooperation with Kazakhstan in all spheres of bilateral relations. "I am sure that implementation of joint projects will make great contribution to the industrialization of Kazakhstan. I believe that through joint efforts of the Governments of our countries we can find a mechanism allowing to provide stable and effective cooperation on implemented projects and a base for establishment of new undertakings", Mr. S. Sidorsky said. Upon the bilateral negotiations the Heads of Government took part in the Kazakh-Belarusian Business Forum. The Head of the Kazakh Government noted that "this year provides good opportunities for taking next step toward intensification and development of bilateral relations." "The banking system of Kazakhstan overcame the tough period and now possesses liquidity resources big enough for financing the economy", Mr. Massimov said. The Head of the Government reminded of the adoption of the two programs: Kazakhstan Forced Industrial Innovative Development Program and Business Road Map-2020. He expressed confidence that Belarusian businessmen could take part in these programs together with Kazakh companies. "Involvement of Kazakh business in Belarus is beneficial on many parameters, particularly within the Customs Union", the Premier resumed. An active dialog on the level of heads of state and government became a good tradition for bilateral relations as Prime Minister of Belarus Sidorsky noted. Similarity of priorities of development of Belarus and Kazakhstan, striving to develop the real sector of economy, create favorable conditions for investments attraction lay a foundation for ambitious Belarusian-Kazakh trade and investment partnership. The Belarusian-Kazakh Business Forum confirms relevance of development of trade-economic and investment cooperation of the two countries. "We hope that the Forum results will ensure transfer to a new stage of the Belarusian-Kazakh economic partnership", the Prime Minister resumed. The issues of regional cooperation will be discussed in Kazakhstan in September as Belarusian Prime Minister Sidorsky announced at a briefing following the negotiations with the Kazakh counterpart.