Kazakhstan is a pillar of stability and security in Eurasia - President
Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev gave an exclusive interview to Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera today, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Al Jazeera: So we're here in the week in which the Astana International Forum is presenting Kazakhstan once again to the world. Three years on since you unveiled the reform programme. Do you feel you've delivered the new Kazakhstan that you promised?
Yes. We are in the process. Frankly speaking, it's not that easy because there were so many developments outside of Kazakhstan that impacted the process of reforms.
Al Jazeera: COVID, the war in Ukraine…
Yes, absolutely. And I believe that it's not that easy. We must be frank. We must be pragmatic. But at the same time, we need to be very much bold as far as our reforms are concerned. That's why I am telling my people that we should be very much firm with regard to achieving all goals that have been put in our agenda. Yes, the process is still going on, but it's a very positive one.
Al Jazeera: Looking at your foreign relations, is Kazakhstan going through a process of rethinking some of its foreign partnerships, rebalancing some of its trading relationships? Like the Middle Corridor project, in order not to be too reliant, too close on any one great power.
First of all, I wouldn't say that we are making some reforms with regard to our foreign policy, because it's a very conservative phenomenon. But at the same time, of course, we need to bear in mind what is happening outside of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is a pillar of stability and security in Eurasia, particularly in Central Asia. And from the very beginning, we have been pursuing the policy of making balance between big powers, our immediate neighbours, but at the same time promoting our national goals and that's why I wouldn't say that we are restructuring the whole foreign policy.
But you are right, having mentioned the Middle Corridor, because for us the priority is to diversify our transportation links with the outside world. And in this respect, of course, Trans-Caspian Transport Route is absolutely important. As you know, we are also great supporter of One Belt, One Road initiative put forward by Xi Jinping, the Chairman of China. And it's not a coincidence that as early as 2013, Xi Jinping announced this initiative in Astana, in the capital of Kazakhstan.
