Nur Otan HQ Deputy Chief Mukhtar Yerman: Astana becomes center of attraction for Asian political parties
The V session of the ICAPP General Assembly will start in a few days in Astana. What are the goals of this organization and what role does it play in the political life of Asia?
Firstly I would like to to note that the ICAPP is a unique institution, which unites all leading political parties of the Asian subcontinent.
At present 220 parties from 50 countries of Asia are the ICAPP members. We are the ICAPP member since 2004. Sessions of the General Assembly should be held once every two years.
The ICAPP Standing Committee functions in the periods between these sessions. Representatives of 18 large parties such as the United Russia (Yedinaya Rossiya), Communist Party of China (CPC), leading parties of Pakistan, Philippines, India and Japan are in its structure. I want to note that our party is represented in the ICAPP Standing Committee since 2008. We always hold an active position in this working body - we are initiators of different ideas and proposals.
As it is known the General Assembly's sessions are conducted once every two years. Why was not the 5th session held in 2008?
The 5th session should have been held in 2008 indeed. It was planned to hold it in Pakistan. Unfortunately Benazir Bhutto died on the eve of the New Year at the end of 2007 in one of the terrorist acts. A huge explosion, which destroyed one of the five-star hotels, took place in Islamabad in March, after the Standing Committee's session. Then a terrorist sabotage was in Mumbai and the Pakistani origin of the terrorists was set. All of these led to refusal of potential participants of the General Assembly's session from coming to Pakistan. There appeared a pause in preparation for this session and Pakistan was taken off from the agenda.
In the current situation two ICAPP co-Chairmen - Jose De Venecia and Chung Eui-yong - put a question regarding a holding the General Assembly's session in Kazakhstan. There were plans on holding the VI session in 2010 in our country, after the session in Pakistan. At the end of 2008 the ICAPP co-Chairmen addressed a letter to Kazakh President, Chairman of our Party Nursultan Nazarbayev with request to consider an opportunity of holding the General Assembly's session in Kazakhstan.
The Head of the State approved this proposal and we started a preliminary work. And on March 28, 2009 the session of the ICAPP Standing Committee was held in the Nur Otan Central Office. All members took part in it.
What results do you expect from the forthcoming session of the General Assembly?
We expect that decisions taken at this session will be conceived in accordance with the main idea of the Astana Declaration - "Asia Renewal". In the political point it means further strengthening of multilateral cooperation of the Asian parties on overcoming consequences of the global economic and financial crisis, strengthening peace, security and development of good neighborly relations and cooperation between the states.
Holding the General Assembly in Astana has big importance in the context of upcoming Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the OSCE in 2010. It will promote problems solution of the Asian region and its cooperation activation with Europe and West in the whole. We carry out an honorary mission of an integrator of two civilizations - West and East, which is based on the Eurasian idea of our President.
As you said, the major topic of the session will be renewal of Asia. What other issues will be on the agenda?
The agenda is developing in accordance with the event format. The security issues in Asia, interaction issue in solution of security problems will be discussed. The issue on nuclear weapons non-proliferation will also be discussed at the forthcoming session. I told about this problem in Buenos Aires, and told that owing to the Kazakh President's policy the issue regarding nuclear disarmament was solved.
I am convinced that Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's initiative on reforming the world financial system and creation of a new international currency will draw big attention.
I think that the proposal, which we included in draft Astana Declaration, on creation of the Asian Twenties, A20, on the basis of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) will be very attractive for delegates of the forum.
First of all, it is crucial to emphasize the growing role of such integration structures at the Asian continent like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC), Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and others. I am sure that they will hold key positions in the Asia Renewal project.
Will the issues on relationships between the Western world and Asian countries be discussed?
The relations between Asia and West are the issue, which will be never taken off from the agenda of the ICAPP General Assembly. It is always reflected in the texts of declarations. Besides, leading western research structures are partners of the General Assembly in holding sessions. I want to note that the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and Hanns Seidel Foundation are among the partners. The dialogue of Asia and Europe is a feature for the Eurasian continent. Kazakhstan's role in the relationships between the West and Asia as a bridge between them will be discussed. All issues of relationships between the Asian states and western world will be touched upon in the context of the forthcoming chairmanship of Kazakhstan in the OSCE.
With what Asian political parties does Nur Otan People's Democratic Party develop cooperation most successfully?
If we speak about our nearest neighbors I would like to point out our cooperation with the United Russia. We signed a memorandum of cooperation. During our July visit to the People's Republic of China we also signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Communist Party of China. Besides, we have partnership relations with the leading parties of Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Korea, Vietnam, Singapore and Philippines.
Moreover, we cooperate not only with the Asian parties. Memos of cooperation were signed with the parties of Australia, Germany, France. I would like to emphasize that we interact not only in the bilateral format. We maintain partnership relations with the European People's Party headed by ex-PM of Belgium Wilfried Martens. Last year we attended the congress of the US Democratic Party where Barack Obama was nominated for the presidency. We meet with many party delegations from different countries. For instance, a month ago we received a delegation of the Korean ruling party Hannara and signed a memorandum of cooperation.
Within the framework of the ICAPP General Assembly we plan to conclude a memorandum with Yeni Azerbaijan party. We believe it will be an auspicious moment as the President of Kazakhstan will pay a visit to Baku on September 30.
The countries in Asia have different systems, their ruling parties have different orientation. How do you manage to cooperate and maintain constructive dialogue with all those parties different in their political views and traditions?
The main principle of membership in the ICAPP is a principle of respect of sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of a country. The states differ from each other. Asia has presidential and parliamentarian republics, monarchical states. However, we consider it is important to understand each other and find common vectors of cooperation and realize the main concept of the ICAPP -integration and cooperation of political and intellectual resources of Asia.
The dynamics of changes in Asia influences the progress of change of the whole world.