Olzhas Suleimenov: History of Kazakhstan should be studied and written by young talented historians with new consciousness.

Therefore, the meeting with Olzhas Suleimenov in Astana was more affected by this field of activity of the poet.

In the interview to Kazinform correspondent the Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to UNESCO spoke about "Nation in Flow of History" Program, shared his views on why it is now that the government has paid great attention to the history of the Kazakhs, said that the interesting historical discoveries are to be found not abroad but in Kazakhstan, and that we should not be excited about the location of the head of Kenesary. However, we have not forgotten to ask Olzhas Suleimenov about poetry and diplomacy.

It should be noted that certain statements may seem a little harsh, offensive and uncomfortable, the other ones, on the contrary, sound wise, honest and fair.

- Mr. Suleimenov, I want to know your opinion: why has now the initiative of the President concerning history received such a powerful impetus? Secretary of State Mr. Tazhin held a public meeting on an extended history of Kazakhstan, he has given a lot of orders to relevant professionals. What was the impetus to this?

- These questions, of course, require some time for getting prepared. Apparently this is what happened. We had to digest, assimilate the basic idea. In principle, of course, this topic is long overdue, especially for us, because the Kazakhs virtually have no hsitory, I have experienced that. I knew the history of the world, of many countries and nothing about my own. So I started when I was a student at the Institute of Literature. On my own I began to seek out the original sources of Kazakh history, history of the Turks, and so on. Therefore, this topic is always current for us .

But this last appeal can help us very much to achieve, because there is not only certain accumulated knowledge, but also certain resentment against our own historians, who still can not ... They defend their thesis, rather than to protect their people, the nation and its language! Here's who this appeal is addressed to now.

There are historians, as well as writers, the talented ones. But I met less talented historians than talented writers (he laughs - Author). It is also important for the development of this genre in our culture. I hope that this appeal will help nurture a new generation of talented historians, with a new consciousness and without an "earthed" look.

- The Kazakhs have long been concerned about the whereabouts of the head of Kenesary. Do you know where the solution is?

- I asked this question even to the director of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. No one knows about this exhibit there. That's it. It doesn't exist there. I am convinced of that, and we are now in vain excited about all those conversations. If it were, I do not think it would be so dear for them. For Russia it is of no value. They would have already given it back. We should forget about it. I think it's there and stays in the mountains, where it happened to be in the 19th century.

- Secretary of State Marat Tazhin at a meeting on History spoke of the need to repatriate artifacts and documents about the Kazakhs from foreign repositories. What, in your opinion, is there interesting of these artifacts in the world?

- All that is known (discovered). We need to open something new. Most interesting is that we can now open something... in Kazakhstan. For example, I propose to deal with Korkyt heritage. I have recently been at the conference in Kyzyl-Orda, and persuaded the colleagues there that Korkyt is not a historical figure, it is a mythical figure. It came to us from Egypt, floated by our ancestors over 5000 years. Korkyt is the god of the setting sun ...

- You said that you are a professor emeritus of many well-known and reputable universities in the world. But why don't you read lectures at home, in Kazakhstan? You have much wealthy knowledge to be passed to native students?!

- Last year I was at the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, where I spent a master class. The rector gathered his teachers - linguists and historians ... However, this, of course, ...little done. Howeverit is a start and I think I will continue.

Historically and in the future, we will, of course, make friends and be friends with Russia, it must be clearly printed in our minds And making another remark, which contributes to the improvement of friendly relations. So there are things that require us to look more severe. I don't like everything what's going on now. This, unfortunately, is more than what I like. But anyway, this does not outweigh the fact that accumulated good about Russia in my whole life, about Russian culture and the Russian people. And it defines my attitude to our great neighbor.

- Do you believe the statement by the President Xi Jinping that he would never do anything bad to Kazakhstan and the issue of transboundary rivers will be resolved only through negotiations?

- I hope so. He may speak frankly, but how it will be realized, that it is very important to us. I hope his sincerity will be confirmed by facts.

- Society wants to know if you are continuing to write?

- Poetry is a universal concept. Poetry is also expressed in verse, and chores, and other things. Even then, what I do - history - is also a poetic work. "Nevada Sempalatinsk" is also a poem of mine. Many other things are all the manifestations of a poet, of course. I have not written poems for a long time ...

It reminds me of Pushkin: "Years tend to the harsh prose", he was 37 years old, when he tended to prose and I'm stuck doing it too (laughs). That is, in other genres I show my inclinations, which were more vividly manifested in my youth ...