Poland ratifies Partnership Agreement between Kazakhstan and EU
Presenting the bill, Co-rapporteur Senator Grzegorz Napieralski noted the significant role of Kazakhstan in Central Asia, importance of political, economic, industrial and innovative achievements of Kazakhstan over 25 years of its independence, high international standing of the country, as well as strategic status of Kazakh-European and Kazakh-Polish multilateral partnership. The MP highlighted that the state visit made in August 2016 by President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to Poland is a vivid example of the consistent and long-term policy for building mutually beneficial Kazakh-Polish cooperation.
As a sign of special respect and recognition of the role of Kazakhstan as a key partner and the role of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, as well as the strategic importance of further development of Kazakh-Polish cooperation, Marshal of the Senate Stanisław Karczewski invited Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Poland Altay Abibullayev to the plenary session and, upon the outcomes of voting, officially presented him the text of the Senate’s resolution on ratification of the Agreement. Such an invitation and presence of a foreign ambassador are rarely practiced in the Polish Parliament and are a symbol of special outlook of Poland on Kazakhstan.
This particular attention and respect from the representatives of Polish people to Kazakhstan are based on the outcomes of the state visit of President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to Poland made on August 22-23, 2016, and on the dynamic development of inter-Parliamentary cooperation between our states, which reached a new level – visit of Speaker of the Polish Senate Karczewski to Kazakhstan in May 2016. Polish MPs were encouraged by the decision of the Government of Kazakhstan to introduce a visa-free regime for Polish citizens since January 1, 2017, and the plans to open a direct flight between Warsaw and Astana in 2017. Business contacts between the two countries have also increased significantly. In light of Astana EXPO 2017, stakeholders enhance cooperation in tourism and organize joint thematic events on a regular basis.
Having congratulated Kazakhstan on the achievements made over 25 years of its independence under the leadership of President Nursultan Nazarbayev and on the election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2017-2018, Senate Speaker Karczewski noted that Poland was interested in comprehensive development of cooperation with Kazakhstan and was ready to become a "window to Europe" for Kazakhstan, therefore the ratification of the Kazakhstan - EU Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement by the Polish Parliament was another step of Warsaw in the relevant direction, Kazinform refers to the press service of the Kazakh MFA.
