Deputy FM of Kazakhstan participated in opening of high-level segment of 25th session of UNHRC

ASTANA. KAZINFORM On 3rd March 2014, in Geneva, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Ashykbayev participated in the opening of high-level segment of the 25th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opened the session and heads of international organizations and specialized United Nations agencies attended the meeting.

In his session statement, Mr. Ashykbayev reported on priorities and tasks set by Kazakhstan in the context of its membership in the Council in 2013-2015. Kazakhstan diplomat underscored that Kazakhstan stands for strengthening the global architecture of the international system of the human rights protection bodies. At the time, there appeared an urgency of critical analysis of the events on both global and regional scales. The head of the Kazakh delegation emphasized the importance of strategic priority of the United Nations Human Rights Council efforts to enhancing trust of member states in the Council and further development of equal dialogue. In this context, Ashykbayev highlighted, Kazakhstan's candidacy to non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council in 2017-2018 demonstrates the country's commitment to fulfillment of its international obligations, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry's press service said. Kazakhstan's Deputy Foreign Minister reported on latest achievements of the country in the sphere of promoting and protecting human rights. In particular, he told about creating in 2013 a consultative body "Dialogue platform on human dimension" and a digital library, providing free access to information on human rights. At the same day, Mr. Ashykbayev held bilateral meetings with Deputy High Commissioner of the United Nations Office for Refugees Alexander Aleinikoff, Director of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Geneva, Rashid Khalikov and Great Britain's Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Hugo Swire.