Iranian politician highly appraises Kazakh anti-recessionary measures

TEHRAN. January 28. KAZINFORM The 17th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Islamic Republic of Iran will be celebrated tomorrow. Over this period the Kazakh-Iranian relations have reached significant results and today they actively develop in different directions.

On the eve of this date Kazakh Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Iran Yerik Utembayev held a meeting with Chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council and the Assembly of Experts, ex-President of Iran Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. He was an initiator of development of relations with Kazakhstan and one of the first leaders of the state, who made an official visit to Kazakhstan in 1993; Kazinform refers to the Kazakh Embassy?s press service. In 1980s Rafsanjani was the first speaker of the Majlis of Iran (Parliament), President of Iran during eight years, member of the Assembly of Experts. Issues of regional security, nuclear posture, bilateral cooperation and the Caspian cooperation were discussed. Within the meeting Y.Utembayev told about the state and tendencies of development of the Kazakh foreign policy, interaction with Iran, the Kazakh initiatives on nuclear disarmament, creation of nuclear-free-zone jointly with the CIS member states and Kazakhstan?s programme on implementation of anti-recessionary measures. Having highly appraised the role of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in ensuring regional security, Mr. Rafsanjani noted special attention of Iran to the relationships with Kazakhstan as a regional leader. ?N.Nazarbayev is a global politician, whose name is connected with a great contribution to strengthening peace and stability in the Central Asian region?, he said. Iran supports Kazakhstan?s initiatives, directed to ensuring stability and development of interfaith dialogue, takes active part in the CICA, Congress of leaders of world and traditional religions, SCO and etc. Y.Utembayev emphasized a high status of Kazakhstan, which was elected the OSCE chairman in 2010. It will promote effective improvement of the East-West dialogue. Drawing attention to an outstanding role of Iran in the regional issues, in particular situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Kazakh diplomat expressed an opinion on a positive prospect of Kazakhstan as a favorable platform promoting constructive discussions on regulation of these issues. The Iranian politician highly estimated dynamics of development of trade-economic interaction between Kazakhstan and Iran and emphasized the necessity of further extension of partnership, especially in the sphere of oil, gas and energy. He noted that Iran and Kazakhstan should use potential of the Caspian Sea in full. The Kazakh diplomat said that today the sides actively cooperate in the oil and gas, metallurgical, industrial, transport and agricultural spheres and the volume of trade turnover between the countries exceeds USD 2 bln. Y.Utembayev added that creation of the Economic Cooperation Organization is attractive and can improve national interests of riparian countries in effective use of the Caspian resources. As for the world financial crisis, Mr. Rafsanjani highly estimated anti-recessionary measures taken in Kazakhstan, implementation of which ensures a steady level of economy and further execution of the state strategic programs. Y.Utembayev said that the Government?s efforts are directed to support social programs and smooth implementation of main economic projects. A. Rafsanjani was interested in success of new capital of Kazakhstan, Astana. He called the Kazakh President?s initiative on transfer of the capital unprecedented, timely and effective. He emphasized that efficiency of social-economic and political reforms in Kazakhstan, raise of international authority of Kazakhstan is a result of successful policy of President N.Nazarbayev and his team. Finally, Mr. Rafsanjani was presented books of N.Nazarbayev ?Kazakhstan?s way? and Strategy ?Kazakhstan - 2030? in the Persian language.