WEEKLY REVIEW: Kazakhstan - strategic partner of six countries of G8
On Monday, December 12, the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies informed of the investment projects which will be launched in industry this year. In particular, 11 projects amounting to KZT 35.5 bln put into commission in the ore mining industry with creation of 1.8 thousand jobs. New industrial capacities are created within the state program of forced industrial and innovative development.
On Tuesday, December 13, during his meeting with heads of foreign institutions in Kazakhstan Minister of Foreign Affairs Yerzhan Kazykhanov informed that next year Kazakhstan is planned accede to the WTO. Kazakhstan continues active WTO accession negotiations. Our Customs Union partner country, Russia, is expected to enter the WTO till the end of the year. Kazakhstan have finished the talks with the United States and our negotiations with the EU are coming to an end.
Yerzhan Kazykhanov noted that now Kazakhstan has entered a level of strategic partnership with six states of G8 - Russia, the U.S.A., Germany, France, Japan and Italy. Priority is further strengthening of allied relations with the Russian Federation. Major success of interaction with Russia is laid in development of regional integration within the framework of the EurAsEC, Customs Union, Single Economic Space and CSTO as well as expansion of trade-economic cooperation. The Minister noted that an absolute priority is development of strategic partnership with China. Besides, Yerzhan Kazykhanov emphasized that Kazakhstan expects more participation in the country's economy diversification from the U.S.A.
On Wednesday, December 14, the Agreement on settlement of problematic issues between the Kazakh Government and Karachaganak Petroleum Operating (КРО) took place in Astana with the participation of Kazakh PM Karim Massimov.
As a result of lengthy negotiations lasted since 2009 until 2011 the KPO agreed to transfer Kazakhstan 5% stake in the project to settle disputes for the period until December 31, 2009, and sell extra 5% stake to make Kazakhstan's participation in the project up to 10%, the Oil and Gas Ministry said.
"Kazakhstan will allocate the Karachaganak project a quota of 500,00 tons per year in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which will later grow up to 2 million tons per year," Kazakh Oil and Gas Minister Sauat Mynbayev told after signing the Agreement on Kazakhstan's accession to the Karachaganak project.
On Thursday, December 15, the Prime Minister handed over awards and certificates of honor to a number of public employees and figures.
According to the President's Decree they were awarded for the merits, active public activity, significant contribution to socio-economic and cultural development of the country, strengthening friendship and cooperation between the nations.
At a solemn meeting devoted to the 20th anniversary of independence of Kazakhstan President N.Nazarbayev gave an instruction to the Government to elaborate a Strategy of social modernization.
"Kazakhstan should have the best education, the best healthcare, the best public administration, the best justice. The new social strategy is my care of every Kazakhstani, and it must be a care of the whole executive power in the country," N.Nazarbayev said.
On Friday, December 16, the Secretariat of the Ministry for Economic Integration informed of completion of bilateral negotiations on Kazakhstan's accession to the WTO with the Republic of Guatemala and signing of the corresponding Protocol.
The parties negotiated customs duties on fish, coffee, flowers, honey, rum, tropical fruits, cane raw sugar, etc.