During the ceremony, the credentials to the President of Kazakhstan were presented by the Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Austria - Gerhard Sayller, Vatican - Francis Assisi Chullikatt, Federal Republic of Germany - Rolf Mafael, the Hellenic Republic - Alexandros Katranis, the State of Qatar - Ahmad Ali bin Abdurrahman Al-Jamil al Tamimi, the Kingdom of the Netherlands - Dirk Jan Kop, Switzerland - Urs Schmid and Japan - Ichiro Kawabata.
The Kazakh leader congratulated the ambassadors with the official start of their diplomatic mission in Kazakhstan and expressed confidence that their work will serve as a new impetus for further expansion and deepening of cooperation between our countries.
The President of Kazakhstan noted the symbolism of the diplomatic work beginning in Astana on the eve of the remarkable holiday, i.e. the 25th anniversary of our country’s independence.
- We have come to this point with good results. For a quarter-century we have passed a difficult path of transformation. We have set new ambitious goals and objectives for the next stage of our country’s development, not satisfied with the achieved and seeking to strengthen the country's position in the current challenging environment, Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
The Head of State stressed that due to the constructive and peace-keeping initiatives and the balanced multi-vector foreign policy our country had rightly won the high prestige in the international arena.
- Convincing evidence of that is the election of Kazakhstan to the United Nations Security Council for the period of 2017-2018. As the Security Council member we are determined to draw attention to our region and to bring up key concerns of entire Central Asia, the President of Kazakhstan said.
Nursultan Nazarbayev noted that Kazakhstan is one of the initiators and leaders of the global anti-nuclear movement.
- We have launched a new initiative in this regard. I have taken a decision on establishing the international prize for a nuclear-free world and global security. King of Jordan Abdullah II has been elected as the first award winner. A special committee will be created thereafter, according to the decision of which the annual prize will awarded on the day of Semipalatinsk test site closing, i.e. on 29 August, the President of Kazakhstan said.
The Head of State stressed the strategic nature of relations between Kazakhstan and Japan.
- The first visit of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Astana in October 2015 has been the landmark event. I am confident that the results of my upcoming visit to Tokyo in November the current year will work towards leading our relations to a qualitatively new level, Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
The President of Kazakhstan noted the significant prospects for development of relations with Greece.
- We support the spirit of our Greek partners on intensifying political, trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian cooperation, the Head of State said.
The President of Kazakhstan pointed to a pivotal role of our cooperation with Germany in the European direction.
- We set a high value on favourable and trust-based dialogue on the top level. My visits to Berlin in 2012 and 2015, as well as the visit of Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel to Astana in 2010 have brought the bilateral relations to a qualitatively new level. A special place in our cooperation has implementation of the Agreement on partnership in raw, industrial and technological fields, as well as the Agreement on implementation of the German model of dual education in Kazakhstan. We support the priorities of the current German presidency of the OSCE, and Berlin's efforts to restore confidence between the member countries of the Organization, Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
The Head of State noted the progress of Kazakhstan's dialogue with Switzerland.
- There is a significant potential in the economic and investment spheres. For seven months of 2016 the bilateral trade has reached $ 2.2 billion. The two-sided commission on trade and economic cooperation and the Kazakh-Swiss Business Council shall serve the purpose, the President of Kazakhstan said.
Nursultan Nazarbayev emphasized the significant contribution of the Netherlands to the domestic economy.
- The Netherlands rank first in the number of foreign countries to invest in our economy. My visit to The Hague in 2014 and the visit of Prime Minister Mark Rutte in Astana in December 2015 have given a new impetus to the strengthening of bilateral cooperation. We congratulate the Netherlands on having been elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2018, when we will work together in this world's leading institution, the President said.
The President of Kazakhstan noted that Kazakhstan cherishes the warm relations with the Vatican.
- Visit of Pope John Paul II to Kazakhstan in September 2001 is a significant event for us, when on the Kazakh land he called for a ‘world without violence.’ We highly appreciate and are grateful for the active participation of high representatives of the Vatican in the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, Nursultan Nazarbayev concluded.
The Head of State emphasized the successful dialogue with Austria.
- We attach great importance to the regular meetings of the Kazakh-Austrian Intergovernmental Commission and Business Council this month. We wish success to the Austrian partner in the course of its chairmanship in the OSCE in 2017 and we are ready to cooperate on security issues and deepening the dialogue between East and West, the President of Kazakhstan said.
The President also outlined Qatar as the important partner in the Arab and Muslim world, and it has consistently supported the foreign policy initiatives of Kazakhstan.
- Qualitative deepening of bilateral cooperation facilitated the visit of the Emir of Qatar to Astana in 2014 and my visit to Doha last year. In the context of further economic cooperation expansion it is significant to use the opportunities of Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway with access to the Persian Gulf, Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
In conclusion, the President of Kazakhstan congratulated the participants of the ceremony on beginning their diplomatic work in Astana, wishing good health and success to them and their families.
