During the ceremony, the Head of State accepted credentials from the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassadors of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Xiao, the Kingdom of Spain David Arturo Carriedo Tomas, the State of Israel Liat Vekselman, the Slovak Republic Milan Kollar and the European Union Sven-Olov Carlsson.
Nursultan Nazarbayev congratulated all ambassadors on the start of their diplomatic activities in Kazakhstan and wished them success in developing and further strengthening interstate relations.
- Your mission begins during the period of important events in our country. Our strategic direction is joining the top 30 developed countries of the world. In this regard, we have adopted all the necessary programs and embarked on implementing comprehensive reforms, the Head of State said.
The President of Kazakhstan stressed the importance of establishing trusting interstate relations in the context of increasing global crisis.
- Recently, during the regular meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York, there has been a noticeable increase in the “crisis of confidence” between certain states. Without trust, no measure aimed at overcoming the crisis will have a positive result, Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
The Head of State noted the effectiveness of the ongoing multi-vector foreign policy and Kazakhstan’s efforts for resolving international and regional conflicts.
Nursultan Nazarbayev has separately focused on the current state and prospects for developing relations between Kazakhstan and the People’s Republic of China.
- Kazakhstan pays special attention to the growth of versatile strategic cooperation with China. Since establishing diplomatic relations, we have formed an exemplary model of interstate relations, which are developing in the spirit of good-neighbourliness and mutual understanding. Today, the two governments are actively working to implement the mutual agreements reached. Special attention is paid to the conjugation of the Nurly Zhol Program of economic policy and the initiative of the Silk Road Economic Belt, the Head of State said.
The President of Kazakhstan has also stressed that this year marks 25 years since the establishment of our country's diplomatic relations with the European Union.
- At present, our main task is implementing the Agreement on Extended Partnership and Cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union, inked in 2015. In addition, it is necessary to concentrate joint efforts in preparing a new strategy for Brussels in relation to the countries of Central Asia. We also believe that there will be a right decision on the issue of simplifying the visa regime between Kazakhstan and the European Union, the Head of State noted.
Speaking to the ceremony participants, Nursultan Nazarbayev pointed to the strategic nature of relations between Kazakhstan and the Kingdom of Spain.
- In June 2017, His Majesty the King of Spain Felipe VI made an official visit to Kazakhstan for the first time and took part in the opening ceremony of EXPO 2017 international exhibition. In addition, the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic and Industrial Cooperation and the Business Council are making a significant contribution to implementing our agreements, the President of Kazakhstan said.
The Kazakh leader has also expressed interest in further developing relations between Kazakhstan and Israel in various economic sectors.
- A significant impulse to our cooperation was given by the official visit of the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu to Kazakhstan in 2016 and the business forum held within its framework. We are interested in the progress of our relations, in particular, in agriculture, in the field of innovative technologies and health care, Nursultan Nazarbayev emphasized.
Noting the positive dynamics of cooperation with Slovakia, the President of Kazakhstan stressed the importance of increasing trade and developing new areas of economic cooperation between the two countries.
- The Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation makes an active contribution to the strengthening of trade and economic relations. In the future, we need to increase trade and identify new directions for the development of economic relations, the Head of State said.
At the end of the ceremony, Nursultan Nazarbayev has once again congratulated the diplomats on the start of their responsible mission in Kazakhstan.
