Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov highly appreciated the contribution of the first President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, to the development of allied relations and strategic partnership with the Russian Federation.
"The first President's contribution to the development of relations of alliance and strategic partnership with Russia is particularly valuable. It was he who initiated the development of the Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan on good-neighborliness and Alliance in the XXI century of November 11, 2013, which, by the way, provides for a coordinated foreign policy. We are working together to ensure regional security and contribute to maintaining stability in Eurasia as a whole," he said in an interview with the international news agency Kazinform.
Lavrov noted that Nazarbayev had become one of the architects of economic rapprochement of States in the post-Soviet space. The crowning achievement, as you know, was the launch of the Eurasian Economic Union on January 1, 2015, he added.
"At the same time, Nursultan Abishevich does not stop there. As the honorary Chairman of the EAEU, he continues to work hard to improve the mechanisms of Eurasian integration, its integration with other integration initiatives, " the Minister stressed.
Lavrov noted that the history of modern Kazakhstan is inextricably linked with the name of Nazarbayev. According to the Russian Foreign Minister, the key to the achievements of the first President of Kazakhstan is his "genetic" focus on creation. "Using his rich political experience and wise foresight, he united the citizens of Kazakhstan, offering them a unifying, forward-looking agenda. He managed to achieve impressive success in building effective government institutions, maintain internal political stability, strengthen interethnic and interfaith harmony, and ensure the growth of people's well-being and quality of life," the Minister said.
He noted that a number of peace-loving and environmental-oriented initiatives of Nazarbayev have earned Kazakhstan a high reputation in the international arena. "Taking this opportunity, I would like to wish Nursultan Abishevich health, prosperity, and long years of active work," Lavrov concluded.
Eurasian integration
Increasing cooperation in the EEU, CSTO, SCO, as well as efforts to form the Greater Eurasian partnership, will guarantee stability in the region, Russia and Kazakhstan adhere to common principles and goals in the development of these processes, Lavrov said.
According to him, Kazakhstan has become "one of the engines of integration processes in Eurasia" since Nazarbayev announced the idea of creating the Eurasian Economic Union in 1994. "We are convinced that building up such cooperation on the principles of equality, mutual respect and consideration of national interests will help to ensure stability, strengthen connectivity and stimulate sustainable economic growth. And this is exactly what Russia, Kazakhstan, and our other partners in the region urgently need," the Russian Foreign Minister said.
Thus, Lavrov pointed to the active interaction between Moscow and Nur-Sultan in the EAEU to ensure four freedoms in the Union space: the unhindered movement of goods, services, capital and labor. He explained that currently, the organization's agenda is "adoption and subsequent implementation of Strategic directions for the development of the Eurasian economic integration until 2025", and within the framework of this project, more than 300 events are planned in various areas of cooperation. "In this regard, we count on our Kazakh friends, who will take over the chairmanship of the EAEU bodies next year," the Minister said.
"Russia and Kazakhstan, like other allies, have common interests within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) - to ensure peace and stability throughout its space," Lavrov stressed and said that Moscow and Nur-Sultan are aimed at expanding the circle of partners of this Association. He also expressed gratitude to the Kazakh side for the initiatives to form and develop the Collective forces of the CSTO, the system of response to crisis situations, and confirmed his readiness to continue working to build up the organization's peacekeeping potential. "Russia is chairing the CSTO this year. We feel Kazakhstan's full support for Russian priorities, as this implies the allied nature of our relations," the head of the Russian diplomatic service added.
According to the Minister, Russia and Kazakhstan are also actively engaged in the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), paying attention to security, economic cooperation and humanitarian ties. "I am confident that the action plan for 2021-2025 for the implementation of the Development Strategy until 2025, the Concept of cooperation of member States for the development of remote and rural areas in the digital age, the Comprehensive plan of joint measures of member States to counter the threats of epidemics in the region, as well as the launch of the forum of heads of regions will open up additional opportunities for deepening our friendly partnership," Lavrov said.
In addition, he called one of the most important areas of joint activity of the two countries joint efforts to build " a single, wide and open space of security and mutually beneficial economic and humanitarian cooperation in Greater Eurasia." "Today, an increasing number of our partners support the initiative of the President [of Russia] Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin on the formation of a Large Eurasian partnership with the participation of members of the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai cooperation organization, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as well as other interested countries and multilateral associations," the Minister concluded.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS