Statement
by Her Excellency Mrs. Byrganym AITIMOVA
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan
to the United Nations before the General Assembly
on agenda item 109:
“Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization”
(New York, October 8, 2007)

Mr. President,

At the outset, I would like to pay tribute to the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report on the work of the Organization, which covers multifaceted activities of all United Nations institutions.

Indeed, this has been a most challenging, crucial and fruitful year in the United Nations history. The Secretary-General and the Organization have taken bold and practical steps in several important areas, namely, security, peace-keeping, development, preventing climate change, promoting inter-religious and intercultural dialogue, as well as institutional reforms.

We are encouraged by the firm conviction of the Secretary-General that the United Nations must not shrink from the challenges and many pressing needs in the world today and we are strongly convinced that they can best be addressed collectively, through the world’s only truly universal instrument, the United Nations.

At the 2005 World Summit, all Governments committed themselves to implementing comprehensive national development strategies to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. It is obvious, that the Millennium Development Goals can be achieved only through active engagement of the entire international community on the basis of partnership and cooperation. We fully share Secretary-General’s opinion that we need to narrow the gap between aspiration and achievement and we commend his firm decision to make the Goals a central priority for the Organization.

Kazakhstan is committed to its obligations to reach the Millennium Development Goals and steadily implements long-terms development Strategy “Kazakhstan?2030”. This year we celebrate 10th anniversary of adoption this important for our country document, which determined main directions of social and economic development of Kazakhstan for a long-term period.

In 10 years of implementation the Strategy Kazakhstan has successfully completed the transfer stage and now steadily enters into a development stage of new quality. The Government’s major task in economic policy consists in country’s joining the Top-50 most competitive world economies within the upcoming decade.

Climate change and sustainable development. Conservation of climate on our planet is a problem affecting the interests of all mankind and of every nation. We share the view of the Secretary-General, that overcoming climate change will contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, alongside the wider sustainable development goals agreed at the World Summit in 2005

Kazakhstan takes concrete measures to tackle the environmental problems at national and regional level. We work on establishing a Eurasia Water Center – a major science and production association that would develop break-through technologies of water management and tackle environmental problems of watersheds in the region. Besides, a Solar Center for Renewable Resources and Sources of Energy - the first in Central Asia—is to be established.

Kazakhstan is fully aware of its share of responsibility for ensuring a global energy balance and security. To promote further diversification of energy delivery to consumers and also to provide assurances to energy producers, Kazakhstan proposes to adopt a Eurasian Pact on Stability of Energy Delivery.

A global solution to climate change will require a global response and we attach great importance to international discussions of post-Kyoto regime. Kazakhstan welcomes and fully supports the process of negotiations that are to continue in Bali at the 13-th Conference of Parties to the UNFCC later this year.

Conflict prevention and peacemaking. International peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the United Nations remain the most efficient tool to prevent and settle crises and ensure global and regional stability. Kazakhstan firmly supports UN peacekeeping activities and efforts to strengthen the Organization’s peacekeeping capacity.

Speaking of Asia, we have to mention the issue of the establishment of a continental arrangement of preventive diplomacy. That has become possible due to the implementation of Kazakhstan’s initiative to convene the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), declared by the President of Kazakhstan during the forty-seventh session of the General Assembly in 1992.

Today, the CICA process brings together 18 states and a number of observer states and international organizations. Time has proven the relevance of the CICA process, within which a political dialogue among Asian states is gaining momentum. We also appreciate the establishment at Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) of a United Nations Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia and express our readiness to closely cooperate with the Center and our neighbors in order to strengthen regional capacities for conflict prevention.

Combating terrorism. The threat of terrorism to international peace, security and development remains a pressing issue for the international community. We support efforts of the international community aimed at developing practical measures to strengthen security mechanisms and improve legal instruments to have better coordination of anti-terrorism cooperation. Kazakhstan attaches great importance to establishing the international legal base that would allow for efficient and quick response to terror attacks and their timely prevention. To this end, we encourage Secretary-General to take measures to facilitate soonest finalizing of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

Kazakhstan attaches importance to the strengthening of regional and sub-regional cooperation to combat terrorism as well as the role of regional organizations and forums to eliminate this threat. To this end, Kazakhstan highly appreciates efforts of such international bodies as Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), CICA, and Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which make a significant contribution to actions of the international community aimed against international terrorism.

Disarmament and non-proliferation. Kazakhstan shares high expectations, expressed by the Secretary-General, that the Conference on Disarmament would be able to make a break through in multilateral disarmament diplomacy solving long-standing disagreements over its program of work. We believe that preserving this forum is the responsibility of the whole international community.

Kazakhstan believes that the conclusion of a Fissile Materials Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) is essential for nuclear disarmament and the prevention of the proliferation of nuclear weapons. We believe that the start of negotiations on an FMCT will be a significant step towards nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

History chose that man made his first flight into space from the territory of Kazakhstan and we are strongly convinced that space, as the common heritage of humankind, should be used only for peaceful purposes. Therefore, we support the initiative of the Russian Federation and China to elaborate a legally binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space and on the threat or use of force against space objects.

Humanitarian affairs. We believe it is important to increase coordination and cooperation of UN bodies, other international organizations, and governments on the national level in order to prevent and overcome consequences of natural disasters for the sake of saving many people’s lives. In this regard, we attach particular importance to the establishment by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) of Central Asian Disaster Response Coordination Centre in Kazakhstan.

In general, delegation of Kazakhstan welcomes the Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization. However, taking into account that issues of gender mainstreaming and equality as well as empowerment of women gain increased attention and importance in international agenda, we would like to see in the future reports of the Secretary-General more detailed and comprehensive information and analyses devoted to these issues.

In conclusion, I would like to stress, that eventual success in attaining our objectives in the field of security, development and human rights will be assured only through the close coordination and support from all members of the international community and Kazakhstan will responsibly and actively participate in all major UN activities.

Thank you for your attention.

Statement
by H.E. Mr. Kassymzhomart Tokaev,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan,
during the general debate at the sixty-first session
of the United Nations General Assembly
(New York, 22 September 2006)

Madam President,
Mr. Secretary-General,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all, I would like to congratulate you, Madam President, on your election to this high office and express confidence that under your skilful stewardship the sixty-first session of the United Nations General Assembly will be successful and fruitful.

Last year's World Summit has reaffirmed the role of the United Nations as an indispensable and universal forum for taking important action on today's burning issues. The Summit's decision to carry out the United Nations reform, the most radical in its history, is a case in point. We are now in a position to give a preliminary assessment of the work in that area. The results, unfortunately, are mixed.

On one hand, helpful decisions have been taken to establish new elected bodies within the United Nations system - the Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights Council. They have been set up thanks to intensive efforts of all delegations, which have been able to reach a compromise through negotiations.

On the other hand, lack of any progress on the issue of reforming the work of the General Assembly and the Security Council seriously impedes the institutional reform of the Organization. In our view, further delays in that process might have a negative impact on the United Nations efforts in the areas of international stability, security and development.

For the delegation of Kazakhstan the current session is, in a way, an anniversary session - we are taking part in the work of this forum for the fifteenth time. Consistently advancing its national interests at the international arena, my country is firmly committed to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.

The establishment in Asia of a mechanism of cooperation to enhance regional security and stability, known as the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), has been one of Kazakhstan's first initiatives, put forward from this rostrum in 1992. We can safely claim that the initiative has proved its viability and has become an important factor of international relations at this juncture, as evidenced by the outcome of the second CICA Summit, held in Kazakhstan last June. The documents adopted by the CICA, such as the Catalogue of Confidence-building Measures and the Agreement on the Establishment of the CICA Secretariat, create propitious conditions for regional cooperation and multilateral dialogue in Asia.

Kazakhstan invariably calls for an enhanced nuclear-weapon non-proliferation regime. This position is rooted in the sufferings of our people, who are still reeling from negative effects of nuclear explosions at the Semipalatinsk nuclear testing ground, shut down exactly 15 years ago by a decree of President Nursultan A. Nazarbayev. This position has been supported by a historic decision of my country to voluntarily renounce its nuclear arsenal, which used to be the fourth largest in the world.

We want that step to serve as a commendable example in the light of the ongoing large-scale crisis that has struck the global security system. Regrettably, lack of any results at the last NPT Review Conference and the United Nations Disarmament Commission remains a major challenge for the international community.

It is time to take coordinated efforts to overcome that crisis. The process in that direction has already made a good start. The Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia, signed on 8 September 2006 in Semipalatinsk, is a demonstration of political will of five Central Asian States - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The signing of that milestone instrument could become a catalyst for the process of enhancement of the NPT. We believe that tangible progress in that area is possible if all Member States comply with their obligations regarding nuclear disarmament and vertical and horizontal proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The Central Asian States are ready to continue consultations with the permanent members of the Security Council on the issue of that Treaty's entry into force.

In our view, the States concerned should strictly comply with their commitment to a moratorium on nuclear test explosions and work to ensure the entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. All peaceful nuclear programmes should be carried out in a transparent manner, under the control of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

It is a matter of great concern that the crisis has extended not only to strategic but also to conventional weapons. Regrettably, Member States have so far failed to devise common approaches to the Programme of Action in this area.

We have to step up efforts to tighten national export control mechanisms. I refer, first and foremost, to dual-use materials and technologies, as well as to missiles and means of delivery of weapons of mass destruction, with full and strict compliance with the provisions of a Security Council resolution adopted in 2004.

The possibility of weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of terrorists is a matter of grave concern. To prevent such a scenario, we have to push for the accession of all United Nations Member States to the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.

We live in a world where tensions between States and armed conflicts are still very much part of everyday life. The crisis in Lebanon has highlighted yet again the need to use effectively the United Nations capacity to maintain international peace and security. Since the early days of the conflict, Kazakhstan has called for the strengthening of the Security Council role in the settlement of that crisis.

The deployment of a strengthened contingent of United Nations peacekeepers in the conflict zone was the only viable solution to that large-scale crisis.

Regrettably, lack of an effective mechanism to prevent the break up and spread of armed conflicts remains a serious problem. In our view, the establishment of a United Nations Preventive Diplomacy and Conflict Prevention Center in Central Asia remains a relevant proposition. That Center would focus on the provision of advice and expertise to the countries of the region, taking into account their national interests and security considerations.

It is vitally important to find out how belated adoption of the Security Council resolution on Lebanon agrees with the process of the United Nations system reform. Inefficiency of the institutional system of the United Nations and lack of broad understanding among Member States negatively affect global and regional stability and security.

The Security Council reform is taking way too long. The existing status quo is not in the interests of United Nations Member States themselves and that the final solution can be found only through constructive dialogue.

The issue of an enhanced status of the General Assembly is still pending. Kazakhstan believes that through reform we have to strengthen the role of all States in making decisions on major international issues.

Kazakhstan has decided to run for the Economic and Social Council. We express our appreciation to those Member States that have supported our nomination. If elected, we intend to actively participate in the work of that important United Nations body on all substantive items of its agenda.

Speaking from this high rostrum, I feel obliged to express serious concern about the surge of international terrorism. Recent explosions in Iraq and Turkey and an aborted London terror plot indicate that this global threat is clearly growing. It is impossible to counter that threat without consolidated efforts by the entire international community. To speed up the implementation of relevant counter-terrorism conventions and Security Council resolutions, we have to strengthen cooperation between Member States at the United Nations. An early conclusion of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism is very much on our agenda.

With illegal routes of delivery of Afghan drugs from Asia to Europe running through its territory, Kazakhstan exerts every effort to address that threat. Yet it is clear that no country in the world can deal effectively with it on its own. That fight can be effective only if we join our efforts and mobilize resources of the United Nations and its specialized agencies. It is precisely for that reason that Kazakhstan has supported the United Nations initiative to set up in Kazakhstan a Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center for Fighting Illegal Drug Trafficking.

We welcome the results of the General Assembly plenary on migration and development. We believe that those discussions have helped to lay the ground for a regular dialogue on that issue among all parties concerned. As a country of destination, transit and origin of migration, Kazakhstan is willing to take an active part in the search for solutions to the problems of illegal migration, labour migration and protection of the rights of migrants.

In our view, development issues should remain in the focus of attention of the international community. The timely and effective realization of the Millennium Development Goals will grow in importance as we approach 2015.

Kazakhstan supports decisions on development issues taken at major international conferences and United Nations summits and calls for their timely and effective implementation. As the largest landlocked country, Kazakhstan urges the international community, first of all the developed countries, to take every effort to meet the needs of the least developed and developing landlocked countries.

Structural reforms, carried out since its independence, have totally transformed Kazakhstan. Today, it is one of the most dynamic States of the world that has set ambitious goals to promote further development. Average growth of GDP over the last 5 years was at 10 percent. The World Bank has included Kazakhstan in the top 20 most attractive economies for investment. The Government works to ensure that Kazakhstan joins the ranks of the most competitive economies. To reach that target, we have developed an industrial innovative economic development programme and finance relevant projects through a special national fund. All basic development institutions have been put in place. Negotiations on Kazakhstan's admission to the World Trade Organization are in the final stages.

Programmes are being implemented to use the transport and transit capacity of the country and large-scale projects are being carried out to integrate the country's transportation infrastructure into the Eurasian transportation system.

Kazakhstan renews its commitment to the Millennium Development Goals. The UNDP report, issued on the eve of the 2005 World Summit, demonstrates that our country has made great strides in that area.

As a major exporter of energy resources, Kazakhstan will continue to pursue its policy to ensure their delivery to world markets through multiple routes.

With the growing economy the Government is consistently increasing social spending, primarily in health care, education, employment and other areas. The efforts being taken have made it possible for the World Bank to rank Kazakhstan as a successful State with a dynamically growing economy.

We pay close attention to the promotion of democracy, building of civil society and enhancement of interethnic and interfaith accord inside the country. Our accomplishments here are evident. My country, home to more than 100 ethnic groups and practically all religions, is a model of tolerance, accord and stability.

It is no accident that Kazakhstan has hosted a forum of leaders of world and traditional religions. The second congress has just completed its deliberations in Astana. Religious leaders adopted a declaration calling for an active dialogue among religions. We cannot allow the use of religious differences as an instrument of hatred and strife and we have to save humanity from a global clash of religions and cultures. The Congress has become Kazakhstan's contribution to global dialogue among religions.

Kazakhstan carries out a balanced foreign policy based on our long-term national interests and aimed at the development of friendly ties with the neighboring countries and all interested countries of the world.

As the current Chair of the Commonwealth of Independent States, my country has devised a plan to reform that organization in order to enhance its capacity.

Kazakhstan has been working actively in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Eurasian Economic Community and supports the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Leading the other post-Soviet countries in many areas, Kazakhstan has always assumed responsibility for the implementation of international initiatives, be it its decision to shut down the Semipalatinsk nuclear testing ground or to voluntarily renounce nuclear weapons or its initiatives to convene a regional security forum in Asia (CICA) or to hold a Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions or to host the first global conference on transit transport cooperation or to organize a session of the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee away from Headquarters.

In 2007, Kazakhstan will host the sixty-third session of UNESCAP, which turns 60.

We express our appreciation to all States that have supported Kazakhstan's candidature for OSCE Presidency on 2009.

Kazakhstan will continue to be active on all key items of the global agenda and will contribute to the implementation of important decisions adopted at the United Nations.

In conclusion, I would like to quote a popular saying in my country: "Nothing can be farther than yesterday and nothing can be closer than tomorrow". A year ago, at the World Summit, we agreed to take action to reform the United Nations. We should not forget that humanity pins its hopes for better future on the United Nations as an indispensable organization. It is high time to take specific and effective action to raise the prestige of our Organization.

Thank you for your attention.

Other statements at the General Assembly
(since January 2005)

Statement by H.E. Ms. Byrganym Aitimova, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations at the thematic debate of the General Assembly on the theme: “Recognizing the achievements, addressing the challenges and getting back on track to achieve the MDGs by 2015” English

Statement by Ms.Aida Alzhanova, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations at the informal consultations of the General Assembly on the theme: “UN System Wide Coherence”, New York, 17 April 2008 English

Statement by H.E. Mrs. Byrganym Aitimova, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations at the informal consultations of the General Assembly on the theme: “UN System Wide Coherence”, New York, 28 March 2008 English

Statement by Her Excellency Mrs. Byrganym Aitimova, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations before the General Assembly on agenda item 9, “Report of the Security Council”, and item 124, “Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters”, New York, 12 November 2007 English

Notes for intervention at the Meeting of the “Open-ended Working Group on the Question of Equitable Representation on and increase in the Membership of the Security Council and other Matters related to the Security Council”, December 14, 2007 English

Statement by H.E. Ms. Byrganym Aitimova, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations at the Plenary Meeting of the 62nd Session of the General Assembly on the Situation in Afghanistan; New York, November 5 2007 English

Statement by H.E. Ms. Byrganym Aitimova, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations at the informal meeting of the General Assembly on the “Question of Equitable Representation on and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council and Related Matters”; New York, May2007 English

Kazakhstan’s position at the sixty-first session of the United Nations General Assembly; New York, September2006 English

Statement by H.E. Mr. Yerzhan Kazykhanov, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, before the General Assembly on agenda item 102: "Report of the Secretary-General on the Work of the Organization" New York, 2Oct2006 English

Tokaev - 61st session General Debate 22Sep2006 English Russian

Statement by H.E. Mr. Yerzhan Kazykhanov, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, before the General Assembly on agenda item 110: "Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization" New York, 29 September 2005 English

Statement by H.E. Mr. Kassymzhomart Tokaev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, during the general debate at the sixtieth session of the United Nations General Assembly New York, 18 September 2005 English Russian

Statement by H.E. Mr. Kassymzhomart Tokaev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, at the High-Level Plenary Meeting of the sixtieth session of the United Nations General Assembly (UN Summit) New York, 15 September 2005 English Russian

Statements by H.E. Mr. Yerzhan Kazykhanov, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, on the 13th Informal meeting of the plenary to discuss the revised text of the President's draft outcome document of the high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly of September 2005 New York, 28 July 2005 Statement 1, Statement 2, Statement 3, Statement 4

Statement by H.E. Mr. Yerzhan Kazykhanov, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, at the informal meeting of the plenary on the draft outcome document of the High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly of September 2005 New York, 22 June 2005 English

Statement by Mr. Sagadat Nurmagambetov, the former Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan, five-star general veteran of the Second World War, at the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in commemoration of the sixtieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War New York, 9 May 2005 English Russian

Statement by H.E. Mr. Yerzhan Kazykhanov, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, at the Informal Thematic Consultation of the General Assembly on the Report of the Secretary-General: "In larger Freedom Towards Security, Development and Human Rights for All" Cluster IV (Strengthening the United Nations) New York, 28 April 2005 English

Statement by H.E. Mr. Yerzhan Kazykhanov, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, at the Informal Thematic Consultation of the General Assembly on the Report of the Secretary-General: "In larger Freedom Towards Security, Development and Human Rights for All" Cluster I (Freedom from Want) New York, 26 April 2005 English

Statement by H.E. Mr. Yerzhan Kazykhanov, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations at the Informal Thematic Consultation of the General Assembly on The Report of the Secretary-General: "In Larger Freedom: towards security, Development and Human Rights for All" Cluster II (Freedom from Fear) New York, 21 April 2005 English

Statement by H.E. Mr. Yerzhan Kazykhanov, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations at the plenary meeting of the General Assembly on the Report of the Secretary-General "In larger freedom: towards development, security and human rights for all" New York, 7 April 2005 English Russian