Domestic

Home page

Domestic

Andar Shukputov: Kazakhstan supports Azerbaijanâ€™s territorial integrity

14 December 2006 17:10 (UTC +04:00)

- You are celebrating the 15th anniversary of Independence of Kazakhstan. How will you characterize the importance of this date?
- On December 16, 1991 Kazakhstan adopted Constitutional law on the independence day of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This law was adopted in the hard periods of Kazakhstan. The economic indicators were low during those years and the main institutions were not working. But Kazakhstanâ€™s government had a serious aim and as the result of policy, we achieved to go out of the crisis. The reforms had been carried out in all spheres and these reforms contributed to the flourishing of our country.
- How do you evaluate the work of Azerbaijani Diasporas in Kazakhstan?
- As far as I know the representatives of 130 nations live in Kazakhstan. During the collapse of the empire, Kazakhstan could prevent the leaving of its citizens. Even now the number of the nations living in our country has increased by several times. There are Azerbaijanis among them too. There is an organization called the Assembly of Kazakhstan nations. This organization settles the problems of the development of the statehood. The Azerbaijanis living in Azerbaijan has a social organization called Turan. Besides, Azerbaijanis have different social organizations in every region, such as Gobustan, Vatan, Heydar and others. The leader of the Turan Azerbaijanis Congress visited Azerbaijan together with Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev last year. As to the problems of the Azerbaijanis living in Kazakhstan, market economy relations exist in this country. Everybody can improve his way of living using the opportunities created for the citizens.
- Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan political relations have always differed by stabilityâ€¦
- The root of our history and culture is the same. Therefore there have always been relations between these countries and it continues. Heydar Aliyev and Nursultan Nazarbayevâ€™s friendship paved the way for the new stage of relations between the two countries. Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev within three years of his presidentcy visited Kazakhstan three times. Kazakhstan President also visited Azerbaijan last year. The activity of Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan intergovernmental commission has intensified.
- Are you satisfied with the economic relations between the countries?
- The economic relations between our countries are based on the realization of bilateral projects. We use Baku-Batumi line for transportation of Kazakhstanâ€™s oil. Within Ilham Aliyevâ€™s visit to Kazakhstan the presidents signed a treaty on the transportation of Kazakhstanâ€™s oil by Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. I am often asked when Kazakhstan will join Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. The terms are being agreed on the transportation of Kazakhstanâ€™s oil by the pipeline. These terms include price, volume and other issues. Baku-Tbilisi-Akhalkalak-Gars railway project is the second great project for Kazakhstan. If this railway is built from Baku till Gars and we get an outlet to Europe. Another great project is connected with the grain production. There is a big grain terminal in Aktau. Kazakhstan produces 16 million tons grain a year, 6-7 tons of which can import to Azerbaijan.
- How does the official Astana estimate the latest processes in the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict?
- We have expressed our position on Nagorno Karabakh conflict several times. Kazakhstan supports Azerbaijanâ€™s territorial integrity and highly estimates the activity of OSCE Minsk Group. We are for the peaceful solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict. /APA/