Kazakhstan, 2014

On behalf of the

Republic of Kazakhstan, I would first like to congratulate

Mr. Sam Kutesa on his election to the presidency of

the General Assembly at its sixty-ninth session. We

offer him our best wishes and full support. We also

extend our special gratitude to Mr. John Ashe for his

able leadership of the Assembly and his commitment

to finding solutions to pressing international problems.

The world today is undergoing a major upheaval.

The global instability we face is a crisis of the global

economy, of international law and, in a broader sense,

of a lack of vision for our world’s future. To our deep

regret, it seems that not all States yet recognize their

full responsibility for the fate of their neighbourhoods

and the world as a whole. Instead of well-thought-

out, viable solutions, we are witnessing a disturbing

escalation of problems, drawing in more countries and

making our shared hopes of peace and stability ever

more distant.

Rivalry among the major Powers over perceived

spheres of influence, markets and control over

the production and transit of energy resources has

increased. Tensions are on the rise, and the dangerous

and unacceptable belief in the right of power in world

politics has strengthened. As a result, we are witnessing

a renewed arms race and the use of military force to

impose and extend influence. Unilateral actions and

double standards are destabilizing the international

situation, exacerbating tensions, inciting ethnic

and religious strife and threatening the security of

other States. In today’s confusing media space, it is

impossible to distinguish lies from truth. This dire state

of global affairs, rising tensions and mistrust between

States is undermining the efforts of the United Nations

and entire international community to bring about a

peaceful solution to any crisis by lawful means. It is

also deeply worrying to see the established architecture

of international law being dangerously eroded.

What is even more perilous is that radical

movements and extremist forces are skilfully

exploiting the resulting uncertainty and instability in

the international system. We are particularly concerned

about the continuing violence in the Middle East and

Africa and the growing threats posed to some Asian

countries. We extend our deepest condolences to the

citizens and Governments whose civilians have been

senselessly killed during the violence.

The situation in Ukraine is of special concern to

Kazakhstan. The impact of the crisis now extends not

just beyond the borders of Ukraine, but beyond the

entire region. Kazakhstan supports peaceful initiatives

aimed at the speedy de-escalation of the conflict,

including the Minsk peace agreements. The ceasefire

must be used to implement the peace plans of President

Poroshenko and President Putin. These give hope for

the eventual stabilization of the situation in Ukraine.

We should also be concerned that the crisis in Ukraine

has led to mutual sanctions being imposed by countries

that together make up 60 per cent of the world’s gross

domestic product. That will certainly have a damaging

effect on global development and economic growth.

Now more than ever, the world needs to come

together to find an alternative model to solving

problems, based on equal partnership, broad dialogue,

mutual respect and tolerance among all stakeholders. We

are confident that the Charter of the United Nations and

the fundamental principles of international law provide

the basis for this model. The role of the United Nations

must remain pivotal and primary, while bringing States

together and providing global leadership based on the

equal participation of all Member States in the process.

The dynamics of our world today and the forecasts

of what the future might hold must prompt world leaders

to look beyond narrow national interests and to exercise

the highest degree of judgement and political will. What

is at stake is nothing less than saving our civilization

from destruction. This is not an exaggeration or

overstatement. It is the harsh and threatening reality.

We are seeing a fundamental change in the structure

of geopolitical, geo-economic and transnational

relations. What is emerging is a polycentric system

of international transactions. Within that framework,

nobody has the right to determine global and regional

processes unilaterally. No country has exceptional

rights or advantages. To help adjust to this emerging

new multipolar world order and promote the widest

possible involvement in identifying the way forward,

in 2012 the President of Kazakhstan proposed the

G-Global initiative. It seeks solutions based on five

principles, namely, a strong preference for evolutionary

rather than revolutionary policy change; the crucial

importance of justice, equality and consensus; the

promotion of global tolerance and trust; the need for

global transparency; and, finally, the encouragement

of constructive multilateralism. Unfortunately, the

decisions taken in the wake of the global financial

crisis by the Group of Twenty and the Group of Eight

have proved to be insufficient because they were not

all-inclusive in their elaboration.

Kazakhstan therefore encourages Member States

to use the G-Global platform for dialogue to help draw

up plans — developed by all and acceptable to all — to

prevent future global crises. We have already embarked

on that process through the Astana Economic Forum,

which resulted in a draft anti-crisis plan offered to the

United Nations. We believe that the plan should be

taken up by the General Assembly and the Economic

and Social Council and given serious consideration.

At the forty-seventh session of the General Assembly

in 1992, President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan initiated

the convening of the Conference on Interaction and

Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). Like

the G-Global initiative, CICA emerged from the firm

belief that international progress could come about

only through strong and effective partnerships, built in

the spirit of solidarity among all countries, regardless

of their political and economic development. CICA has

become an effective multinational forum for enhancing

cooperation and promoting peace, security and stability

in Asia. Kazakhstan supports the initiative of China, the

country that chairs CICA currently, for a new security

concept for Asia based on the principle of common,

comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable regional

security. That will enable us to consolidate CICA in the

near future and transform it into the Organization for

Security and Development in Asia.

Two weeks ago, the General Assembly held an

informal meeting to mark the International Day against

Nuclear Tests. We are pleased that all those present

expressed their determination to bring about a world

without nuclear-weapon testing and, ultimately, without

nuclear weapons. That is an issue close to the hearts

of the people of Kazakhstan, who have witnessed and

continue to live with the terrible legacy of nuclear

testing. That is why we proposed 29 August as the day

to raise awareness of this important issue, and why

President Nazarbayev has launched the Abolish Testing:

Our Mission Project, a global education campaign on

the perils of nuclear testing.

The closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test

Site and the renunciation of the world’s fourth-largest

nuclear arsenal — both inherited from the Soviet Union

upon our independence — were defining moments

for our nation, and the starting point for the peaceful

foreign policy we pursue today. Strengthening the

global non-proliferation regime has remained one of

the most important priorities of Kazakhstan’s foreign

policy. The signing in May of the Protocol to the

Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central

Asia — the Semipalatinsk Treaty — by the five

permanent countries on the Security Council marked

a major moment for nuclear security in our region.

We now urge the “nuclear five” countries to ratify the

Protocol as soon as possible. We strongly encourage

all stakeholders to uphold the provisions of Treaty on

the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the

cornerstone of the non-proliferation regime, and to work

towards the early entry into force of the Comprehensive

Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

We share the objectives of the proposed convention

on the general and complete prohibition of nuclear

weapons. Again, we call on all Member States to adopt

the universal declaration on a nuclear-weapon-free

world. That would serve as the first step towards the

adoption of the convention.

Reaffirming our commitment to the principle

of the equal right of all countries to access nuclear

technology for peaceful purposes, Kazakhstan stands

ready to host the international bank of low-enriched

uranium under the auspices of the International

Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). We also support an

early political and diplomatic solution with respect

to Iran’s nuclear programme, on the basis of strict

compliance with the provisions of the NPT and IAEA

regulations. Kazakhstan helped break the deadlock

in the negotiations by hosting the first two rounds of

resumed talks in Almaty last year. We welcome the

latest 5+1 talks and strongly hope an agreement can be

reached in November.

We, together with the entire international

community, are alarmed that terrorist groups are

creating quasi-State entities to fight legitimate

Governments and sow enmity and hatred. Religious

extremism and separatism are fuelling a rise in

terrorism, transnational crime and the illegal trafficking

of narcotics. Kazakhstan was a sponsor of resolution

2178 (2014), on foreign terrorist fighters, because we

believe that the fight against international terrorism

demands a long-term comprehensive approach.

We also strongly believe that interreligious and

interethnic harmony are essential prerequisites for

peace and security. Kazakhstan, a diverse nation of 130

ethnic groups and many different faiths, has worked

hard to build a culture of tolerance and respect. We have

sought to promote those values internationally through

the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional

Religions, an event that has taken place every three

years since 2003. The Congress and its participants

have unanimously renounced violence and pledged their

support for continued interreligious dialogue among

leaders of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism,

Hinduism, Taoism and many other faiths. Just last week,

a preparatory meeting of religious representatives for

the fifth Congress, to be held in Astana in 2015, issued

a statement condemning extremism, violence and

terrorism conducted in the name of any religion.

Kazakhstan initiated the suggestion that the period

2013-2022 be proclaimed as the International Decade

for the Rapprochement of Cultures. Greater dialogue

and the exchange of ideas between different cultures

greatly enhance international security.

The situation in Afghanistan in the wake of the

recent elections and the ongoing withdrawal of the

coalition forces is a matter of importance for the wider

security of Central Asia. We congratulate President-

elect Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and the people of

Afghanistan on the completion of the electoral process.

We look forward to close cooperation with Mr. Ghani

and Abdullah Abdullah as they form, and work together

in, the National Unity Government.

Economic development is key to Afghanistan’s

re-emergence as a peaceful and prosperous nation and

good neighbour in Central Asia. Kazakhstan fully

supports Afghanistan’s integration into the region’s

expanding network of trade, energy and transportation

links. We have taken practical steps to assist in the

rehabilitation of our neighbour. The Government of

Kazakhstan has allocated almost $3 million for the

construction of social infrastructure and has provided

more than $17 million in humanitarian food assistance.

We are spending $50 million to train approximately

1,000 Afghan students in Kazakhstan universities. The

first civilian students will soon successfully complete

their education in Kazakhstan and join the peaceful

reconstruction process in their home country.

It is clear that we in Central Asia face a number

of challenges that endanger stability not only in

specific countries but in the entire region. There

is regrettably little sign that those problems will

disappear in the near future. That is why the United

Nations and the international community need to

work more purposefully in Central Asia. Accordingly,

Kazakhstan’s call for the establishment of the United

Nations regional hub in the city of Almaty is highly

relevant. The United Nations plays an invaluable role

in addressing natural and man-made disasters and

assisting countries in their sustainable development

through the coordination of the activities of national,

regional and international actors. We believe that, with

the focus on humanitarian assistance and development,

the regional United Nations hub in Almaty would

complement the work of the United Nations Regional

Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia in

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. The presence of those two

regional United Nations entities would cover a very

broad range of challenges faced by countries in our

vast region, including Afghanistan. Of course, the

Government of Kazakhstan stands ready to offer its

full support in establishing and developing the hub.

Sustainable development is central to Kazakhstan’s

ambitions for the future. We commend the United

Nations and the Secretary-General for convening

the action-focused Climate Summit a few days ago.

Within our borders, we are working hard to achieve our

national plan to make the transition to a green economy

and have recently adopted voluntary commitments to

reducing greenhouse gas emissions under the United

Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

A national system for greenhouse gas emissions

trading has already been put into operation. We are

also determined to support sustainable development

globally.

In 2017, Astana will host the international

specialized exhibition Expo 2017 on the theme “Future

Energy”, which will promote best practices in the

field of sustainable energy. We will provide support to

representatives of around 60 developing countries to

take part in Expo 2017.

Kazakhstan, in conjunction with the Economic and

Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, is launching

a project on the installation of biogas systems in nine

small island developing States of the Pacific, which will

help local communities produce electricity. At the same

time, Kazakhstan and the United Nations Development

Programme are developing a training programme in

the sectors of oil and gas, agriculture and medicine for

countries in Africa, Oceania and Latin America and the

Caribbean.

As the largest landlocked country in the world,

Kazakhstan attaches great importance to the upcoming

second United Nations Conference on Landlocked

Developing Countries, to be held in Vienna in

November. The meeting aims to review and build on

the Almaty Programme of Action in order to produce a

new road map for landlocked developing countries that

takes into account the challenges and threats that have

emerged since the Almaty plan was first developed,

over a decade ago.

In 2015, we will finish construction of the

Kazakhstan section of the Western Europe-Western

China International Transit Corridor, which offers the

shortest route from China to Europe and reduces transit

times by up to 10 days, making it four to five times

shorter than the sea route through the Suez Canal. By

2020, we expect the volume of freight traffic on the

corridor between China, Central Asia, Russia and

Europe to reach 33 million tons annually.

The construction of new rail routes is also bringing

our region together as never before. This December,

we plan to open the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran-

Persian Gulf railroad, which will carry up to 10 million

tons of cargo a year and allow us to increase our wheat

exports five-fold. Another rail route, Uzbekistan-

Turkmenistan-Iran-Oman-Qatar, which was first

agreed in 2011, will also greatly increase international

transit capacity for our region.

As the Assembly knows, Kazakhstan is a candidate

for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for

the period 2017-2018. Its election would be a major

step for our country, which has never before served on

that body. Our extensive engagement in international

affairs, including chairing key regional organizations,

such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation

in Europe and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation,

has given us the experience necessary to discharge that

important responsibility. We believe that the priorities

and challenges of our region should be represented in

the Security Council, and Kazakhstan is ready to play

that role.

We are a peaceful, stable and fast-developing

country, with a reputation for impartiality and for taking

an effective, balanced approach, with a strong focus

on international cooperation, conflict prevention and

mediation. Overall, we are confident that we can fully

contribute to the maintenance of international peace,

security and development, as well as the improvement

of the Council’s working methods.

Only by working together, in a partnership in

which all States Members of the United Nations are

truly equal, regardless of their level of political and

economic development or geographic location, can we

achieve peace and security for all — a peace that is free

from fear and violence and meets the needs of future

generations.

I would like to end by quoting Nelson Mandela,

who said:

“People respond in accordance to how you relate to

them. If we approach them on the basis of violence,

that’s how they’ll react. But if you say we want

peace, we want stability, we can then do a lot of

things that will contribute towards the progress of

our society”.