KAZAKHSTAN – CROATIA: COURSE FOR THE ACTIVATION OF COOPERATION
On the eve of the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Croatia, on October 11-12 this year in Zagreb, political consultations took place.
In the focus of the discussion of the deputy foreign ministers of the two countries, Roman Vasilenko and Vice Skračić, there were issues of expanding cooperation between the two countries across the spectrum of bilateral cooperation and on the international arena.
Agreements have been reached on expanding the legal framework and signing bilateral agreements in the fields of air communication, agriculture, energy, tourism, education and culture. The parties agreed to actively promote the development of inter-parliamentary, interdepartmental and inter-regional ties, business and cultural-humanitarian contacts. In this context, an important step is to become the opening of the Embassy of Croatia in Astana in the coming year.
An exchange of views took place on topical issues on the international agenda. R.Vasilenko informed the Croatian side about the activities of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the UN Security Council in 2017-2018, the contribution of Astana to the strengthening of international security, the course of the Astana process on the Syrian settlement and other areas of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy.
The prospects for cooperation within the framework of the UN, OSCE and other international organizations were discussed. Croatia highly values Kazakhstan’s contribution to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, the strengthening of international and regional security and stability, as well as the development of intercultural and inter-confessional dialogue.
Following the consultations, the deputy ministers signed the Cooperation Plan of the MFAs of the RK and Croatia for 2018-2020, exchanged the signed text of the Convention on the avoidance of double taxation, agreed on the harmonization of projects on cooperation in the fields of air communication, agriculture, energy, tourism, education and culture.
During the visit, the Kazakh diplomat held talks with the State Secretary for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia Zdravko Busic, the Special Adviser of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia Mate Granic, the Supreme Mufti of the Union of Croatian Muslims Aziz Hasanovich.
Also, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan R.Vasilenko delivered a lecture to the faculty and students of Dag Hammarskjöld Graduate School of Diplomacy and International Relations.
The diplomat spoke about Kazakhstan’s achievements in the 25 years of Independence and President Nazarbayev’s contribution to strengthening international security, including steps such as closing the Semipalatinsk test site, abandoning the world’s fourth nuclear arsenal, creating a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia (CASWF) , the opening in the Republic of Kazakhstan of the world’s first Low Enriched Uranium Bank IAEA, as well as the launch of the ATOM Project, aimed at mobilizing the global anti-nuclear movement and realizing the idea of a nuclear-free world.
Political consultations in Zagreb were held in an atmosphere of friendship, trust and mutual understanding. The main result of the talks was the confirmation of the mutual intention to develop and deepen the Kazakh-Croatian relations for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries.
Press-service
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Kazakhstan