Twenty three Kazakh-Russian documents on cooperation in political, economic, military and humanitarian fields were signed on March 28 in the Kremlin after the negotiations of the official delegations headed by the Presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev and Boris Yeltsin.
The Heads of the states signed on the agreement about further deepening of economic cooperation and integration. This memorandum is about the basic principles addressed issues related to the civil and legal status of citizens of Kazakhstan who live on the territory of the Russian Federation and Russian citizens who live on the territory of Kazakhstan, also the agreement on military cooperation, the agreement on strategic nuclear forces temporarily deployed on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the agreement on the spaceport «Baikonur».
The Heads of Government Sergey Tereshchenko and Viktor Chernomyrdin signed following agreements: an agreement on strategic nuclear forces temporarily deployed on the territory of Kazakhstan, an agreement on cooperation in the field of culture, science and education, an agreement on dismantling nuclear device planted at the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site before it closed, an agreement on the conditions of functioning on the territory of Kazakhstan the Central Bank of Russia, an agreement on cooperation in the field of air transport, an agreement on cooperation in preparation for attestation of scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel, an agreement on military-technical cooperation, an agreement on mutual deliveries of special equipment, as well as the protocol on meeting of Prime-Ministers of Kazakhstan and Russia.
The vice-premiers of the two countries signed the following agreements: an agreement on the basis of cooperation in the production and marketing of uranium, beryllium and tantalum products, superconducting materials and hydrofluoric acid, an agreement on cooperation in the field of transportation of special cargo of the Ministry of Russian Federation for the Atomic Energy and the Atomic Energy Agency of Kazakhstan, an agreement on cooperation for the Protection of Industrial Property, an agreement on cooperation in the field of prevention of industrial accidents, natural disasters and elimination of their consequences, an agreement on the basic principles of creating a Russian-Kazakhfinancial-industrial groups.
By the members of government delegations were also signed an agreement on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters, the agreement on production and scientific-technical cooperation between enterprises of defense industry, a consular convention, protocol on consultations between the foreign ministries of Russia and Kazakhstan.
Very successful called the first official visit of the sovereign state of Kazakhstan in Russia Boris Yeltsin told reporters after the signing ceremony in the Kremlin record, as he put it, a package of 23 joint documents defining the relationship between the two countries.
Boris Yeltsin, after the signing ceremony of 23 joint documents that define the relationship between the two countries in the Kremlin, told to reporters that the first official visit of the sovereign state of Kazakhstan in Russia was very successful.
In his turn Nursultan Nazarbayev said that this visit dismisses talks and rumors about the Russian imperial actions. Both countries, in his opinion, have overcome all difficulties. He emphasized on the particular importance of signed contracts and agreements.
Another important event took place during the visit: before the signing ceremony, Nursultan Nazarbayev handed to Boris Yeltsin the instruments of ratification of accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
Answering to a question about the signed agreement on rental of spaceport, Nursultan Nazarbayev noted that Kazakhstan sees the importance of Baikonur for Russia today, so Kazakhstan is not going to keep it in its pocket. Kazakh leader said that Baikonur was fully given for rent to Russia for 20 years.
Boris Yeltsin added that the difficulties encountered in the preparation of the lease agreement Baikonur, were non-political. He explained that this was primarily due to the technical and economic software provision for Leninsk’s people who serve the spaceport.
Now we can just say that question about Baikonur last two years has been a major «thorn» in relations between Moscow and Almaty, which restrain the development of relations in many areas.
As it became known, Russia takes the Baikonur for rent not only for 20 years, but the procedure of extension for another 10 years is also considered. Lease payments are defined in the $ 115 million per year. However, this does not mean that Russia will give this amount every year «in specie»: part of it, perhaps, the entire amount can be credited to the general trade and balance of payments between the two countries. The problem of Russian servicemen and civilians working at Baikonur was solved. At the time of the lease, Baikonur will be under sovereignty and jurisdiction of Russia, i.e. Russian citizens will live and work at the spaceport by the laws of the Russian Federation. In addition, the document stipulates that representatives of the Russian military space forces will continue their work at Baikonur.
Cardinal principles of this approach to solve all the problems between Russia and Kazakhstan were agreed in the Kremlin in the morning during the one by one meeting of Nursultan Nazarbayev and Boris Yeltsin. After this meeting was followed the conversation of state delegations of the two countries. Afternoon until the final texts of the document were polished, Nursultan Nazarbayev met with the chairmen of the chambers of the Russian parliament Vladimir Shumeyko and Ivan Rybkin.
After the signing ceremony of the Kazakh-Russian agreements in the Kremlin was organized the official dinner hosted by the President of Russia in honor of the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.
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The official visit of the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to Moscow was continued on March 29.
In the morning he laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin wall.
Then he had a meeting with the faculty and students of the Moscow State University.
The leader of Kazakhstan made a proposal to create an entirely new union of the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and call it the Eurasian Economic Community (EEC). If this idea would not find much support in the CIS, such an alliance could form Russia and Kazakhstan, he said.
Nursultan Nazarbayev said that EEC should be built on completely different from the CIS principles. The formation of supranational bodies to coordinate economic, defense and foreign policy should be the basis of it. To discuss the strategic issues the Council of Heads of State and Government of EEC should be created. The next step should be the direct election to the Parliament for the overall coordination of legislative activity of countries that included in the EEC. Creation of a real military complex requires the establishment of the Council of Defense Ministers and coordination on the world stage requires the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs. The Permanent Executive Interstate Secretariat of EEC, whose membership would be appointed by the Heads of State and would be formed of the representatives of all the countries in the Union, should be created. This Board should get the status at the UN and the OSCE.
According to the Nursultan Nazarbayev, the creation of EEC involves the introduction of the common document or citizenship for all countries in the Union, the mandatory development of agreed programs of economic reform and adoption of a supranational currency.
Developing this idea further, the President of Kazakhstan drew attention to the need for a Single Information Bureau of Executive Secretariat. Information should not have unfriendly character, within the EEC must be signed an agreement about this, he said. In order to form a coherent education policy, protection and realization of the rights of national minorities the Board of Education, Culture and Science must be formed.
Nursultan Nazarbayev said that the membership in the EEC should not prevent any bilateral relations with third countries. The basic principle of the Community is equality, respect for the sovereignty and independence of States, human personality and individuality of each state. He said that all those who share these principles may become a member of the EEC.
N. Nazarbayev said that in this case we are not talking about recreation of the old Soviet Union and the formation of the empire. Do not be afraid of the word «Union», he said, for example, there is the European Union. «We are all equal and my current visit to Russia is the recognition of this equality», — said the President.
In the afternoon, Nursultan Nazarbayev met with the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II at his official residence in the St. Daniel Monastery.
During the conversation, both parties have expressed concern about the problems that exist in the Commonwealth countries. The Patriarch and the President came to the conclusion that the unity of views should be sought not only in politics and the economy, but above all in the spiritual realm and morality.
Both sides expressed the desire to do everything possible to bring the two peoples. Certainly, in many cases it depends on the relations between the Orthodox and Muslims which are the main religions in Kazakhstan and both of them have a single goal — the spiritual revival of society.
As regards the position of the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan, the President informed the patriarch of the impending transfer to it by the Cathedral in Almaty, the construction of new churches in the country. We are talking about the possible establishment in Kazakhstan Exarchate, which suggests a more tangible autonomy in local church government. However, Nursultan Nazarbayev emphasized that this problem is entirely within the competence of ecclesiastical bodies and whatever decision they came there would not be any obstacles from the leadership of the country.
In the end of the conversation the President invited Patriarch Alexey II to visit Kazakhstan. The proposal was accepted with gratitude.
I am grateful for the warm welcome of the people of Moscow, said the head of the Kazakhstan at the meeting with creative intelligentsia of Russian capital held in the same day at the Hall of Moscow city. The mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov and the leaders of the city administration attended this meeting.
Nursultan Nazarbayev said that Russia is the closest partner of Kazakhstan, not only in politics, the economy, but also in culture and art. The President expressed the belief that the creation of the EEC will, in particular, promote cooperation and unity of the two countries.
March 30, at the Central House of Journalists Nursultan Nazarbayev met with the heads of leading Russian mass media. In a conversation with them was discussed the problems of preserving unified information space on the territory of the Commonwealth.
Media executives wondered why Nursultan Nazarbayev put forward the idea of EEC and not being satisfied with the existence of the Commonwealth of Independent States. CIS exists, but we are moving farther away from each other, the President stated. Signed 400 documents, but they have almost no effect.
That integration was truly effective, required supranational bodies, the head of Kazakhstan. In this he was again persuaded recent trip to Western Europe. He sees the EEC as a voluntary association of states. And no associate members! — emotionally added President.
Answering to the question about the future of the Semipalatinsk Test Site, he said that there are no more tests will be conducted. Five explosions in forty years have transformed this land into a scorched desert.
Concerning Baikonur, the President reminded that the relevant Russian-Kazakh agreement was reached. The main thing is to keep the spaceport for sharing. As for money, we have agreed on acceptable terms.
The visit of the President to Moscow was finished with the official ceremony at the St. George’s Hall in the Kremlin on Wednesday.
During the ceremony were performed national anthems of the two countries. Presidents Boris Yeltsin and Nursultan Nazarbayev thanked all members of the official delegations of the two countries.
In the evening N. Nazarbayev returned to Almaty.
(ITAR-TASS - KazTAG)
Published in the newspaper «Kazakhstan Today»
