Irina Gennadievna Konovalova, Deputy Director of the Institute of World History, the Russian Academy of Science, Doctor of Historical Sciences
— It is understandable that the 550th anniversary in the formation of any statehood is the notional date. States do not appear all of a sudden, the state formation is not an instantaneous phenomenon, but the longstanding process basing oneself upon on the already-existing traditions. Yesterday, at the round table in the Institute of State History it was discussed about powerful traditions of Turkic khaganates and the Golden Horde, first of all. However, the Kazakh Khanate is not only the successor of the previous state formations but also it has the principal distinction from the former states. The most meaningful peculiarity of the Kazakh khanate is the appearance of the new term, ethnonym “Kazakh” which was marking the formation of new ethno-political community of the Kazakh people. Thus, the time of the emergence of the national statehood is considered to be the crucial milestone not only in political, but also in ethnic history of the Kazakh people.
Regarding the relations of Russia and Kazakhstan it can be said that the relations of two countries are never simple, they develop in certain context. Each part in a natural way pursues their own aims, that is why, each states give various evaluations on different events. Comprehensive research of that process, understanding of the logic of the reasoning of each part — the subject of certain research, search for the new sources, improvement of the methods of their analysis. Anyway, the most important thing is the result and it is what we have now. To date, Russia and Kazakhstan are two amicable countries, each of that builds its future being supported by its own traditions and respecting other ones. In the Institute of State History we are glad to cooperate with the historians of Kazakhstan and sincerely hope for its prolongation and deepening.
After the closing the Plenary Session the work of the 5 Sections held not only at Nazarbayev University, but also at the Library of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan — Leader of the Nation, Conference Hall of the Supreme Court, National Academic Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan began.
