Astana Calling No. 483

1. A WEEKLY ONLINE PUBLICATION / WWW.MFA.GOV.KZ
ISSUE NO. 483 / FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2016
PresidentUrgesNewApproachesto
GlobalIssuesatAstanaClub
Also InThe News
In Focus:
Foreign Policy Priorities
PMInstructsAgenciestoConduct
UniversiadeatHighestLevel

2. PresidentUrgesNewApproachestoGlobalIssuesatAstanaClub
Calling
Astana ASTANA CALLING / ISSUE 483/ 2 Back to Contents
ASTANA – Fifty reputable economic, political and international
relations experts discussed global economy and relations Nov. 14-16
at the second Astana Club in the nation’s capital. The Nazarbayev
Centre Foundation of the First President of Kazakhstan - Leader of
the Nation organised the gathering.
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev briefed experts from the
European Union, Russia, China, the United States, Turkey, and Iran
about Kazakhstan’s role in global and regional affairs, including
nuclear disarmament, the Akorda Presidential Residence press
service reported.
Nazarbayev urged new approaches to national, regional and global
development, noting conflicts destabilise global and regional security.
He also discussed the potential for cooperation between the Eurasian
Economic Union (EAEU) and the European Union.
“It is important to jointly determine a route for the creation of a
common economic space of the Big Eurasia. In my view, such a
perspective is unavoidable. The organisations such as the [Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation] SCO, EAEU, EU and The Silk Road
Economic Belt project should deeply interact. This vector of
continental and world development is impossible to ignore without
damage to the progress, prosperity and security of each Eurasian
nation. That is my principal position,” he said.
Nazarbayev noted that emerging macro-regional trade associations,
including the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, the
Trans-Pacific Partnership and Regional Comprehensive Economic
Partnership should target the creation of the single Eurasian trade
and cooperation space.
Nazarbayev outlined the importance of creating a world based
justice, trust, cooperation and universal responsibility.
“Kazakhstan’s mission is to make our region of Central Asia a strong
bridge with two-way traffic between East and West, between North
and South. So that, there is a territory of interaction and collaboration,
a model of ​​peace, trust and global security,” he said.
“I am convinced that by the means of dialogue and negotiations,
the world can solve any problems, overcome the contradictions and
develop a common global development strategy for the entire 21st
century,” Nazarbayev added.
President Nazarbayev meets participants of the second Astana Club
The Kazakh President also answered questions about SCO
development, rebuilding the Silk Road, nuclear disarmament, regional
cooperation and economic diversification. He wished the experts
well in their discussion of major global and regional developments.
“Itisimportanttojointlydeterminea
route for the creation of a common
economic space of the Big Eurasia.
In my view, such a perspective is
unavoidable. The organisations
such as the [Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation] SCO, EAEU, EU and
The Silk Road Economic Belt project
shoulddeeplyinteract.Thisvectorof
continental and world development
is impossible to ignore without
damage to the progress, prosperity
and security of each Eurasian nation.
That is my principal position.”

3. PMInstructsAgenciestoConductUniversiadeatHighestLevel
Calling
Astana ASTANA CALLING / ISSUE 483/ 3 Back to Contents
Kazakh Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev instructed government
agencies during a Nov. 14 meeting to continue Universiade 2017
preparations and to conduct the event at the highest level, reported
his press service.
Minister of Culture and Sports Arystanbek Muhamediuly said the
ministry and the Kazakh Federation of University Sports have formed
a list of applicants to participate in the Universiade. The nation’s
roster includes 227 athletes, 121 boys and 106 girls, who will work with
66 coaches, doctors and masseurs. Major Kazakh athletes, including
figure skater Denis Ten, freestyler skiers Zhanbota Aldabergenova,
Julia Galysheva and Pavel Kolmakov, speed ​​skaters Roman Krech
and Stanislav Palkin and short-track skaters Abzal Azhgaliyev, Aydar
Bekzhanov, Denis Nikischa and Nurbergen Zhumagazyev, will take
part in the event.
Tosimplifyvisaissuesforforeignparticipantsandfans,ForeignMinister
Erlan Idrissov said beginning Jan. 1, Kazakhstan will launch a visa-free
regime up to 30 days for countries of the Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Union, as
well as Malaysia, Monaco, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.
Kazakhstan has participated in 12 World University Games since
independence and has won 18 gold, 13 silver and 13 bronze.
Kazakhstan is the first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
country to host the Winter Universiade. The city also hosted the
Seventh Asian Winter Games in 2011.
Operational activities are being accomplished in accordance with
the International Federation of University Sport (FISU). Winter
Universiade will be Jan. 29-Feb. 8, with more than 2,000 athletes from
more than 57 countries expected. Three thousand volunteers, foreign
and domestic, will be involved and more than 30,000 spectators are
expected to attend, according to almaty2017.com, the competition’s
official website.
To date, 57 countries have officially registered to take part in the
Universiade, which will include 12 sports – alpine skiing, biathlon,
curling, speed skating, Nordic combined, cross-country, ski jumping,
snowboarding, figure skating, freestyle skating, ice hockey and
short track. One-hundred-twenty-seven international judges and
approximately 600 national technical officials will be involved in
awarding 86 medals.
The Games Control Centre will monitor the event online 24 hours
a day. The competitions will be held at eight venues: Shymbulak Ski
Resort, Medeu High-mountain Ice Rink, Sunkar International Ski
JumpingComplex,BaluanSholakSportsPalace,AlatauCross-country
Skiing and Biathlon Stadium, Almaty Arena, Halyk Arena and Tabagan
Ski Resort.
Kazakhstan is the first country to build an athletes’ village specifically
for a Universiade. The village includes multiple apartment buildings, a
public square, a dining room for 800, swimming pool, medical centre,
cinema, and domestic service facilities, among other amenities. All
venues built for the Winter Universiade will be available for public use
after the games.
The Jan. 29 opening ceremony in the Almaty Arena will include the
lighting of the 2017 Winter Universiade cauldron and a parade of
participating countries along with a cultural programme. The closing
ceremony will be Feb. 8 in Almaty Arena, which will officially end the
games with the passing of the Universiade flag to the Russian city of
Krasnoyarsk, the host city of the 29th Winter Universiade.
According to tradition, the award stand must be located in the centre
of the city and the medal plaza will be situated in front of the national
residence. Welcoming ceremonies will be Jan. 25-29 for foreign
delegations arriving in the athletes’ village. After the ceremonies, the
flags of participating countries will be displayed in Flag Alley.
ThesloganoftheAlmatyUniversiadeis“SpreadYourWings!”withthe
hope it will encourage youth to succeed. The 2017 logo is presented in
the form of stylised wings and has a distinct dynamic form meant to
symbolise growth and the pursuit of excellence. The mascot is a young
falcon named Sunkar, a free and strong inhabitant of the Kazakh
steppes that symbolises speed, flight, lightness, energy and a thirst for
victory.
Kazakhstan is the first Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS) country to host
theWinterUniversiade.Thecityalsohosted
the Seventh Asian Winter Games in 2011.
Multifunctional ice complex Almaty Arena

4. InFocus: Foreign Policy Priorities
Helsinki will be operated on Tuesdays and Thursdays; departures
from Astana on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Finnair’s routes cover Asia, Europe and North America. The airline
focuses on operating comfortable and convenient flights through
its hub in Helsinki. In 2015, the airline carried more than 10 million
passengers. The airline is a pioneer in the field of sustainable flight,
reducing the effect of air travel on the climate, and it is first in the
world on the index of Project Carbon Disclosure Leadership.
Finnair is the only Scandinavian airline with a four-star Skytrax rating.
The company has won World Airline awards and has been named
best airline in Northern Europe for the last seven years. (astanatimes.
com)
Welcoming Investment
Astana International Financial Centre activities presented at
Hong Kong business seminar
The activities of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC)
were presented Nov. 8 at a high-level business seminar on the Asian
Infrastructure Investment Bank’s (AIIB) operations and projects in
Hong Kong. The event was organised by the Infrastructure Financing
Facilitation Office (IFFO) of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.
AIFC Managing Director Sayasat Nurbek said during a meeting with
representatives of the economic and financial circles of Hong Kong
that Kazakhstan and Central Asia have the potential to develop
infrastructure investments. In this context, the AIFC is interested in
studying the experience of Hong Kong’s infrastructure investments
and financial flows.
“This area is designed for the development of infrastructure
investment and financing and may also be of interest to potential
investors to develop infrastructure projects in Kazakhstan,” Nurbek
said.
The event attracted more than 300 industry leaders, among them
about 40 IFFO partners including multinational development banks
and financial institutions, public sector investors, project developers,
commercial banks and asset managers of financial firms from China,
Hong Kong and foreign countries, according to Inform.kz.
The AIFC is currently collaborating to develop interaction with the
Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Large-scale financing is scheduled
to provide a platform for comprehensive financial services to
businesses and corporations that invest in infrastructure projects
along the Silk Road Economic Belt as part of the One Belt, One Road
global initiative. (astanatimes.com)
Calling
Astana ASTANA CALLING / ISSUE 483/ 4
Strengthening UN & Int’l Security
Kazakhstan participants in seminar on Hague Code of Conduct
against Ballistic Missile Proliferation
Bangkok hosted a seminar in support of the Hague Code of Conduct
against Ballistic Missile Proliferation Nov. 9. The event brought
together representatives of state agencies of Thailand, diplomats,
academia and international nongovernmental organisations.
Kazakhstan participated as acting chairman of the Hague Code of
Conduct for 2016–2017.
The main purpose of the seminar was to attract the attention
of the Asian community to the Hague Code of Conduct, aiming
at its universalisation. Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Thailand
and Permanent Representative in the UN Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific Marat Yessenbayev underlined
the importance of the Hague Code of Conduct as an impartial
and important component of international mechanisms fighting
the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their
delivery systems. Participants of the seminar were informed about
Kazakhstan’s priorities as chairman of the Hague Code of Conduct
and actions taken to enhance membership and help universalise the
regime.
Hosting Astana Expo 2017
Finnair will launch direct Helsinki-to-Astana flights in time for
Expo 2017
Finnair, the national flagship carrier and largest airline of Finland and
member of the Oneworld international alliance, has announced it will
offer direct flights from Helsinki to Astana in time for the opening of
EXPO 2017.
“Adding the Helsinki–Astana route will be a great asset to our growing
network for summer 2017. This is the first time when Finnair flies to
Kazakhstan, and we are pleased to take this first step in building
our presence in the Central Asian region, which expects millions of
visitors to EXPO 2017. And we are happy to offer our European and
North American customers an efficient way to travel to the exhibition
via our hub in Helsinki,” said Commercial Director of Finnair Juha
Järvinen.
The airline’s entrance into the market of Kazakhstan was announced
with new short-haul routes from Helsinki to Astana in summer,
according to the press service of Finnair and the WelcomeNordic
Information Blog. The airline will operate flights connecting the
northernmost capital of the world and Astana, home to EXPO 2017,
twice a week from June 20 to Aug. 17 in 2017. The roughly four-hour
flights to Astana will be aboard an Airbus A319. Departures from
Back to Contents

5. Also InThe News...
• Cutting-edge medical clinic opens in Astana
Getting medical advice and treatment from leading South Korean
doctors without leaving the capital has become possible in one
of Kazakhstan’s best multi-field medical centres. Family Clinic
introduced Telemedicine Centre Nov. 9, established with the
support of Kosin University Hospital in Busan. “Busan occupies a
leading position in providing medical services to foreigners. It has
the largest medical centres of the country and the world. We are
very pleased to be working with Family Clinic in Astana. I hope
we will raise healthcare cooperation between our two cities to an
ever higher level,” said Busan city government Health and Welfare
Department General Director Kim Hee Young. At the launch event,
Kim and Astana Health Department head Yerik Baizhunussov
signedamedicalandhealthexchangememorandumofcooperation
between the cities. The newly-opened centre is equipped with all
the necessary devices for efficient work. The telemedicine project
is the first cooperative step between Busan Hospital and Family
Clinic. The sides intend to expand that cooperation and find new
areas of collaboration to introduce high technology and quality
healthcare services. The medical facility is already cooperating
with German healthcare organisations. Its young and promising
doctors regularly visit foreign countries to undergo training and
hone their skills. “Our multi-field Family Clinic was founded two
years ago. Our specialists have the opportunity to attend advanced
training courses in Busan. We still have many promising areas for
cooperation. At the moment, we are planning to construct a surgical
hospital in Astana and conduct surgeries with Korean counterparts.
We are the first clinic in the city to introduce the Telemedicine
Centre and we are willing to work with other medical organisations
in Astana,” said Family Clinic chief physician Maya Kashkimbayeva.
(astanatimes.com)
• Almaty introduces fire-fighting motorcycles
A rapid response motorcycle crew project will be adopted in
Almaty to allow the city’s firefighting units to arrive faster at
emergency sites. Four Jawa 660 firefighting and rescue bikes were
made upon special order of the city’s emergencies department.
“Their goal is rapid arriving to an emergency scene (including road
accidents), containing fire outbreaks before Almaty’s emergency
department arrives,” according to the department. “As of today, 18
firefighting specialists were trained for extreme driving and received
certificates. Almaty’s rescue workers plan to evaluate the efficiency
of adopting firefighting bikes upon developing their practical use on
duty.” Bikes are equipped with a manual pulse fire-attack system,
high-speed fire extinguishing agent delivery, liquid fire extinguisher,
first aid kit and other tools. Firefighters can remove the victim from
the accident spot with the help of a special device for unclamping
and cutting metal. Jawa 660 bikes are fitted with single cylinder
engines and electronic fuel injection. The engine issues 48
horsepower, enabling the bike to accelerate to 170 kilometres per
hour with its weight of 198 kilogrammes, according to Motor.kz.
Thirteen minutes is an average time of rapid response during a fire;
in other instances, firefighting crews arrive in 20 minutes, according
to emergency officials. Traffic standstills in the city create certain
difficulties for the crew’s timely arrival at an emergency site and
bike riders will now be able to arrive faster to help the affected or try
to contain fire outbreaks on their own. Firefighting bikes are being
successfully deployed with fire units in China, Germany, Greece,
Russia, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. They will be used for the
first time in Kazakhstan. (astanatimes.com)
• Astana to host the seventh Kazakh Civil Forum Nov. 25
Astana will host the seventh Kazakh Civil Forum Nov. 25, a
dialogue platform for representatives of the non-profit sector and
state bodies. The forum will be attended by Parliament deputies,
representatives of central and local executive bodies, regional and
national NGOs, representatives of international organisations,
headsofdiplomaticmissions,theexpertcommunityandjournalists,
according to Kazakh Association of Legal Entities Civil Alliance
head Nurlan Erimbetov.
He noted the following events will take place in the country on the
eve of the forum:
1. Regional NGO forums in regional centres, Astana and Almaty
to identify ways to address the problems of each region, make
recommendations and elect delegates to the November forum.
2.“25NGOinitiativesbythe25thanniversaryofIndependence!”the
republican campaign designed for each regional forum to advance
one initiative which will be solved by the NGOs. In addition to the
16 regional initiatives, nine nationwide NGOs will put forward an
equal number of initiatives to address social issues, thus starting the
campaign.
3. Fair of social ideas and projects. The competition, held online
Oct.15-Nov.15 at yarmarka.gakaz.kz, aimed to identify innovative
approaches in solving social problems. The author of the best
project-idea will be awarded one million tenge (US$2,893).
4. Tanym, the natiowide contest aimed at the public recognition of
NGO achievements. The challenge was held online Oct. 10-Nov.
15 at tanym.gakaz.kz and the winners will be determined by online
voting. The awards ceremony with 14 nominations will take place
within the seventh Civil Forum. (internews.kz)
• Serbian Prime Minister, Astana Mayor inaugurate street in
capital
Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić and Astana Mayor Asset
Issekeshev participated in a ceremony Nov. 16 to inaugurate Nikola
Tesla Street. Located at the intersection of Orynbor and Kabanbay
avenues on the left bank of the Ishim River, the street was previously
named No. 350. “During my first trip to Astana, I am proud to open
the street named after one of the world-famous and respected
Serbian scientists,” said Vučić. In his speech, Issekeshev noted
opening the street named after the Serbian scientist symbolises the
friendship between the countries. (inform.kz)
ASTANA CALLING A WEEKLYONLINE PUBLICATION /
WWW.MFA.GOV.KZ
Please send comments and questions to pressa@mfa.kz
Calling
Astana ASTANA CALLING / ISSUE 483/ 5 Back to Contents