Kazakistan Exclusive

President Abdullah Gül paid an official visit to Kazakhstan upon the invitation of President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Welcomed by President Nazarbayev at Chimkent Airport, President Gül along with his Kazakh counterpart attended the opening ceremony for the Ahmet Yesevi University Medical School Hospital in Turkistan.

GÜL GRANTED TITLE OF HONORARY PROFESSOR

Granted the title of honorary professor by Ahmet Yesevi University, President Gül addressed the academicians and students.

Evincing his pleasure at the beginning of his speech, saying: “I am very pleased to be here in the holy land of the Turkic world. This title I have been granted by this university bearing the name of Ahmet Yesevi, one of our historic leaders, who kneaded the dough of Central Asia and Anatolia, is so precious to me.” He later visited Ahmet Yesevi Mausoleum.

Completing his program in Turkistan, President Gül met with a group of Ahiska Turks in Astana. Afterwards, he met with both the accompanying businessmen and those conducting their businesses in Kazakhstan.

On the third day of his visit, he was welcomed with an official ceremony at the Acorda Presidential Palace by President Nazarbayev. After the ceremony, the two Presidents had a tete-a-tete and chaired the talks between their delegations and then they had a joint press conference.

“OUR TRADE VOLUME TARGET IS TEN BILLION DOLLARS”

Since the Kazakh independence, noted the President, Turkish-Kazakh relations had improved at all levels through both countries’ resoluteness. He referred to the Strategic Partnership Agreement signed between the two countries during President Nazarbayev’s visit to Turkey last year on whose foundations the bilateral relations would continue to flourish.

Declaring Turkish-Kazakh relations as perfect in politics, President Gül also claimed the economic relations between the two to be improving multi-dimensionally, reiterating their trade volume target, which is 10 billion dollars.

GÜL ACCOMPANIED BY 250 BUSINESSMEN

Attaching great importance to production as well as trade, President Gül drew attention to the fact that 250 businessmen were accompanying him on his visit to Kazakhstan and stressed that especially with the customs agreements with Russia and Belarus, manufacturing and investing in Kazakhstan had become advantageous.

KAZAKHSTAN: ASIA’S HEART AND STAR

Attending the Kazakhstan-Turkey Business Forum with President Nazarbayev, President Gül declared Kazakhstan to be Asia’s heart and star.

Especially emphasizing the construction sector in which Turkish businessmen are conducting their businesses in Kazakhstan, President Gül suggested that investments be diversified into other fields such as mining and energy. He later announced that transportation would be boosted between the two countries.

TURKIC ACADEMY

President Abdullah Gül along with his Kazakh counterpart attended the opening ceremony for the Turkic Academy in Astana.

The Turkic Academy, asserted the President, would contribute to the academic studies on the common cultural values of the Turkic language and the Turkic communities in Turkey, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekstan, Turkmenstan and other countries in addition to the establishment of common policy among these countries.

Underscoring that the Turkic literature was under the threat of the popular culture, he warned: “Without learning our great language, its literature, poetry and history and without mastering its philosophical and cultural depth, our next generations will easily be under other cultures’ influence, thus breaking away from their own roots. This I consider to be a great menace!”

The two Presidents later attended the Turkic World Convention for Architecture and Urban Planning in Astana.

The President attended the official dinner given by his Kazakh counterpart where he delivered a speech. Extending his gratitude to the Kazakh administration for their warm hospitality, President Gül exclaimed: “This warmth is an indication of the fraternity between our two peoples!”

EUROSIA’S STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE

On the last day of his program, President Gül addressed the Kazakh Parliament during which he emphasized that Eurasia keeps its strategic importance which increases with both its underground and surface resources. “Our countries’ location in the world and their strength offer us huge opportunities for cooperation,” he maintained. After having opened the Turkish Embassy to Astana, the President hosted a luncheon for the leading Turkish and Kazakh businessmen.

FIFTH YUNUS EMRE CULTURE CENTER OPENED IN ASTANA

Welcomed by the students and their parents with great interest upon his arrival at the school, President Gül watched a program displayed by a group of students. Referring to the some 30 high schools and one university, the International Ahmet Yesevi University in Kazakhstan, which he reiterated indicated how advanced the bilateral cooperation in education between the two countries was.

He then opened the Yunus Emre Culture Center in Astana. The value of such centers as the Yunus Emre Culture Center, noted the President, would be better understood in the future.

Having completed his program in Kazakhstan, President Gül returned to Turkey.