PRESS RELEASE

13 November 2019                                                     Nur-Sultan

Minister of State for External Affairs and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Shri V. Murleedharan participated in the fifth anniversary meeting of the Astana club held on 11-12th November, 2019 in Nur-sultan, the capital city of Kazakhstan which was earlier called Astana. The topic for this year’s discussion was Greater Eurasia : On the way to new architecture of global cooperation. 

Astana Club meetings is an event is organized by the Institute of World Economy and Politics and the Foundation of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Elbasy. The mission of the Astana Club is to bring together leading experts, political leaders and diplomats of Eurasia to form a global agenda considering Kazakhstan’s foreign policy priorities. First President of Kazakhstan-ElbasyNursultanNazarbayev attended the Astana Club meeting on 12th November. Some of the Astana Club meetings are held in accordance with the Chatham house rules, meaning their closed nature and allowing for a heated and open discussion of the most urgent issues in Eurasia and in the world. Over the years, more than 200 speakers from 40 countries have attended the Club meetings. Important speakers this year included Hamid Karzai, former President of Afghanistan, Jose Luis Zapatero, former Prime Minister of Spain and Mohamed Elbaradei, former Director General of International Atomic Energy Commission.

He addressed the open session titled- Central Asia at the intersection of global interests: pros and cons of being the heartland. In his intervention, he outlined the contours of India-Central Asia partnership, the importance of the new mechanism of the Annual India -Central Asia Foreign Ministers Dialogue launched in January this year and the importance of increasing connectivity with Central Asia through the Chabahar Port of Iran and through the International North South Transport Corridor.

On the sidelines of Astana club meeting, he called on the Chairman of the Mazhilis (Lower House) of the Parliament of Kazakhstan MrNurlanNigmatulin. He also had bilateral meetings  with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Mr Mukhtar Tleuberdi and with the First Vice-Minister of Energy MrMakhambetDosmukhambetov.

Commemorative Stamp to mark the 150th birth anniversary was released jointly by Hon’ble MOS Shri V. Muraleedharan and the Managing Director of KazPostMrAskarAbdykarimov in a function attended by the Indian Community and the Media. He also addressed the Indian Community and interacted with them.

India’s relations with Kazakhstan are built on a strong foundation of centuries old historical and cultural ties. Our two countries have developed multi-faceted cooperation turning us into strategic partners. The visit of Hon’ble MOS contributed strengthening of this partnership.

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