BY ANSAR MAHMOOD BHATTI

ISLAMABAD, FEB 29 (DNA) – First Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Shakhrat Nuryshev has said both Kazakhstan and Pakistan enjoy close relations adding both countries have huge potential to further promote and deepen these relations.

He expressed these views while speaking during an interaction with Pakistani media and intellectuals facilitated by think-tank CGSS.

The Kazakh minister along with his delegation visited Pakistan for the Inaugural Session of Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) between Pakistan and Kazakhstan.

The minister thanked the Pakistani hosts for facilitating the dialogue in a constructive and friendly environment.

He said both countries possess geographic and strategic importance and have been cooperating with each other on various forums.

The minister also talked about the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) which is an inter-governmental forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia.

It is a forum based on the recognition that there is close link between peace, security and stability in Asia and in the rest of the world. The key idea of the Conference is based on the priority of the indivisibility of security, joint initiative and mutually beneficial interaction of small and large states.

He told that the idea of convening the CICA was first proposed by Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev at the United Nations General Assembly.

Minister Nuryshev made it clear his country strongly believes in nuclear non proliferation. He said Kazakhstan happens to be the biggest producer of natural uranium, which is essential for developing civil-nuclear technologies.

Nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation have remained a hallmark of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy since the country got sovereignty in 1991 and up to the present. Our country was among those former Soviet republics, who inherited a massive nuclear arms arsenal of the late USSR.

The uneasy dilemma of whether to keep or get rid of them was solved by the first President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev in favor of the latter. Following his decision nuclear weaponry was either dismantled in Kazakhstan or removed out of the country.

Dilating further on bilateral relations the minister said both sides during the interaction also discussed ways and means to further enhance bilateral relations especially in trade, politics and economy.

Both sides also discussed cooperation in energy sector as well. Kazakhstan intends to export energy to neighboring countries through various initiatives including CASA 1000.

Apart from those medicines, pharmaceuticals and textiles are other sectors that provide both countries an excuse to come close to each other adding both sides shall be able to further cement bilateral cooperation in these sectors also.

The minister assured that the Kazakhstan side will do its best to promote, diversify and strengthen relations with Pakistan.=DNA

=======