Zhanseit Tuimebayev, Deputy Chairman of the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan - Head of APK’s Secretariat of Executive Office of the President RK took part in the International Conference "Central Asia - our common home" during his visit to Uzbekistan.

The Central Asian region has an important geopolitical significance on the world map. The region connects the two largest parts of the world - Asia and Europe. For thousands of years Central Asia has been an arena of important events. The region was crossed by the "Great Silk Road", thanks to which trade and industrial centers were developed here in ancient times.

Historically, Central Asia has been a rich and unique integration model of peoples with no clear dividing lines. Various ethnic groups managed to form a mixed and interdependent conglomerate here, professing a single Turkic-Persian Islamic culture. The historical tradition and cultural code of public consciousness of the countries of the region have developed in such a way that such concepts as "religious tolerance", "tolerance", hospitality and respect for those who arrived were initially clear to them. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are united by territorial proximity, resource and climatic similarities, historical parallels of development, as well as rich spiritual heritage, common languages, religion, culture and traditions.

Modern Kazakhstan initially positioned itself as a stable geographical and historical part of Central Asia. That is why the development strategy of Kazakhstan was initially based on the imperatives of unification at the regional level. "First President of Kazakhstan, Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev, has always advocated strengthening integration processes in the Central Asian region. His views have formed a holistic and balanced integration strategy based on mutually beneficial economic interests and a common historical and cultural heritage. The rapprochement of Central Asian people is conditioned, in our opinion, by the imperatives of history itself, both in its retrospective dimension and prospects for the future. The name of the conference "Central Asia - Our Common Home" corresponds to the spirit of cooperation and mutual understanding, strong bonds of brotherhood between the people of the region.

The states of the region have common interests in the formation of a common economic space, preservation of territorial integrity, law and order, ensuring civil peace and inter-ethnic harmony. Besides, there are a lot of problems in the region, which can be solved only jointly and together. Starting from water problems, security and migration," Zhanseit Tuimebayev said at the conference, noting that the comprehensive deepening of cooperation between our countries has no alternative.

The Central Asian countries possess raw material reserves, huge energy and labour resources, and great human potential. Along with this, it is a huge market with a population of about 75 million people, which is important in the economic sense.

In March 2018, the first consultative meeting of the heads of Central Asian states was held in Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan. It was stated that Central Asia is not only a geographical and geopolitical space, but also a single cultural and civilizational space. It should be noted that integration in the region is possible and most effective by strengthening cultural and humanitarian cooperation, which is now actively developing. For example, last year the Year of Uzbekistan was celebrated in Kazakhstan, and this year it was the Year of Kazakhstan in Uzbekistan, which is of particular importance as a symbol of Kazakh-Uzbek friendship and good neighborliness.

The great Kazakh thinker Abay noted: "Ozbek oz agam", which means: Uzbeks are our brothers. The Uzbeks say: Dusting Kozok BULSA YULINGDA ASLO ADASHMAISAN (If the Kazakh is your friend, you will not be lost on your way). In these words, the principles of friendship and good neighborliness of our people have been laid down since ancient times.

Inter-ethnic relations are of the utmost importance in forming one's own models of interethnic harmony. The basis for interaction is the permanent residence of representatives of our peoples in the countries of the region. Almost 600,000 Uzbeks live in Kazakhstan (they are the third largest ethnic group after the Kazakhs and Russians). The number of Kyrgyz and Kazakh citizens has reached 40,000. This is the only ethnos that has quadrupled its number from the 1999 census to 2019. In addition, over 48,000 Tajiks and 10,000 Turkmens are citizens of Kazakhstan. All of them are citizens of the united Kazakhstan.

Reference

Assembly of People of Kazakhstan signed memorandum on cooperation in 2018 with the Committee on inter-ethnic relations and friendly relations under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan.

In 2011, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan and the Assembly of People of Kyrgyzstan.

In the city of Nur-Sultan, under the aegis of the APK, the Uzbek capital's ethnocultural centre has been holding an international literary evening dedicated to the work of the Uzbek poet and thinker Alisher Navoi for three consecutive years.

Use of materials for publication, commercial use, or distribution requires written or oral permission fr om the Board of Editors or the author. Hyperlink to Assembly of People of Kazakstan portal is necessary. All rights reserved by the Law RK “On author’s rights and related rights”.  To request authorization email to ank_portal@assembly.kz.

Back to the list