A Brief Look on the New Synergy Joint Economic Program After 2nd Meeting of High-Level Strategic Cooperation council

A BRIEF LOOK ON THE NEW SYNERGY JOINT ECONOMIC PROGRAM AFTER 2ND MEETING OF HIGH-LEVEL STRATEGIC COOPERATION COUNCIL On 16th April, 2015, the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan made an official visit to Kazakhstan with an invitation of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. This is the first official visit of Erdogan to Kazakhstan since his election as a President. Nazarbayev gave a solemn welcoming to Erdogan in Astana. The relations between two countries were considerably strengthened in 2009 when a treaty for strategic partnership was signed during the visit of Nazarbayev to Turkey. In May, 2012, the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) was assembled and held its first meeting in Turkey. This second meeting of HLSCC is held in Kazakhstan. In the meeting issues on trade, economy and investment were considered and a number of agreements were signed. On 11th October, 2012, during the first meeting of the HLSCC held in Ankara, Turkey-Kazakhstan New Synergy – Joint Economic Program for 3 years was signed and 14 investment projects total cost of which 1.5 billion USD were accepted. The Program for 2012-2015 period included issues on trade, investment, industry, transport, science, innovation, new technologies, agriculture, energy, mining, banking, financial sector, regional cooperation, industrial areas, tourism and many other industries. The two countries also agreed to start working on the establishment of the Kazakh-Turkish industrial zones. The industrial zones were supposed to be established in Astana, Almaty, Oral and Shymkent regions.

The cooperation within New Synergy Program has significant results in various fields. Large Turkish companies have invested in Kazakhstan. A number of small and medium-sized enterprises in food, light and construction industries started investment projects. For the de-velopment of transport and transit potential, the two countries have established the process of integration of the Zhezkazgan-Beyneu railway network with Akhalkalaki (Georgia) - Kars (Turkey) railway. To conclude, the implementation of the 3-year period Program can be positively assessed by the both parties. The trade between the two countries became 3.5 billion USD in 2014. On 16th April, 2015, during the second meeting of the HLSCC held in Astana, a list of initial projects to strengthen New Synergy Program has been developed. 23 business ventures for amount of more than 2.8 billion USD have been included in this list with projects on development and production of aluminum radiators, window and door accessories, waterproofing materials, steel pipes, fiber-reinforced concrete, background concrete hydroponic green fodder, construction of commercial and military vessels and development of maritime transportation. After the second meeting of the HLSCC, governmental and business authorities accompanied with more than 400 representatives of the companies participated in Kazakhstani-Turkish Business Forum. In the Business Forum, 19 projects, total amount of which was 800 million USD, were signed. With closer economic negotiations after the meeting, cooperation between the two countries has considerably increased. Kazakhstan and Turkey have been continuing to work on 35 investment projects that cost 3.4 billion USD.

During the official visit to Astana, the president of Turkey was accompanied with 7 ministers. Some important negotiations with the representatives of these ministries Kazakhstani and Turkish sides can be evaluated as follows:

- The Minister of Economy of Turkey and the Minister of Investment and Development of Kazakhstan approved the proto-col on activation of the New Synergy Program. It has been planned to increase the volume of trade up to 10 billion USD and the volume of annual investments up to 500 million USD. - The President of the Council for Scientific and Technological Research of Turkey and the Chairman of the Board of the National Agency for Technological Development of Kazakhstan have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation, which provided cooperation in information, communications, industrial technology, energy, materials, metallurgy, food industry, agriculture, transportation, logistics and civil engineering. - A meeting was held between the President of the Office for Religious Affairs of Turkey and the Vice-Minister of Culture and Sports of Kazakhstan. The parties discussed issues on religion and expressed their desire for further development of mutual cooperation in this field. - The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of two countries considered regional issues such as Eurasian Economic integration and  Turkey’s  concern  on  trade  with  Cen-­ tral Asian countries.

On the other hand, the Chamber of Foreign Trade of Kazakhstan and the Council of Foreign Economic Relations of Turkey signed two bilateral treaties: the Final Joint Statement of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council between Kazakhstan and Turkey and the Protocol of Implementation of the New Synergy Joint Economic Program.

In conclusion, Kazakhstan and Turkey have great economic potentials. Various economic projects would strengthen their relations in near future. Kazakhstan can reach European markets through the Caspian Sea while Turkey can develop economic cooperation with the Central Asian countries.

Politics, Foreign Affairs and Security x x x x x x The Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Joomart Otorbayev, who held this position since April 4, 2014, has tendered resignation. According to preliminary data, the President of Kazakhstan and the leader of the ruling party Nur Otan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, won with 97.7% of the vote at early presidential elections. His opponents - Turgun Syzdykov, nominated by the Communist   People’s   Party,   and   the   independent candidate Abelgazi Kusainov gathered 1.6% and 0.7% of the vote, respectively.

According to the country's Supreme Election Committee, independent candidate Mustafa Akinci won with the 60.38% of the vote at the run-off presidential election in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. His rival the President Dervis Eroglu took 39.62% of the vote.

Belarus and Georgia have signed a package of cooperation agreements during  the  Belarusian  president’s  cur-­ rent visit to Tbilisi. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and his Georgian counterpart confirmed their respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders. Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Armenia. During the visit, Putin met with Armenian and French Presidents. During the discussion the leaders focused on bilateral cooperation and pressing international problems, implementation of the Minsk-2 agreements on Ukraine and the problem over the Mistral helicopter carrier contract.

Iran and Pakistan have agreed to tighten security on the joint border between the two countries and to swap the captured terrorists. The Iranian and Pakistani delegations have met in Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchestan provinces to provide each other with instant reports on terrorist movements on their side.

x The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted an additional protocol to the Council of Eu- x rope's convention on the prevention of terrorism to ensure that states do not violate human rights as they combat terrorism. The convention seeks to reduce the number of Europeans traveling abroad to join terrorist groups.

Economy, Finance and Energy x x x x x During the official visit of the President of Argentine Cristina   Fernández   de Kirchner to Moscow, the leaders of two countries have signed a framework agreements on economic and energy cooperation. Russia's Rosatom nuclear corporation agreed to build a new reactor at Argentina's Atucha 3 nuclear power plant. KazMunayGas Nabors Drilling Company LLP would carry out drilling work at the Tengiz field in Kazakhstan. Signing of documents on the establishment of the joint venture took place with the participation of First Deputy Energy Minister of Kazakhstan Uzakbay Karabalin and Chairman of the Board KazMunayGas Sauat Mynbayev.

A delegation headed by the chairman of Azerbaijani Railways CJSC Javid Gurbanov held a meeting with Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister Satlyk Satlykov. During the meeting, the parties discussed the creation of favorable conditions for cargo transportation with participation of Turkmenistan via the International Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia. Collegiate organ of the Eurasian Economic Commission has decided to zero the rate of import duty on lead ores and concentrates (with lead content of not less than 45%). Zero rate on lead ores and concentrates would be effective from 25 May 2015 to 24 May 2017.

The President of China Xi Jinping arrived in Pakistan to launch $46 billion bilateral projects. The infrastructure and energy projects are aimed at establishing a Pakistan-China Economic Corridor between Pakistan's southern x Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea and China's western Xinjiang region The Uzbek-Russian intergovernmental agreement on the main directions of development and deepening economic cooperation for 2015-2019 entered into force in Uzbekistan. The document provided the expansion and strengthening of economy, investment, transport and communication. According the administration of the Aktau port on the Kazakh coast of the Caspian Sea, the first stage of the sea port expansion would start in July 2015 and the project was planned to be completed late in 2016.

Society and Culture x x x x Various countries have started to give help to Nepal, which encountered the 7.9 magnitude earthquakes. The international community has pledged support and aid packages to Nepal. The US announced that they would pledge 1 million USD to the aid effort. Australia and the UK have also pledged 5 million AUD and 5 million GBP aid package, while Turkey, India, Sri Lanka, China and others were sending disaster response teams to assist in search and rescue.

The first Water Museum in Central Asia, supported by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and Small Grants Program of the UNDP in Kyrgyzstan, was opened in Bishkek. The project was initiated by the Public Association “AKMEN” and took four years to construct. Turkey celebrated the 100th anniversary of the victory of Gallipoli (Canakkale), which took the lives of 120 thousand soldiers and officers of Turkey and the military coalition - Britain, France, New Zealand and Australia. Leaders of 21 states took part in these event.

The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and citizens of the country paid their respects to the victims of the Chernobyl disaster marking the 29th anniversary   of   the   world’s   worst   nu-­ clear accident.

Prepared by Lidiya Parkhomchik, Hayal Ayca Simsek, Prepared by Lidiya Parkhomchik, Hayal Ayca Simsek, Zhuldyz Kanapıyanova, Zhuldyz Kanapiyanova, Meiramgul Issayeva. Kanat Makhanov Meiramgul Issayeva