THE SPEAKER OF THE MAZHILIS NAMED THE PRIORITIES OF TURKPA IN THE COMING YEARS

Astana, December 4, the House of the Mazhilis. Speaking at the regular plenary session of the VI Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-speaking countries, held in Astana, the Speaker of the Mazhilis Kabibulla Dzhakupov as the acting Chairman of the Assembly outlined the main directions of Kazakhstan’s activity within the framework of its chairmanship in the TurkPA.

According to the Chairman of the Mazhilis, our country, maintaining the continuity, using of accumulated experience and continuing the best practice of the Assembly, intends to continue the interaction strengthening in all the areas of cooperation among the members of this organization.

At the same time Kabibulla Dzhakupov stressed that the Assembly and its activities must conform to modern trends of development of our countries and external challenges.

The Speaker of the Mazhilis called the three main directions of TurkPA activity, which, in his opinion, would be a promising agenda of the Assembly in the coming years.

Among them there are the actualization of the content and effectiveness of the TurkPA commissions’ activity. First of all it applies to the Commission for Legal Affairs and International Affairs. The Chairman of the Mazhilis focused on the relevance of the idea of ​​President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev voiced at the UN General Assembly in September this year, on the establishment of the global network under the sponsorship of the United Nations to counter international terrorism and extremism. At the same time K.Dzhakupov expressed confidence that TurkPA parliamentarians can contribute to global security by inviting international experts as well as religious leaders for discussion.

According to the Chairman of the Mazhilis, in order to strengthen trade-economic ties between the countries the parliamentarians could support the early establishment of the Joint Turkic investment fund.

- Our countries have a unique opportunity to become an important part of the strategic transcontinental route of the New Silk Road. This route passes through all our countries and is aimed at forming a common Eurasian trade-and-economic space and transcontinental transport corridor along the zone of the Economic Belt of the Silk Road, - said K.Dzhakupov.

In the framework of the Commission on Economic Cooperation K.Dzhakupov offered to organize a meeting of the parliamentary committees that are in charge of financial issues, economy and agriculture to discuss the adoption of joint measures to enhance economic cooperation.

As a part of the TurkPA Commission on Environment and Natural Resources it is proposed to organize a seminar on environmental problems of the Caspian Sea, and the Commission on Social, Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs is to support new joint research projects, join efforts to preserve the ancient historical monuments.

In addition, within the framework of EXPO 2017 under the aegis of the Turkic Council and the Assembly is scheduled to hold a festival of Turkic culture.

The second work direction of the parliamentarians is suggested to identify the convergence of national legislations.

The Chairman of the Mazhilis said that Kazakhstan will continue the practice of experience exchanging and accumulation of expert potential on national legislation introduced in the course of the Turkish and Azerbaijan chairmanship. The third direction of ​​activity, according to K.Dzhakupov, will be the activation of the international activities of TurkPA.

- Potential of TurkPA can be used by us to support and promote international initiatives of our countries and joint projects on international markets and in the framework of international organizations, - said the Speaker of the Mazhilis.

According to Kabibulla Dzhakupov, it is important that the work of parliaments and the Parliamentary Assembly to promote the common interests were coordinated - from preparation to support, participation, and media coverage.

- Today, through the instruments of parliamentary diplomacy, it is important to expand cooperation with our colleagues from the brotherly Turkic republics - Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in the field of economy, international cooperation and regional security, culture and education. Of course, it should be on a voluntary basis, - said Speaker of the Mazhilis.

Kabibulla Dzhakupov proposed to organize regular meeting of chairmen of parliamentary committees on Foreign Affairs to discuss the current agenda and areas of joint work. – The Collaboration of all Turkic institutions will strengthen Turkic unity, peace and prosperity of our brotherly countries and peoples, - concluded the Chairman of the Mazhilis.

The parliamentary delegations from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey along with Kazakh parliamentarians attend the regular VI plenary meeting of TurkPA. The delegation of the National Assembly of Hungary also attended it as the observers, which received this status in the previous V plenary session of TurkPA in Baku.

(Olga Abramova, 74-68-44, photo by S.Maylybaev, distributed by press service of the Mazhilis)

ASTANA-YEREVAN: ARMENIA - REFERENDUM - THE MISSION OF THE IPA OF THE CIS

Astana, December 7, the House of the Mazhilis. A Mazhilis deputy Askar Bazarbaev visited Armenia, where on the delegation of the Mission of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, watched the preparation and holding of the referendum on Constitutional amendments of the country.

Starting from December 4 to date, observers from the Assembly held a series of meetings. For example, in the National Assembly, they talked with the Deputy Chairman of the Parliament of Armenia Ermine Nagdalyan, as well as with representatives of political parties, “Republican Party of Armenia” and the “Prosperous Armenia”.

There was a meeting with the Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Mukuchyan, who informed about the preparation and readiness of the electoral system for the referendum.

On Election Day, December 6 the observers worked on individual routes. In the process of monitoring, they visited polling stations in Yerevan, as well as settlements of five marzes (regions) of the Republic: Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Gegharkunik and Kotayk.

And today, at a press conference the findings of the CIS mission will be presented.

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This group includes 23 international observers (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, and Tajikistan). Among them there are the members and staff of the Council Secretariat of the IPA CIS and the experts of the International Institute on Monitoring of Democracy Development, Parliamentarianism and Suffrage Protection for the Citizens of the Members-States if IPA CIS.

 (Zhiger Baytelessov - 746303. With the assistance of the Press Service of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly. Distributed by the press service of Mazhilis).