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ALMATY, 20 Feb 2008 : Taking a cue from India’s first Prime Minister
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev has
called for steps to stimulate domestic investment resources with growing
role of state holdings, development institutions and social-business
corporations.
Presenting his annual state of the nation address at the joint sitting of
both houses of parliament, Nazarbayev called for consistent strengthening of
State authority in strategically important branches of economy to
consolidate Kazakhstan’s position as an influential and responsible player
in global energy markets, as well as to enter international market with
value added goods.
"The main dimension in the oil-and-gas sector is boosting the position of
the state as an influential and responsible participant on international oil
and energy markets," he stated. "Work must be continued in this direction."
Speaking on “Consistent modernization and maintenance of stable economic
growth” President Nazarbayev also laid stress on speedy infrastructural
development of economy’s main sectors such as electricity generation and
transportation system.
With this in mind, he instructed to start implementation of the largest
transportation project in Kazakhstan “Transcontinental corridor Western
Europe – Western China”.
The Kazakhstan President said that his country will continue to strengthen
political and economic cooperation with China, Russia and other Central
Asian countries.
He said Kazakhstan will also expand constructive cooperation with the United
States, the European Union and NATO in a bid to solidify the security in the
Central Asian regions.
Kazakhstan will assume the rotating presidency of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2010, symbolizing the country's
international status is climbing to a new high, Nazarbayev said.
Nazarbayev called for the development of a new state program, tentatively
titled Path to Europe, which would set out Kazakhstan’s agenda for chairing
the OSCE and also boost economic cooperation, attract cutting edge
technologies and modern management practices and further reform legislation.
He said the priorities of macroeconomic policy are focused on establishing
an efficient response mechanism to financial instability threats and
enhancing the international markets’ confidence in Kazakhstan’s economy.
“Structural reforms in financial system are to be continued to raise its
competitiveness and stability, further improve management of systemic risks
both in private and state sectors, as well as elaborate a quick response
measures in case of force-major situations.”
Kazakhstan President noted that inflow of foreign capital into the banking
sector is regarded as a vote of confidence in Kazakhstan, a source of
financial support and best international practices of banking services.
On the agenda is to bring the tax system in line with the goals of the new
stage of Kazakhstan development, thereby promoting modernization and
diversification of Kazakhstan’s economy, elimination of “shadow business”.
“New Tax Code must become the law of direct action and prescribe the
reduction of tax burden for non-extractive industries, especially for small
and medium sized enterprises, at the expense of greater economic return from
extractive sector.”
The address necessitated further improvement of Kazakhstan’s model of
political and state functioning through combination of universally accepted
mechanisms of democracy development and traditions of Kazakhstan society,
with a view of maintaining long term stability, peace and harmony.
Increased effectiveness of public administration, further administrative
reform, systemic measures against criminality and corruption are set to be
accomplished within the framework of political modernization.
The President noted the importance of comprehensive assistance to
entrepreneurship, freeing it from a burden of administrative pressure and
illegal interference.
According to “Increasing Kazakhstan population’s prosperity” task, the
President said a provision of social welfare will remain amongst the most
important targets.
“Healthcare and education are named nationwide priorities and they will be
developed by attracting private capital as a part of corporate social
responsibility.”
The fourth theme of the address was devoted to the consolidation of
international authority, regional stability and international security. It
is underlined that the basic priorities of Kazakhstan foreign policy remain
invariable.
Source:
http://thetribuneonline.com/commonwealth_independent_states.htm |