In this issue:
Congress, Majilis Establish Friendship Group
House Committee Approves Amendment on Semipalatinsk Nuclear Studies
Muslim World League Supports Religions' Forum in Kazakhstan
Nomads to Be Filmed in Turkestan
Congress, Majilis Establish Friendship Group
Members of Kazakhstan's Majilis
and of the U.S. Congress established
the U.S.-Kazakhstan Inter-Parliamentary
Friendship Group on May 7 with the goal
of enhancing political and economic ties
between the two countries. The majilismen
were led by Deputy Speaker Mukhambet
Kopei, while congressmen Robert Wexler
(D-FL) and Joe Pitts (R-PA) became
co-chairs from the U.S. side.
Majilismen and congressmen, including Ivan Chirkalin, Omirgali Kenzhebek, Nurdaulet Sarsenov from Kazakhstan, and Tom Tancredo, Chris Bell, Henry Waxman and others from the U.S., signed the Statement of Friendship and Cooperation saying that they seek "the goal of strengthening the long-term, strategic partnership between the United States and Kazakhstan."
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on the Capitol Hill, Rep. Robert Wexler said that "Kazakhstan has served as America's ally, partner and friend and a cornerstone of stability in the former Soviet states. In the past eleven years, Kazakhstan has begun the process of building strong civil institutions, reforming its system of governance and reaching out to the United States in goodwill and cooperation."
Congressmen Joe Pitts said it represent "a new level of political and social engagement between our two unique nations."
Both congressmen agreed that "as the United States works to rebuild Iraq and promote democracy throughout the Middle East and Central Asia, it is in America's best interest to strengthen ties with nations like Kazakhstan; nations that have provided support to the United States in our global campaign against terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction."
Mr. Kopei noted that new group furthers the agreements of presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev and George Bush on new Kazakhstan-U.S. relations in the 21st century and expressed hope that the two legislatures will be able to work more closely on the political and economic side.
Ambassador Kanat Saudabayev said the new group is recognition of the role Kazakhstan's parliament plays in the country's life and "signifies the appearance of a completely new dimension in our bilateral relations."
House Committee Approves Amendment on Semipalatinsk Nuclear Studies
Members of the House Foreign Relations Committee approved an amendment to the State Department Authorization Bill 2004 May 8 that expresses concern of the U.S. Congress with the environmental and human toll of the decades of Soviet nuclear testing in Semipalatinsk and asks the Secretary of State to set up a joint working group with the Government of Kazakhstan to assess these consequences.
The legislation, introduced by Rep. Eni Faleomavaega, said that while Kazakhstan "closed and sealed the world's second largest nuclear test site in Semipalatinsk at which more than 500 nuclear tests had been conducted from 1949 to 1991", "more than 1,500,000 people in Kazakhstan suffered because of decades of Soviet nuclear weapons testing in the region."
The congressmen believe that "a horrifying array of disease will continue to destroy the lives of hundreds of thousands and their descendants for many generations to come" as a result of these tests. They said that Kazakhstan was "doing its best to help those who were exposed to the horrific nuclear experiments of the 20th century but it faces daunting challenges."
Against this background, the legislation said that "it is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State should work to establish a joint working group with the Government of Kazakhstan to assist in assessing the environmental damage and health effects caused by Soviet nuclear testing in Semipalatinsk."
Rep. Eni Faleomavaega (D - American Samoa), who has a strong commitment and personal history of fighting nuclear tests in the South Pacific in the past, authored the amendment. Speaking at the inauguration of the U.S.-Kazakhstan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group on May 7, Rep. Faleomavaega, a key member of the group, said he would spare no effort in seeing the amendment gets passed.
The full House of Representatives is expected to vote on the bill later in May.
Muslim World League Supports Religions' Forum in Kazakhstan
The Muslim World League (MWL) supports the initiative to hold a forum of world's religions in Kazakhstan later this year, MWL Secretary General Abdallah ben Abdel Mukhsin Al-Turki said after his meeting with President Nazarbayev in Astana on May 7.
"The idea of a dialogue between East and West on an inter-religious level has been floating around for quite a while. It is a very promising initiative, and we are ready to support the forum in any way we can," said Al-Turki.
The MWL, uniting scholars and religious leaders from more than 50 countries, is believed to be one of the most respected organizations both in the Muslim community and outside it. It has an observer status with UNESCO.
President Nazarbayev first proposed the idea to hold a meeting of leaders of world's religions in Kazakhstan during his audience with Pope John Paul II in February 2003. The Pope supported the initiative at that meeting.
Head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Alexy II during his meeting with Mr. Nazarbayev in February also supported holding a global religious forum in Kazakhstan.
Nomads to Be Filmed in Turkestan
Oscar-winning art director Franko Fumagali and Kazakhfilm directors visited Turkestan, a picturesque town in the south of the country, earlier this week to scout future settings for an epic, Nomads, to be produced jointly by Kazakhstan and Hollywood producers later this year.
Mr. Fumagali said Turkestan's majestic settings of the 15th-Century mausoleum of Hodja Akhmet Yassaui provided "wonderful decorations" which can be nicely supplemented by "genuine artifacts of the old ages on loan from the museums."
If a decision is made to shoot the film in Turkestan, the filming will begin in August and finish in October, officials said.
"While our budget is two times less than the famous Gladiator's $100 million, it will be enough for good-quality large scale scenes, while genuine things of that epoch will ensure a special touch."
The film is set in the Middle Ages when Kazakh nomads were courageously fighting for their statehood against Jungarian invaders.
Turkestan, several centuries ago known as Yassy, has been the spiritual capital of the Sufi Islam since the early Middle Ages. It is home to the mausoleum, built by Timur Lenk in honor of the Sufi philosopher Hodja Akhmet and now part of the UNESCO's world's cultural heritage. The town is dubbed "second Mecca", and Muslims from throughout the world who visited it believe they did a small pilgrimage, or hajj.
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News Bulletin of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the USA and Canada
(Compiled from own sources and various agencies' reports)
Contact persons: Roman Vassilenko, Aibek Nurbalin
Tel.: (202) 232- 5488 ext. 104, 115, Fax: (202) 232- 5845
