Bill Clinton Meets President Nazarbayev During a Private Visit to Kazakhstan

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, September 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, September 6th, former President Bill Clinton came to Kazakhstan on a private visit. He met Kazakh President Nazarbayev who promised a donation to the Hurricane Katrina relief fund.

Former President Bill Clinton visited President N. Nazarbayev yesterday in Almaty.

Former President Clinton declared he believes Kazakhstan is ready to chair OSCE in 2009. The Republic of Kazakhstan is running for the presidency of OSCE in 2009. Former President Clinton said he is "glad to testify for economic progress in Kazakhstan". "I want to note that your statement on political and social reforms in your country is of special importance. It is very important that this statement was made at the threshold of elections".

The Mazhilis (Kazakh lower chamber of Parliament) voted univocally today the date of the next presidential elections. The Constitutional Council's decision has been validated. The next presidential elections will be held on the first Sunday of December 2005.

Former President Clinton particularly mentioned Kazakh decision to renounce voluntarily to its nuclear potential and expressed his "thanks for the joint work we carried over nuclear disarmament. It was a complicated decision, but it helped reduce the nuclear potential of Ukraine and Belarus and made this part of the world a safer place".

Finally, President Nazarbayev expressed his condolences to all the bereaved families and all the US people and declared Kazakhstan will wire USD 500 thousand to the Hurricane Katrina Fund. "This would be a sign to show the US that the Kazakh people do not stand off the plight of even such a great power as yours" said President Nazarbayev.

    
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