New Delhi, July 3 (ANI): India's support was a key factor for Kazakhstan's success in achieving a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), said that country's Ambassador to India, Bulat Sarsenbayev.
In an exclusive interview given to ANI, Ambassador Sarsenbayev said, "On 28 of June, there was election in the UN for non-permanent seats in the Security Council and Kazakhstan won this seat. We became a non-permanent member of the Security Council. We got 138 votes to Thailand's 55. It is a big majority and is recognition of the authority of my country, Kazakhstan, and the authority of our leader, President Nursultan Nazerbayev and his personal input to this election, because during every meeting with international states, he always raised this issue that Kazakhstan is capable of becoming a member of the Security Council. And Kazakhstan, for the first time, a country of Central Asia, elected from the Asia Pacific group, to become a member of the Security Council."
When specifically asked about the Indian government role in promoting Kazakhstan's UNSC bid, Ambassador Sarsenbayev said, "First of all, I would like to say thank you to the leadership of India and to the people of India, because a long time ago, back when we wanted to be in this place (UNSC), in 2010, and from the beginning, the Indian government was supporting us. We are very grateful that India believed in Kazakhstan and they supported us steadily to become a member of the Security Council."
He also made a special mention of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and India, formed during President Nazarbayev's visit to New Delhi in January 2009.
He said, "That time, during the negotiations, we came to the conclusion that we are strategic partners. India and Kazakhstan are strategic partners and we share very similar approaches on many international issues. Politically, we don't have any problem between us. The support of India is a very strong one and we appreciate it. Kazakhstan will do everything possible to strengthen this relationship further. We would like to use our new status as a member of the Security Council to make our world more secure."
On the issue of India's demand that there is an urgent need to reform the United Nations and make its various bodies more globally representative, Ambassador Sarsenbayev said, "Kazakhstan has officially expressed its support to India to become a member of the Security Council, a permanent member. We are supporting India on this issue."
He also said that there is a need for the global community and world organs like the United Nations to address issues like terrorism and extremism in a calibrated and concentrated manner.
"Terrorism is a big problem for the whole world. Our president, during the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly, raised some proposals such as to make a global network, an anti-terrorism network, to prepare a list of all terrorist organisations and people-based on legislations of countries. In some countries, there are 30 0r 40 terrorist organisations, but in other countries, it is different. It's all based on their own legislations. Kazakhstan has proposed a global list of all terrorist organisations and people who are involved in terrorist activity, and to exchange this information. We will work on these issues to coordinate with all the countries. Terrorism is not acceptable. What happened in Turkey, what happened in Bangladesh is not acceptable. We are in the 21st century, and we are facing such challenges. This is awful," he said.
Ambassador Sarsenbayev put forward four priorities that Kazakhstan would focus on during future UNSC deliberations - nuclear, energy, water and food security.
"Advancing these priorities in the main body of multilateral diplomacy, Kazakhstan intends to closely cooperate with all partners without exception. Kazakhstan will seek to represent the interests of the whole of Central Asia. Kazakhstan will begin its two year membership in the UN Security Council on January 1, 2017 and this will last till December 31, 2018," he said.
He recalled that when the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991, Kazakhstan became the fifth largest nuclear power in the world.
"At that time, we use to have 1500 nuclear warheads. India, from media information I know, it's about 150. We opted to destroy our nuclear stockpile and were the first country in the world to do so. On 29th of August, we have an international conference in Kazakhstan to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the closing of the nuclear weapons testing ground, the largest in the world. We have invited External Affairs Minister Ms. Swaraj and some MPs for that conference from India. So, Kazakhstan has an open policy on many issues," he said.
When asked what was Kazakhstan's position on India's membership bid for the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)? Ambassador Sarsenbayev said, "Recently, there was a telephone call from your prime minister (Narendra Modi) to our president (Nursultan Nazarbayev). They discussed this issue. It was an initiative from the Indian side. They exchanged their positions and they understood the importance of this issue and so on. Kazakhstan is not against India being member of this (NSG). Our leaders discussed, I am not familiar with it, but Kazakhstan is very positive."
According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India made its application for (NSG) membership on May 12th, reflecting the progress in its engagement with the NSG.
The MEA said in a note that this engagement with the NSG began in 2004. It said that a decision on civil nuclear cooperation with India was adopted by consensus by the NSG in September 2008. Subsequent to that, regular discussions with the NSG too place and continue to take place.
India has made it a point to mention that this application for membership of the NSG is not a new subject, and is one that has been discussed within the NSG at every Plenary since 2011.
The MEA has said that India's application has acquired immediacy in view of India's INDC envisaging 40 percent non-fossil power generation capacity by 2030. An early positive decision by the NSG would have allowed New Delhi to move forward on the Paris Agreement.
While not naming China, the MEA said procedural hurdles were persistently raised by one country, but added that an overwhelming number of plenary participants took the floor and supported India's membership and appraised India's application positively.
Ambassador Sarsenbayev concluded the interview by saying, "Today, India is one of the most developing countries economy-wise and your leadership is doing what is possible to bring India to being among the top countries. And, in Kazakhstan, we know the importance of India. In the last few years we have completely come to an understanding that we should do a lot of things together economically. Kazakhstan is very important to India and India is very important to Kazakhstan. I am very happy with what has happened in the two years since I came here as ambassador.
