Kazakhstan won't be renamed

Kazakhstan has no intention to drop the suffix “stan”, the Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov said in his interview to La Vanguardia in Paris on Wednesday, azh.kz reports.

Kazakhstan intends to strengthen its international image and to enter into the list of 30 most developed states in the world, said the minister. The country will use EXPO-2017 exhibition  as a show-window to reflect its future.

To the question , whether Kazakhstan will drop the suffix “stan” in order to differ from other Central Asian countries, Idrisov answered: “These are the tricks of mass media and it shouldn't be taken seriously. Kazakhstan will remain Kazakhstan, and more from year to year”.

“Our country is one of the largest producers of hydrocarbons and the number one in uranium production in the world.

In the medium-term prospect Kazakhstan intends to move to the front of international policy scene and serve as the necessary link between Europe and Asia. We also aim to become a country that is associated with environmentally friendly energy”, said the Minister.

“The Euroasian Economic Union has everything in the best way to serve as a bridge between Europe and Asia”, - Idrissov continued. The recent agreement between Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus on “establishment of a common market will provide free movement of goods, services, people and capital”.

In this sense Astana tries to strengthen its economic and diplomatic relations with the EU, its largest commercial partner and investor. Kazakhstan enjoys the support of France, which Idrisov called “the key partner in Europe”.

Translated by Zeena Urynbassarova