KAZAKH-SWEDISH RELATIONS
The agreements reached during the visit of the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev to Sweden in 2004 and the visit to Kazakhstan in February 2006 the First Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden, Bosse Ringholm as a head of the Swedish business delegation were the main drivers in the development of Kazakh-Swedish relations.
On June 22, 2010 the Ambassador of Kazakhstan, Mr Kairat Abusseitov held several meetings with the representatives of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden. During the talks with the Director of Department for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, M. Mardi, the Kazakh Ambassador informed him about Kazakhstan's Chairmanship in the OBSE, the current stage of the bilateral relations, the main aspects of the OSCE Corfu Process for further development of dialogue on European security issues, as well as the special role of the Conflict Prevention Centre (CPC) in the fields of early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation. The Swedish diplomat added that the position of Stockholm is to use the existing tools to ensure security in the Euro-Atlantic region.
Additionally, the Kazakh side raised the issue of Kazakhstan’s honorary consuls for the consular district of Stockholm and Westeros, where Kazakh diasporas are located. Furthermore, the Swedish side obtained data concerning an organization named “Small Kurultay” organised by the Kazakhs living in the European countries. They convened in spring of 2011 in Westeros.
The sides gave a positive assessment of the Swedish Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Hansoma Olson’s visit to Kazakhstan held on March, 2010. The main result of this trip was the decision of the Swedish Foreign Ministry to appoint a diplomat in Astana on a permanent basis.
Moreover, during these meetings in Stockholm, the Kazakh side raised the issue of the simplification of the visa regime for diplomatic and official passport holders. Mr M. Mord reported that Sweden is considering this issue within the EU countries. The Swedish side expressed an interest in the simplification of the visa procedure concerning tourism, pointed out a correlation of all issues related to EU competence and the need to update the current Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation dated January 23, 1995.
On June 29-30, 2010 in Astana the Swedish delegation consisting of members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Integration and Gender Equality as well as the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the OSCE took part in the OSCE High-Level Conference on Tolerance and Non-Discrimination.
On July 16-17, 2010 the Ambassador Veronika Bard-Bringéus, the head of the Permanent delegation of Sweden to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) participated in the informal OBSE meeting.
The main event in the bilateral relationship between the two countries in 2010 was the Foreign Minister, Carl Bildt’s attendance in Astana OSCE Summit. In addition to the basic principles and values of the OSCE, Mr Bildt highlighted the importance of restoring trust between the member states on protracted conflicts in Georgia, Moldova and Nagorno-Karabakh as well as the renewal of commitment to guarantee a peaceful resolution of these protracted conflicts.
Trade and Economic Relations
The trade overview between the Republic of Kazakhstan and Sweden for the first 9 months of 2010 (according to Swedish statistics, exchange rates from 01.07.2011):
Bilateral trade has untapped reserves and suffered negative changes towards reduction to 181.8 million dollars, which is 10% lower than during the same period in 2009 (202.5 m. dollars.). Furthermore, Kazakhstan's export is 75.4 million dollars (503 m. krona), Swedish imports to the Republic of Kazakhstan amount to 106.4 million dollars (710 m. krona).
In comparison with 2009, the trade balance was deficit (31 m. dollars of USA) and has decreased around three times in 2010. This means that the mutual trade positions aligned, i.e. export from Kazakhstan increased by roughly 32% and the Swedish import to the Republic of Kazakhstan declined to approximately 61%
It should be noted that the significant differences in the statistics indicate a marginal trade and high dependence on one-off and unstable transactions between the two trade partners of the two countries.
For instance, during the reporting period, compared with three quarters of 2009 (in value terms) the export of Kazakh oil and oil products decreased by three times, and along with it half as increased exports of iron and steel, more than double - non-ferrous metals four times - metal ores and metals.
In 2010 there was an upward trend in imports from Sweden to Kazakhstan, professional production and scientific research went up almost six times. However, the number of transport and equipment faced a downward trend of 20%, the number of Swedish vehicles, plastics and its products dropped five times, the imports in telecommunications as well as sound recording equipment decreased by a half.
The main products exported from Kazakhstan to Sweden are iron, steel, iron ores, metals, nonferrous metals, oil, petroleum as well as oil and petroleum products. Main imports from Sweden to Kazakhstan are machinery, equipment, electrical machinery, appliances, telecommunication and sound recording products.
Legal base
Bilateral legal base has not undergone any change in 2010 (generally from 2004). The bilateral trade and economic relations between Kazakhstan and Sweden are based on the following agreements:
• Agreement on Trade Relations between Kazakhstan and the Kingdom of Sweden (23 March 1994);
• Convention between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income (19 March 1997, entered into force in 1998);
• Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments (25 October 2004);
• Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden on International Transport of Passengers and Cargo by Road (25 October 2004).
Culture
On June 11-12, 2011 a Small Kurultai of Kazakhs in Europe was held in Westeros (Sweden) with the support of the Embassy of Kazakhstan, the World Association of Kazakhs, the Kazakh Culture Association in Sweden and the Federation of the Kazakh Diaspora in Europe.
The purpose of the event was to initiate awareness among of the Diaspora’s new generation to the Kazakh language, which was heritage and culture as well as voice the key position of the Kazakh President, Nursultan Nazarbayev announced on the IVth World Kurultai of Kazakhs held on 25-27 May, 2011 in Astana.
On the Kurultai, the heads of the Diaspora discussed urgent issues concerning interaction, cooperation and cultural expansion as well as the support of the Kazakh language and its teaching.
According to the results of the meeting, the leaders of the Kazakh Diaspora leaders agreed to activate measures which will contribute the learning of the Kazakh language by the Kazakh youth in Europe. In order to keep on organizing Small Kurultais annually, an action plan to hold these Kurultais until 2021 was approved. A Small Kurultai in 2012 will be held in Denmark, in 2013 – in Paris, in 2014 – in Berlin, in 2016 – in Cologne, Germany, in 2017 – in Munich, Germany, in 2018 – in Oslo, in 2019 – in London, in 2020 – in Vienna and in 2021 – in Västerås, Sweden. The Kazakh Youth Conference in Europe will be held in 2012, Paris.
During the Kurultai, sport and cultural events were organized with the participation of delegates from Kazakhstan, Austria, Britain, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Turkey, Finland, France and Turkey. Overall, the total number of visitors was approximately 600 people, most of whom were the young people.
The World Association of Kazakhs invited artists and the performers of Kazakh folk songs to the event. The CASPIONET channel, the KazTAG news agency and the SHALKAR newspaper broadcasted the event all over Kazakhstan.
The Embassy of Kazakhstan to the UK accredited to Sweden
