Communiqué-de briefing

At the occasion of the current OSCE Chairman-in-Office (presidency) – the first ever run by the Central Asian Republic, the IMC EXP Chair for International law and Global Political Studies Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic invited H.E. Mr. Yerzhan Kh. Kazykhanov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Austria and the Vienna-based IOs for a visit and guest-lecture on 28^th May 2010. 

The speech of Ambassador Kazykhanov, in the historic Baroque hall, about Kazakhstan’s economic and social development, regional and international cooperation including the multilateral with the UN, OSCE and other international FORAs, and finally its bilateral relations with Austria has provided an excellent insights for the faculty members.

Excellency Kazykhanov initiated the lecture with the country profile passing some impressive figures (geographical size being equal to the size of Western Europe, world’s longest land border of 7,500 km between Kazakhstan and Russia, the largest Uranium exporter, the sixth largest wheat exporter and soon the ten largest oil exporter in the world). Further Ambassador Kazykhanov stressed Kazakhstan’s firm anti – nuclear stance, non-proliferation and good neighbourhood policy, as well as massive investments in energy sector and attempts to diversify the country’s economy. 

In the subsequent Question and Answer session, students were given the great opportunity of asking questions and receiving very personal and frank answers. Main attention was given to relations with Russia, China, and the EU, the regional grouping of SCO, situation in the region (Afghanistan and Kirgizstan) as well as the issues of energy corridors and overall energy security. 

The comprehensive information exchange was succeeded by a restful garden cocktail in the sunshiny courtyard of the IMC International Campus overseeing the historical upper old town. In order to treasure this highly interesting visit, pictures with Excellency Kazykhanov, his mission members, professors, the host and exchange students from Kazakhstan were taken.

Orientalist by education, Excellency Kazykhanov served as the assistant to the President of Republic, and also as Deputy Foreign Minister before being posted to Austria in January 2009. Marking the closing guest lecture for the summer semester 2010, this was the 77^th  event organized under the Chair for International Law and Global Political Affairs.

The next event is planned for the late September when the Indonesian ambassador will address the students.