On September 27, 2022, the Belarusian Institute of Strategic Research hosted the Belarusian-Kazakh round table "Kazakhstan and Belarus: the road of friendship and cooperation"organized jointly with the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Republic of Belarus.
The event was attended by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Belarus Askar Beisenbayev, Director of the Belarusian Institute of Strategic Research, Deputy of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus Svetlana Lyubetskaya, members of the Council of the Republic Andrey Rusakovich and Oleg Romanov, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Sergey Rakhmanov, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, the Belarusian State University, Belarusian State University of Economics, BISR analysts.
The round table focused on relevant issues of Belarusian-Kazakh cooperation, including the current state of interstate relations between Belarus and Kazakhstan and prospects for bilateral cooperation in the face of modern challenges. The agenda of the event also included the search for new growth points and opportunities for the two states in the context of transformations and reforms within the framework of the strategy of building a "New Kazakhstan" implemented by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Assessing the results of three decades of friendship between our countries, the participants of the expert discussion outlined their vision on a number of aspects of the strategic partnership between Belarus and Kazakhstan.
BISR Director Oleg Makarov: "We have a very good history of relations. There are no points that we would try to hush up or not mention. It makes us wonder how quickly we help each other develop, how quickly our interests converge? From our viewpoint, not quick enough. We have every reason to make such steps towards each other in today's difficult geopolitical conditions so that we feel more confident. Is now the right time for moving forward or do we need to make some sudden movements towards each other? Such serious and independent players as Belarus and Kazakhstan have every chance for a quantitative and qualitative transition in bilateral relations. It is very important to overcome the difficulties associated with long distances, cultural moments and peculiarities, and here Kazakhstan is a very understandable partner and country for us, because we have a very long period of living together in one state (the Soviet Union). We have very good cultural ties in the post-Soviet period, which give hope that with the help of Kazakhstan we will get to know the Asian region and other countries better and will be able to orient our regional specialization, exports, tourism, culture and other spheres to this region."
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Belarus Askar Beisenbayev: "30 years by historic standards is a small period, but it is a very important period for our countries to assess the results of cooperation achieved and determine plans for the future. Our countries participated in joint projects, increased the volume of mutual trade and supported each other on relevant issues on the international agenda. At the present stage, Kazakhstan and Belarus have achieved a multifaceted systemic nature of bilateral relations in all areas of cooperation and today have reached a qualitatively new level of interaction – strategic partnership. Kazakhstan and Belarus have built a "golden bridge" of relations between the Kazakh and Belarusian peoples during this time. We have managed not only to preserve and strengthen the old cultural and humanitarian ties, but also to establish new relations. Kazakhstan is entering a completely new era, bringing fundamental changes. In the conditions of global instability and many new challenges, we need to consolidate our values, form a clear image of the future. Today, Kazakh society has an understanding of the logic and prospects of our plans for the transformation of the political system. Constructive dialogue at supreme level, the interest of the two countries in mutually beneficial cooperation, strategic partnership and especially our people's diplomacy is the cementing foundation for further strengthening and development of friendship between the peoples of Kazakhstan and Belarus."
Svetlana Lyubetskaya, Chairperson of the Standing Commission on Legislation of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, member of the working group on cooperation with the Parliament of Kazakhstan: "It would seem that history itself brings us to the adoption of those decisions to strengthen statehood in the Eurasian space and develop those legal mechanisms that may not have been needed or known before. And in this part, mutual enrichment within the framework of legislative activity is quite important. An important area that is coming to the forefront today refers to cultural and humanitarian ties. Respectful attitude and mutual interest in national peculiarities, traditions, lifestyle, mutual enrichment is the potential that staples productive technical and economic cooperation. The youth, who will further take the baton in developing statehood of our countries, will greatly benefit from the eastern wisdom of the Kazakhs, tolerance and prudence of Belarusians. The key to success is a sense of respect, mutual sympathy, commitment to ensuring security and stability in the Eurasian space."
Member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee on International Affairs Andrey Rusakovich: "The fraternal strategic alliance is what we have come to as a result of 30 years of cooperation, 30 difficult years after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The UN system, the OSCE, integration structures in the post-Soviet space, the SCO are constructions of the modern world. Our common task is to make sure that these reference points of the future world order work from the viewpoint of interaction, cooperation, but not confrontation. Both Belarus and Kazakhstan have a very large and positive experience of participating in various integration structures, starting with the CIS and the EEU. It is important to implement the principle of a single economic space that will work for the benefit of all peoples. Belarus has a priority experience in building a Union State. Kazakhstan can also use its principles and achievements. Integration is our priority, and Kazakhstan is one of the first partners of the Belarusian state here. Together we are stronger, and together we will develop our countries in the international community.
Member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, Chairman of the Republican Public Association "Belaya Rus" Oleg Romanov: "Relations between the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Kazakhstan are in a very good mode in the sense that they meet the requirements of world politics and economics, first of all – regionalization, creation of large regional blocks that unite significant industrial, technological, demographic, military potential, and thus guarantee much greater success and security than if it happened separately. It is necessary to move further in this direction. The degree of integration in the direction of the regional bloc can and should increase, because it also meets the needs of all participants and the laws of world history. Reforms implemented in the Republic of Kazakhstan are of considerable interest to us, taking into account the fact that we have similar processes. The draft law on amending the Law "On Political Parties and Public Associations" is in final stage of preparation, which will give a new impetus to party development in our country. The experience of such a powerful political system as the Republic of Kazakhstan is of absolute interest to us. The study of promising experience is not just interesting, but necessary in order to think more deeply about solving problems facing our countries and find optimal answers to challenges".
Corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Sergey Rakhmanov: "Relations between Belarus and Kazakhstan are a vital interaction, civilizational interaction. We are related civilizations. Within the framework of the Soviet Union, we have formed a community that is still working deeper than some intra-civilizational relations. We should be very serious about general analytics. We should have a common development strategy, appropriate programs and actions. Each country has its own vision, but it seems to me that now it would be necessary to find options to bring our approaches as close as possible, formalize this rapprochement and act in this way in the same direction both in the post-Soviet space within the framework of integration structures where we participate, and at the international level".
After analyzing the current agenda of the Belarusian-Kazakh partnership in the context of the socio-economic and socio-political transformations being the case in the two states, as well as within the framework of the Belarusian strategy of the "pivot to Asia", the round table participants came to the conclusion about the importance of continuing expert discussions that will contribute to the search for adequate answers to the challenges of the time, the active development of relations between Belarus and Kazakhstan.