Nazarbaev's London Talks Focus on OSCE Bid and Energy

NBCentralAsia analysts say Kazak president Nursultan Nazarbaev’s visit to Britain is a logical continuation of his recent trip to Washington. The same issues are on the agenda: Kazakstan’s application to join the World Trade Organisation, its bid to chair the OSCE, and energy security.



Energy, economic support and regional security are the main themes of President Nazarbaev’s November 20-22 visit. These issues were also on the table when he was in the United States in September.



The importance of investment was underlined when Nazarbaev opened proceedings at the London Stock Exchange on the last day of his trip. Companies like KazakhMys, KazakhGold, KazMunaiGaz and Kazkommertsbank are all listed on the London exchange, and generated around 3.2 billion US dollars in share trading last year.



Kazakstan-based experts note that the president’s visit comes at a time of international concerns over the security of energy supplies.



“Like the US, Britain is… seeking solutions to many issues relating to Islamic terrorism and oil transportation,” said political scientist Berik Abdygaliev. “So Kazakstan is of some interest to the UK in that respect.”



But the visit reflects not only British interest in Kazak energy, but also Kazakstan’s wish to acquire new technologies for its oil industry and win western political support for energy projects, according to Sabit Jusupov, head of the Kazakstan Institute for Social and Economic Information and Forecasting.



“Energy is a very important aspect, since virtually all [current energy projects] involve Russia or China,” he said.



Jusupov said other issues raised in London would include Kazak membership of the World Trade Organisation, and Kazakstan’s hopes of chairing the OSCE in 2009, a move opposed by both Britain and the US. After Nazarbaev’s September visit, Washington did not signal any shift in its opposition to the Kazak bid.



(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)