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SUBJECT [Apr 26] Kuwaiti Speaker meets Deputy Chairman of Russian State Duma, Pakistani PM meets Iranian President, Kazakh Nur Otan Party nominates interim president for candidate in next election
DATE 2019-04-26
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PHOTO: Russia State Duma. Speaker of the National Assembly of the State of Kuwait Marzouq Ali al-Ghanim (left) visited Russia and met with Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Sergei Neverov on April 23.

 

The two leaders noted the importance of developing inter-parliamentary contacts between the two countries, as well as strengthening cooperation in the energy and investment spheres.

 

Deputy Speaker Sergei Neverov said that Russia and Kuwait have a solid foundation of mutually beneficial cooperation and mutual respect. “We are continuing to work together on the progressive development of relations in various fields” including energy, industry, investment, as well as regional interaction. He said the work is aimed at realizing the agreements reached by the heads of the two states.

 

Deputy Speaker Neverov also noted the similarity of the positions of the Russian Federation and Kuwait on global and Middle Eastern issues. “We are greatful to the Kuwaiti side for supporting the Russian Federation on various international platforms”, said Sergei Neverov.

 

The parties discussed the countering of the terrorist threat in the region and the Syrian issue, which they believed should be resolved exclusively by diplomatic means. They noted the importance of joint work of Russia and Kuwait in this matter, as well as creating conditions for the early return of Syrian refuges to their native land.

 

In addition, the two Speakers discussed the situation around Qatar. “We actively support the intermediary services of Kuwait in resolving the crisis around Qatar”, said Neverov and added that disagreements between the countries of the region should be resolved at the negotiating table with mutual consideration of the interests of all participants.

 

Deputy Speaker Neverov reminded that recently Chairman of the State Duma Viacheslav Volodin visited Qatar and participated in the events of the 140th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, and also held a meeting with the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. “We attach great importance to the activities of [IPU]”, and said that unlike many other international structures the IPU has a constructive atmosphere and considers interference in the affairs of sovereign states and sanctions against parliamentarians unacceptable.

 

 

 

 

PHOTO: RFE/RL, AFP. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan (right) visited Iran and met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (left) on April 22.

 

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan agreed to set up a joint border “reaction force” to counter terrorism.

 

PM Khan said at the joint press conference that “Pakistan will not allow any militant group to operate” from its soil, adding that a problem of tackling terrorism was in “increasing differences” between both countries. “So it was very important for me to come here with our security chief that we resolve this issue”, PM Khan said.

 

It was announced that Pakistan’s security chief will be meeting with his Iranian counterpart to discuss how both countries can cooperate in not allowing their soil to be used by military groups.

 

During the joint conference, Iranian President Rouhani stressed that “no third country” could harm Iran-Pakistan ties, and said that Tehran was ready to boost trade and business ties with Islamabad.

 

PM Khan also echoed this sentiment, saying that his visit to Tehran aimed to “find ways to increase trade and cooperation in energy and other areas”.

 

The announcement comes following tensions between the two countries who have in recent months accused each other of not doing enough to stamp out militants allegedly sheltering across the border.

 

The visit comes a day after Pakistan asked Iran to take action against terrorist groups believed to be behind the militant attack in Baluchistan on April 18 which killed 14 Pakistani security forces. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a letter to the Iranian government that the assailants came from an alliance of three Baluch terrorist organizations based in Iran.

 

Earlier this year, Iran called on Pakistan to take action against a militant group behind a deadly attack on the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). 27 IRGC members were killed in the February suicide car bombing near the border with Pakistan, and the extremist group Jaish al-Adl claimed responsibility for the attack.

 

 

 

 

PHOTO: Mukhtar Kholdorbekov/Reuters. Kazakh interim President Qasym-Zhomamrt Toqaev (left) and former President Nursultan Nazarbayev shake hands at the congress of the ruling Nur Otan ruling party in Nur-Sultan (formerly known as Astana) on April 23.

 

Kazakhstan’s ruling Nur Otan party has nominated interim President Qasym-Zhomart Toquaev for the presidency, virtually assuring his victory in a snap election scheduled for June 9.

 

The announcement was made at party congress on April 23, weeks after Nursultan Nazarbaev abruptly resigned as president after 30 years in power. “I propose Toqaev’s candidacy for consideration,” said Nazarbaev, who remains chairman of Nur Otan as well as the country’s Security Council. “I ask everyone to support his candidacy.”

 

The party voted unanimously in favor of his proposal. The vote came after a special congress chose the candidate after the agenda for the meeting of the highest governing body of Nur Otan was approved on April 22 by its Political Council.

 

Nazarbaev announced his resignation on March 19, and Toqaev, a longtime diplomat who was speaker of the upper house of parliament became interim president.

 

On April 9, Toqaev announced a snap presidential election for June 9, moving the vote forward by almost a year. The snap election appears aimed at shortening the political transition period and decreasing the chances of instability following Nazarbaev's resignation.

 

If Toqaev becomes president in June 9, he will serve a 5-year term that is renewable by one term according to Item 5, Article 42 of the Constitution.

 

BY MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr)