Foreign Relations of Kazakhstan

Foreign relations of Kazakhstan are primarily based on economic and political security. The Nazarbayev administration has tried to balance relations with Russia and the United States by sending petroleum and natural gas to its northern neighbor at artificially low prices while assisting the U.S. in the War on Terror. Kazakhstan is a member of the United Nations, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (which it chaired in 2010), North Atlantic Cooperation Council, Commonwealth of Independent States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and NATO's Partnership for Peace program. Kazakhstan established a customs union with Russia and Belarus. It will be transformed into the Common Economic Space in 2012. Kazakhstan established the Eurasian Economic Community with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

Kazakhstan's Chairmanship in the OSCE

In January 2010 Kazakhstan assumed the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the biggest regional security organization, connecting 56 countries of Europe, North America and Asia. Kazakhstan became the first post Soviet, predominantly Asian and Muslim state to be given the honor of leading the organization. With no doubts, the honor of the chairmanship in the authoritative international organizations symbolizes the success of social, economic and political achievements of Kazakhstan during the 18 years of its independence. Kazakhstan's Chaimanship presents important opportunities for both, Astana and OSCE.

The major achievement of Kazakhstan's Chairmanship could be the successful organisation of the OSCE Summit. As the last summit was hold in 1999 in Istanbul, the first summit in the past 10 years could give a fresh impetus to the development of the OSCE. In particular, the summit could strengthen the relationships between the Western and Central Asian countries and support the integration process between various actors.