GENERAL OVERVIEW

Cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kingdom of the Netherlands

• On December 31, 1991 - The Kingdom of the Netherlands has recognized the state sovereignty of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
• On September 10, 1992 - diplomatic relations are established.
• On December 20, 2000 - The Honorable Consulate of the Netherlands is opened in Atyrau city.
• On November 5, 2002 - Mr. Peter van Leeuwen is appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Netherlands to Kazakhstan.
• On June 17, 2003 - The General Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Amsterdam is established by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
• In November 2003 - Mr. Konstantin Zhigalov, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan in the Kingdom of Belgium is appointed by the Decree of the President of Kazakhstan as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands with the residence in Brussels (Credentials are handed to Queen Beatrix, the Queen of the Netherlands in May, 2004).
• On February 18, 2005 - The General Consulate in Amsterdam is reorganized to the Diplomatic Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands by the Decree of the President of Kazakhstan (the beginning of functioning - July 18, 2005).
• On September 21, 2006 – Mr. Klaas van der Tempel presents Credentials to the President of Kazakhstan as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Netherlands to Kazakhstan.
• Since January 1, 2007 the diplomatic mission is reorganized to the Embassy of Kazakhstan to the Netherlands by the Decree of the President of Kazakhstan.
• On October 2, 2007 - Mrs. Mainura S. Murzamadieva is appointed by the Decree of the President of Kazakhstan as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
• On November 21, 2007 – Mrs. Mainura S. Murzamadieva presents Credentials to the Queen of the Netherlands Beatrix as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Political dialog

The first official visit of President of Kazakhstan H.E. Nursultan Nazarbayev to the Netherlands, which took place in November 27-28, 2002, became an important stage in bilateral relations. The visit created solid foundation for further development of cooperation between two states. Prospects of bilateral relations were discussed as well as new directions of the collaboration were mapped out during talks with Queen Beatrix, Prime Minister J.P.Balkenende, speakers of the Senate G.Braks and of the House of Representatives F.Weisglas. Agreements on support and mutual protection of investments, on regular air communication, on cooperation and mutual aid in customs affairs were signed during the visit.

Inter-MFA cooperation has significant record. The visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs J. de Hoop Schaffer, acting chairman of OSCE, to Kazakhstan took place in July 7, 2003. He was hosted by the President Nursultan Nazarbayev; had talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs K.Tokaev and Chairman of the Central election committee Z.Balieva.

During 2004-2005 two meetings of Kassymzhomart Tokaev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan with Bernard Bot, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands has taken place (December 2004, Brussels; September 2005, New York).

The first consultations between Ministries of Foreign Affairs are carried out in April, 2005 in The Hague with participation of A.Volkov, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan and J.L.I. van Hoorn, Director of the Southeast and Eastern Europe Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. The delegation of the Dutch Foreign Ministry headed by J.L.I. van Hoorn has visited Kazakhstan within the framework of the second round of consultations in November 2005. Meetings have taken place also in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Central Electoral Committee of Kazakhstan.

On May 4-5, 2006 official visit of H.E. Dr. Bernard Bot, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands to Kazakhstan has taken place.

On June 4, 2009 Kazakhstan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marat Tazhin, paid an official visit to the Netherlands. Important bilateral meetings with Dutch Prime-Minister, Jan Balkenende, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maxime Verhagen, took place. Further bilateral cooperation in an international context was discussed and Mr. Balkenende underlined that the Netherlands considers Kazakhstan as a strategic partner in Central Asia. He also acknowledged the Astana government’s crucial role in global energy security, its fight against international terrorism and narcotraffic, non-proliferation, climate change and environmental protection.

Speaking of the pro-active investment policy of Dutch companies in Kazakhstan, Minister Tazhin emphasized the importance of further development in bilateral cooperation within the Kazakh State programme ‘Path to Europe’ and ‘The EU & Central Asia: Strategy for a New Partnership’. Mr. Tazhin also spoke of Kazakhstan’s need of the Netherlands’ advanced experience in power efficiency, alternative sources of energy and environmentally-friendly production technologies in industry and agriculture.

The Dutch-Kazakh exchange continued with talks between Mr. Tazhin and Mr. Verhagen during which bilateral interaction and Kazakhstan`s Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 2010 were discussed. The two Foreign Ministers spoke of pressing issues on the Organization’s agenda and agreed to continue consultations on joint promotion of common interests in all three OSCE dimensions (European security / economic, scientific, technological and environmental cooperation / humanitarian and cultural collaboration). The parties also addressed mutual interests in a number of significant regional security issues. A Memorandum of Understanding - summarizing the results of the visit - was signed. According to this document, the parties will henceforth hold regular consultations and meetings at all political levels to promote on-going cooperation, as well as regional and international interaction (including interaction within the framework of international organizations). Mr. Tazhin invited Mr. Verhagen to visit Kazakhstan.

Inter-Parliamentary ties are developing. The visit of parliamentary delegation of the Netherlands to Kazakhstan took place in June, 2000. The Netherlands' delegation headed by the Secretary General of the House of Representatives W.H. de Beaufort participated in OSCE parliamentary forum that took place in June 2003 in Almaty. Since July 5-9, 2003 the Kazakhstan's delegation headed by the Deputy Chairman of the Senate O.Baigeldy participated in the 12th session of Parliamentary assembly of OSCE in Rotterdam.

The Dutch Parliamentarian delegation headed by Mr. Coskun Coruz took part in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 17th Annual Session in Astana on June 2008.

Bilateral economic co-operation.

The overall Dutch investments totaled $43,768 billion (33,3 % of all foreign investments), proving the Netherlands position in Kazakhstan as the investor ? 1. Coming into force bilateral agreement on mutual encouragement and protection of investments we expect that level of investments will increase in the coming years.

The major Dutch investors are «Royal Dutch Shell», «ABN AMRO Bank NV», «Agip Caspian Sea BV», «Lucarco BX», «Witteven Bos» and «Floodgate Holding» (60 % of shares of «Vasilkov Gold» ltd). The Dutch company «Fintur Holding BV» is shareholder of 51 % of «GSM Kazakhstan». The Dutch capital is present in 122 enterprises registered in Kazakhstan.

Growing bilateral trade is the evidence of mutually beneficial economic cooperation. Turnover for the period January-July, 2009 has reached $1 billion 350 million, (export – 1,188, import – 162 million). For 2008 trade turnover reached $4 billion 914 million (export – 4,638, import – 275 million).

Particular ways of mutually advantageous cooperation have been discussed during conference «Investment possibilities of Kazakhstan» which took place in The Hague on May, 29th 2008. Top level management of the Kazakh ministries, a sustainable development funds «Kazyna» and «Samruk», representatives of the Kazakh business society met with Dutch counterparts.

On October 5-7, 2009 Minister of Economic Affairs H.E. Ms. Maria van der Hoeven paid visit to Kazakhstan as follow-up the Dutch state bodies and business community’s participation in similar forums in Kazakhstan. The Dutch official and business delegation took part in 17th International Conference "KIOGE" in Almaty. Several inter-ministerial meetings took place in Astana as well. Following the meetings, both sides have signed Memorandum of Understanding on energy efficiency and energy technology and Memorandum of Understanding on investment and trade. In given context, it is worth to mention that Kazakhstan included in the list of most important partners of the Netherlands in terms of energy cooperation.

The basic Dutch investors in Kazakhstan, alongside with «Royal Dutch Shell», are «ABN AMRO Bank N.V.» (participates in CJSC «Affiliated joint-stock bank «ABN AMRO Bank of Kazakhstan» and CJSC «ABN AMRO Asset Management»), «Agip Caspian Sea BV» (conducts works on Kashagan deposit ), «Lucarco BX» (has 5 % in «Tengizshevroil» Ltd and participates in CJSC «The Caspian Pipeline Consortium»), and also «Floodgate Holding» (has 60 % of shares of «Vasilkov Gold» ltd ).

122 joint ventures are registered in Kazakhstan which most part actively works in sphere of processing and manufacture of agriculture production, introductions of new forms of technologies, manufactures of the goods on national consumption and rendering of services. Activity of joint banks with participation of Netherlands «ABN AMRO Bank B.V.» has extended, and «Meers Pierson» (Almaty Trading Financial Bank), and also representations of the Dutch companies «Price Waterhouse Eastern Europe B.V.», «Yura», «Peja Holding», «AT&T Network System Int.», «Cebeco International Project B.V.» (agriculture), «Organon» (pharmaceutics), «Akzo Nobel» (chemical industry), «Friesland Central Asia» (milk products), «ING» (banking), «Unilever Central Asia», «Van der Ploeg International B.V.» (construction of factories on processing milk, delivery of the corresponding equipment), «KLM airlines».

The Embassy of Kazakhstan
The Hague