ASTANA – Kazakhstan has launched an active diplomatic agenda at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, with Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi holding talks with counterparts from several countries and discussing global peace, security and humanitarian law on Sept. 23 in New York.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi. Photo credit: Kazakh Foreign Ministry
Expanding bilateral partnerships
On the first day of the General Assembly’s High-Level Week in New York, Tileuberdi held talks with his counterparts from Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Slovenia, Ukraine and El Salvador, the ministry’s press service reported.
The discussions focused on bilateral cooperation, prospects for expanding political dialogue and trade and economic ties, as well as key international and regional topics.
Tileuberdi also met with UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Executive Director Rebecca Grynspan, a candidate for UN Secretary-General, and UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany. The meetings addressed ways to strengthen cooperation with UN institutions and improve the effectiveness of multilateral mechanisms.
Focus on peace and security
Tileuberdi also took part in a high-level discussion, Reaffirming the Promise of Peace: Using the Power We Have, which focused on conflict prevention and resolution, preventive diplomacy, mediation and strengthening partnerships within the international system.
Participants exchanged views on strengthening the UN’s role in maintaining international peace and security and using existing mechanisms more effectively to settle disputes peacefully.
New diplomatic relations
An important outcome of the first day was the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and the Central African Republic. The two countries’ foreign ministers signed a joint communiqué confirming their interest in developing bilateral ties and cooperation on international platforms.
Tileuberdi also participated in a working meeting of foreign ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states, where participants discussed priorities for cooperation between the CSTO and the UN.
Kazakhstan promotes compliance with Humanitarian Law
At a separate meeting with foreign ministers of the founding states of the Global Initiative to Strengthen Political Commitment to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric, Tileuberdi stressed that the effectiveness of international humanitarian law should be measured by its ability to protect civilians and medical and humanitarian personnel, safeguard critical civilian infrastructure and ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
The meeting brought together the founding states – Kazakhstan, Brazil, China, France, Jordan and South Africa – to discuss preparations for the Humanity in War high-level conference, scheduled for Dec. 7 in Jordan.
Tileuberdi emphasized that international humanitarian law must be applied universally, consistently and in good faith, without selectivity or politicization.
Following the meeting, the founding states and the ICRC called on the international community to join the Initiative, strengthen compliance with international humanitarian law and ensure high-level participation at the upcoming conference in Jordan.
