Page Updated: 13-Sep-2006
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A raft of activities during the NATO week in Kazakhstan

The NATO Week in Kazakhstan is winding down today after a series of events and activities with the participation of Mr. Jean Fournet, the Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, and staff of the NATO Public Diplomacy Division (PDD). On 19 June 2006, following an invitation from Kazakhstan, the Science Committee held its plenary meeting in Almaty. Meetings and exchanges between NATO representatives and Kazakh leaders, scientists and the successor generation have been the defining feature of the overall event.

The plenary meeting of the Science Committee, chaired by Mr. Fournet, was opened by welcome addresses from the Kazakh Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Energy and National Resources. The meeting helped the committee to explore new opportunities for the NATO Programme for Security through Science (STS) to take new initiatives on more effective cooperation with Kazakhstan and its Central Asian neighbours.

Three civil science workshops were held in Almaty in the context of the NATO Week, involving Science Committee members as well as specialists from Kazakhstan, NATO countries and other Partner countries. The workshops examined scientific aspects of water management; information security, and, radiological risks in Central Asia.

Throughout the week, Mr. Fournet and PDD staff were involved in a variety of activities such as a roundtable discussion with Kazakh opinion formers on NATO’s role in their country; a youth seminar for young diplomats and politicians and the inauguration of a NATO Information Centre, both at the al-Farabi University; and, an information session on the STS Programme. On 21 June, Mr. Fournet and his staff moved to the capital, Astana, for visits to Kazakh Ministries and to discuss the assessment for Kazakhstan Individual Partnership Action Plan. In Astana, a youth seminar for young diplomats was held at the Eurasian National University. All the events attracted extensive media coverage.

Further information on the NATO week in Kazakhstan will be posted on this website and will be available in future editions of the newsletter “Science, Society, Security News”.

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