Kazakhstan praises diplomatic relations with Turkey on 20th anniversary

Kazakhstan hailed its relations with Turkey on the 20th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between the two countries on Tuesday. "No one can disconnect those connected by God," said Sautbek Abdrahmanov, editor-in-chief of the Kazakh newspaper Egemen, who was participating in a book launch, adding that Turkey was the first country to recognize the independence of Kazakhstan a few hours after the collapse of the Soviet Union. He noted, "The Kazakh nation considers Turks their brothers and wants this brotherhood to continue forever." Kazakhs and Turks share linguistic, religious, ethnic and historical and cultural ties and base their relationship on a strong partnership in the region. A book launch for "Leader who Loves and is Loved by his Nation: The Memoir of the Kazakh President," which was written about Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev by his personal secretary, Mahmut Kasimbekov, took place on Tuesday in Istanbul. The book, which was written in Kazakh and Russian in 2004, has been translated into Turkish with the support of the Dialogue Eurasia (DA) Platform. Speaking at the book launch, Harun Tokak, chief of the DA Platform, said they decided to translate the book as it describes Nazarbayev's life as a simple man and not a political figure and was written by someone who was able to observe him up close and personal, as Kasimbekov has been working with Nazarbayev for over 20 years. Paying a visit to Istanbul for the first time to participate in the book launch, the author said, "There was always a nation called Kazakhstan in the geographic sense; however, it was Nazarbayev who introduced Kazakhs to the world. No one believed Kazakhstan could stand on its own two feet, but Nazarbayev made an effort to turn the country into a shining star in Eurasia." Although he has not had time to read the book, Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) head Ismail Safi said, "The book is not just about Nazarbayev but also the whole history of the Kazakh nation since it achieved independence."