Oralbay Abdykarimov
Oralbay Abdykarimov | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 18, 1944 Kazakhstan |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Years active | 1990–2013 |
| Known for | Chairman of the Senate of Kazakhstan (1999–2004), State Secretary of Kazakhstan (2004–2007), Head of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan (1996–1997) |
Oralbay Abdykarimov (; born 18 December 1944) is a notable Kazakh political figure who held the position of State Secretary of Kazakhstan between 10 March 2004 and 15 May 2007. Previously, he was the Head of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan from 14 October 1996 until 21 October 1997, after which he was appointed on 29 November 1999 to lead a state commission targeting corruption. Abdykarimov also served as Chairman of the Senate of Kazakhstan, the country's second highest governmental role, from 1 December 1999 to 10 January 2004. During his tenure as chairman, he was concurrently a Senate member and later resumed Senate membership from 28 August 2007 to 26 August 2013. His earlier political career includes membership in the Supreme Soviet of Kazakhstan from 1990 to 1992.
Dismissal from the Senate Chair
On 10 March 2004, Abdykarimov was requested to step down from his role as Senate Chair. His successor, Nurtai Abykayev, formerly head of the National Security Committee, was appointed to the Senate and promptly elected to replace him. This transition drew criticism from Altynbek Sarsenbayev, ex-Information Minister in the Nazarbayev administration, who argued that presidential appointments for the Senate speaker weaken both the institution’s independence and its standing with the public.
During a January 2004 conference focused on Kazakh-Russian relations, Abdykarimov reiterated Kazakhstan’s view of Russia as a "strategic partner and reliable ally."
Delimitation of borders
In Almaty, Abdykarimov held discussions with Adakhan Madumarov, Kyrgyzstan's Secretary of State, addressing collaboration in sectors such as gas, banking, and labor migration. He highlighted that while Kazakhstan had ratified the trilateral border agreement signed in July 2001 among Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan's ratification was still pending.
Election law
On 14 September 2003, Abdykarimov underscored Parliament’s commitment to reforming election legislation aimed at shifting regional governors’ selection from appointments to elections. He rejected assertions that the bill’s progress was intentionally delayed to maintain existing rules for the September 2003 elections and expressed confidence it would be enacted before the upcoming 2004 Majilis elections.
Foreign relations
On 20 July 2004, Abdykarimov presented Armenian Ambassador Eduard Khurshudian with a diploma recognizing his diplomatic service between 1999 and 2004.
He met with Turkish Justice Minister Jemil Cicek on 15 October 2005, where they agreed to commence air service between Astana and Istanbul starting on 19 October.
On 20 October 2005, Abdykarimov received Yemen’s Ambassador Abdul Yelakh Mukhammed Khadjar to discuss enhancing bilateral cooperation.
At the Ak-Orda Presidential Palace on 8 August 2006, he welcomed Israeli Ambassador Michael Lotem and expressed gratitude for Israel’s active participation in regional conferences hosted in Astana.
Abdykarimov also engaged with outgoing French Ambassador Gerard Perrolet during a meeting in Almaty on 3 July 2006; following their discussion, Perrolet shared insights on France-Kazakhstan relations.
He held talks with Kalman Mizsei, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director for Europe and CIS, at Ak Orda regarding potential boosts in United Nations Development Program funding for Kazakhstan. Mizsei acknowledged Kazakhstan’s important role in maintaining regional security.
Human rights
In March 2004, Abdykarimov led a session of the Human Rights Commission under Nazarbayev, gathering experts and officials to evaluate legislative proposals concerning human and civil rights. The commission presented its findings to Nazarbayev on 24 March. During a 2005 meeting with Abdykarimov, Professor Rein Mullerson, a former UN Human Rights advisor, commended Kazakhstan’s advancements in human rights, noting significant progress compared to other CIS nations.
Israel
On 9 August, Abdykarimov held discussions with Moshe Kamkhy, Israel’s ambassador to Uzbekistan, focusing on enhancing bilateral relations, including social and economic cooperation and the planned relocation of the Israeli Embassy to Astana. It is noteworthy that 95 agricultural specialists from Kazakhstan have undergone training in Israel.
Local government
In June 2006, Nazarbayev convened a meeting with Abdykarimov and senior officials to address issues related to local governance, stressing the importance of decentralization and bolstering regional administrative powers.
Press
On 29 June 2006, acting on behalf of President Nazarbayev, Abdykarimov presented awards to journalists following a government decision that enabled official recognition of media professionals.