Speeches: Rustem ZHUMATEYEV, Director General, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Kazakhstan

Rustem ZHUMATEYEV Director General, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Kazakhstan

Your Imperial Majesty, Ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of the Republic of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport and Communications I extend my warmest greetings to all those participating in the IRU World Congress. 

The modernization and development of the transport sector are one of our government's economic priorities. Kazakhstan is a landlocked country, a fact which causes particular difficulties for international trade. However, its location at the centre of the Eurasian continent and its surface area of 2717.3 thousand square metres give the country an advantage in that it has important transit corridors between east and west running across its territory.

The specific geography of the country has been instrumental in moves to develop an effective road transport system which is only possible through the acceptance of standard international conditions set out in specific conventions and agreements and the harmonization of our own legislation to meet these conditions. 

On 28-29 August 2003, Kazakhstan hosted the International Ministerial Conference of Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries under the aegis of the United Nations. The conference concluded an intensive negotiation process which had been going on for some months and ended with the signing of the Ð?lmaty Declaration and the Almaty Programme of Action. These included comprehensive recommendations for strengthening cooperation in the area of transit transport. 

The International Road Transport Union serves similar aims. Its main missions are support for international harmonization in the interests of national carriers and support for the stable development of the transport industry which presupposes equal access for all to the international transport services market while paying careful attention to the environment. 

We are grateful to the International Road Transport Union for organizing this forum and for holding it in the Asia-Pacific region. We would also like to extend our thanks to the Japanese Government and the Organizing Committee for their warm welcome and excellent organization. 

The forum has provided Kazakhstan with an additional opportunity to make adjustments to plans for the future development of road transport. 

I am convinced that the results of this forum will make a significant contribution to the development of road transport and facilitate an increase in mutually-beneficial cooperation.