Kazakhstan Today  

Kazakh Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made his first official visit to the Holy See upon the invitation of Pope Francis, Kazinform News Agency cites Akorda. During the audience, the Kazakh leader expressed gratitude to the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church for his tireless and dedicated efforts for the development of mankind around the world. Your prayers to achieve peace inspired and gave hope in the hearts and minds of not only thousands of Catholics but also many our fellow citizens practicing different religions. Today’s polyethnic and multi-confessional Kazakhstan, historically located at the crossroads of civilizations, is home to the largest Catholic community in Central Asia, said the Kazakh President.

As Tokayev said, followers of all religions contribute greatly to building Just Kazakhstan. We have established our own model of peace and national dialogue based on the principle of unity in diversity. In our country, people belonging to different religions may perform prayers in their temples. Protection of the right for religious freedom is an integral part of my political course, stressed the Kazakh leader. Referring to the Pope’s annual “To the City and the World” speech, Tokayev expressed his full solidarity with the Pope’s words saying “Peace is primarily a gift of God… But it is also a great responsibility which rests on all of us”.

Fully sharing your endeavors, I am certain that despite our differences we need to unite to promote the idea of peace, continuous dialogue between cultures and religions, development for the benefit of people of all religions. We still have time for good will, room for talks, opportunity for wisdom, stated the Kazakh Head of State. As for the bilateral relations, Tokayev noted that Kazakhstan values its long partnership relations with the Holy See based on true friendship, accord, and mutual respect. In addition, the active political dialogue as well as the consistent work to harmonize and expand the legal framework is held.

The Kazakh leader thanked Pope Francis for his active efforts aimed at ending hotbeds of conflicts and disputes around the world. Indeed, the current geopolitical turbulence undermines the entire global security architecture, causing enormous human suffering and economic hurdles. Kazakhstan as the responsible state makes a significant practical contribution to maintain global peace and security.

Our country takes part in UN peacekeeping missions in different hotspots around the globe, said the Kazakh Head of State. For his part, the Pontiff thanked Tokayev for contributing to the peace and harmony. At the end of the audience, the Kazakh Head of State expressed gratitude to Pope Francis for the informative talk and confirmed Kazakhstan’s intention to continue cooperation with the Holy See to promote tolerance, harmony, and brotherhood.