As it is known, actually all former post-Soviet states after the USSR collapse and gaining independence from the beginning of 90s have been surviving the hardest economic crisis. Our country, the Republic of Kazakhstan, has not avoided this fate.

I would like to give some examples. Thus, in 1993 the inflation rate amounted to 2165 per cent. Therefore, the prices for goods and services in these years have risen by 22 times. The unemployment rate has reached up to 20%. An average monthly salary fell by many times and in 1993 it summed only to $ 26 a month. The poverty level has risen up to 45%.

Exactly at that hard period the fundamentals of State and political system of Kazakhstan including political parties have been established. Naturally this process has been featured by extremely complicated and controversial tendencies. Nevertheless we may emphasize that the country’s leadership has managed to bend these tendencies to the national interests and has not allowed the available threats to realize. At the same time the enterprises manufacturing export goods mainly in mining and metallurgical sectors have been affected by the financial crisis in Asia. In 1999 the international trade turnover in comparison to 1998 fell by 18 per cent. Our party has been established in such circumstances and for these objectives. The political priorities that form the political platform of our party have been development of measures to prevent a new crisis in Kazakhstani economy, support of national industry, decrease of taxes, regulation of tariffs for services of natural monopolies and etc.

All these measures may be realized only under independent state management protecting national interests. Therefore, the main political priority of Civic Party of Kazakhstan is to strengthen state independence of the republic, to provide full and high efficiency of state power, to preserve unity and indivisibility of the whole territory of the country. Finally we believe that the main objective of economic development and state politics is to protect the interests of ordinary people.

Our party participated in parliamentary elections in 1999 with this platform and demonstrated worthy results among other 10 parties.

Our MPs have settled many social issues. By their initiatives pensions for invalids have been increased, sums of financing for education and healthcare have been increased, grants for victims of ecological disasters are being paid.

As a whole, deputies of the Civic Party have developed about 30 bills and 18 of them have been passed. Our representatives in the Parliament have introduced thousands of amendments and addenda to bills prepared by the Government and other MPs, these amendments have been focused on fulfillment of commitments before electorate.

This period has resulted in great changes in the social situation. In a 5-year period annual growth of GDP in Kazakhstan amounts to approximately 10 per cent. Current year GDP level per capita exceeded $ 1700 US. The level of unemployment reduced up to 8 per cent, the level of poverty fell up to 20 per cent, and an average monthly salary rose to $ 200 US. Positive tendencies go on and give reasons to analysts to speak about “Kazakhstani economical miracle”.

The Civic Party of Kazakhstan believes that these results have been achieved due to contribution of our MPs and active workers as well. It was no accident that after elections to local representative entities in 2003 378 members of the Civic Party have been supported by their electorate. In comparison to previous elections we increased our local representation almost by 3 times.

At the same time positive changes in social conditions force us to be accurate when forming our platform especially now, at the period of parliamentary elections.

As early as 5 years before we aimed at preservation of working places, survival of enterprises and provision of minimal requirements in pension policy, healthcare. In other words it was a program of stabilization. Today our priorities are democracy in political system, technological re-equipment of economy, increase of incomes and welfare of various strata of society.

The second important conclusion made from analysis of the situation is the need to re-orientate political messages of the party. For instance, at parliamentary elections in 1999 the main social basis of the Civic Party was labor collectives of industrial enterprises with their specific and even industrial expectations. However, in current circumstances we believe that it is more promising to appeal to wider social strata and categories of the electorate.

Not only waged employees of large and medium enterprises and budget entities, but also representatives of small business or as we call them “self-employed” population have started to play the visible role in society. This group is highly independent from economical and social view and is able to affect other less active categories of the electorate.

Understanding of these tendencies compelled us to create for the first time in political history of modern Kazakhstan the pre-election block with another party, the Agrarian Party. Taking into account the origin of our parties this block had been named as the Agrarian and Industrial Union of Workers. Exactly in this capacity our parties participate in the parliamentary elections and I want to wish success to our block.

We have established warm and sincere relations with the Communist Party of China. Unfortunately we have such contacts with neither party of other Asian countries including our next-door neighbours. Probably it is our fault as well. But I believe that one of the main objectives of this conference is to organize the cooperation of Asian parties. I wish all of you success and prosperity.