Joint statement following PACE President Rik Daems’ visit to Kazakhstan adopted

NUR-SULTAN, November 19 (KAZINFORM) – On November 15-19, the official visit of President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Rik Daems to Kazakhstan took place. During the visit, Rik Daems held meetings with the Kazakh President, Speakers of both Parliament chambers, heads of central government bodies as well as a wide circle of reps of civil society, human rights, and rule of law, Kazinform reports. The joint statement was adopted following the visit of PACE President Rik Daems to Kazakhstan. The document praises the democratic reforms carried out by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev aiming at further strengthening of stable and sustainable development of the country. Abolition of death penalty by Kazakhstan, accession to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other key international legal instruments were highlighted. Interest in enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation, expanding contacts and deepening trustful dialogue between the Kazakh Parliament and PACE deputies was expressed thanks to high efficiency of inter-parliamentary diplomacy. Kazakhstan’s readiness to consider the possibility of acceding to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence as well as PACE’s participation was welcomed.