550th Anniversary of Kazakh Statehood in 2015

ASTANA (Press Release) - President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev said that the country will celebrate the 550th anniversary of Kazakh statehood in 2015.

Date: 23 February 2015 - 21:14

News ID: ۱۱۳۰۹

Many regard these remarks of the Kazakhstan president is a response to Vladimir Putin's statement that the Kazakhs had never had their own statehood until Nazarbayev established it.
"He has done a unique thing. He created a state in a territory that had never had a state before. The Kazakhs had no statehood. From this perspective, he is a unique figure both in the post-Soviet space and in Kazakhstan," Putin said on August 29.
Nazarbayev's announcement rests on the history of Kazakh Khanate, which was established back in the 15th century.
"In 1465 Kerey and Janybek created the first Khanate, and the Kazakh statehood begins its history from that time. It may not have been a state in the modern sense of this word, neither did it occupy the present territory (of Kazakhstan), or enjoyed its fame and prestige in the world. But the same it true for all the other states of that era. What matters is that back then the foundation was laid and we are the successors of the great deeds of our ancestors," Nazarbayev said at a meeting with activists of Astana city on October 22.
The Kazakh Khanate was founded by sultans Kerey and Janybek after several tribes under their control departed from the area of influence of Abu'l-Khayr Khan to Mogolistan. The Kazakh Khanate existed until the 19 century, when it fell under complete control of the Russian Empire.
"Today our country preserves the traditions of centuries-old friendship and peaceful coexistence with all the neighboring countries. We should consistently preserve these relations," the president of Kazakhstan said.
Nazarbayev stressed that Kazakhstan’s independence is a fundamental truth and its preservation is a sacred duty of all the citizens.

"In times past many Native Americans were driven from their homeland or wiped out by various invaders. One film director who has Native American roots was asked whether wealth led to happiness. To that he said: 'All the wealth that I and other citizens have, I would give for one day of independence of my people.' We should all appreciate our independence," Nazarbayev said.

(Courtesy: Embassy of Kazakhstan in Tehran)