DUSHANBE, December 17, 2009, Asia-Plus — On Wednesday December16, President Emomali Rahmon sent a telegram of congratulates to his Kazakh counterpart, President Nursultan Nazarbayev, on occasion of Kazakhstan’s Independence Day, according to presidential press service.
In his message, Tajik leader, in particular, noted that Tajikistan attached significant importance to expansion of multi-aspect cooperation with Kazakhstan and expressed hope that due to joint efforts the sides would give a new impulse to further development of mutually beneficial relations meeting vital interests of Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.
Caught up in the groundswell of Soviet republics seeking greater autonomy, Kazakhstan declared its sovereignty as a republic within the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in October 1990. Following the August 1991 aborted coup attempt in Moscow and the subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan declared independence on December 16, 1991. It was the last of the Soviet republics to declare independence.
The years following independence have been marked by significant reforms to the Soviet-style economy and political monopoly on power. Under Nursultan Nazarbayev, who initially came to power in 1989 as the head of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan and was eventually elected President in 1991, Kazakhstan has made significant progress toward developing a market economy. The country has enjoyed significant economic growth since 2000, partly due to its large oil, gas, and mineral reserves.
