THE INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE
INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE
“EURASIA DEVELOPMENT:
SILK ROAD
“EURASIA
DEVELOPMENT:
ECONOMIC
BELT”
SILK ROAD ECONOMIC BELT”
under the auspices of the Valdai Discussion Club
and The Foundation of the First President
of The Republic of Kazakhstan –
the Leader of the Nation
under the auspices of the Valdai Discussion Club
and The Foundation of The First President
of The Republic of Kazakhstan –
The Leader of The Nation
The Foundation оf The First President
оf The Republic оf Kazakhstan —
The Leader of The Nation
Astana
April 17, 2015
International Conference
“Eurasia Development: Silk Road Economic Belt”
Astana
April 17, 2015
Context
The political and economic global activity is shifting to the East – primarily as
a result of dynamic development of China, India, and a number of other Asian
countries. According to “Turning to Asia” strategy, Russia concentrates on
development of Siberia and the Far East, as well as on implementation of the
Eurasian Economic Union, which involves Kazakhstan and other partners. In 2013,
China’s government started new large-scale project – the Silk Road Economic Belt,
aimed at accelerating development of the region through a wide range of projects
in transport, infrastructure, industry, culture and other sectors. This would create
conditions for Central Eurasian Region to change its current relatively peripheral
status. (The region conventionally includes Western and Central Siberia, Kazakhstan,
Central Asian countries, Iran, Mongolia, and western regions of China).
So far, Eurasia is not a holistic political and economic unit, it is being “torn” between
Europe and Asia. It does not have its own “face” or supranational identity, and
from the outside, the impression is deliberately created that this is an area of
inevitable competition between the major powers in the region. That instigates
external forces to challenge security in the area, attempting to “drive a wedge”
between Moscow and Beijing, and placing other Eurasian states in a position where
they are forced to choose between seemingly mutually exclusive alternatives.
What is the best and most realistic scenario for Central Eurasia to develop into a
new economic growth pole and a region of international cooperation? How can a
large-scale economic project lead to regional cooperation and thus ensure stability?
What common security challenges must and can be addressed by Central Eurasian
countries? Which infrastructure projects should be developed first? Answers to
these questions will help to make up the most effective plan for implementing new
Eurasia vision, which includes Silk Road Economic Belt, accelerated development
of the Russian Trans-Urals Region and Eurasian Economic Union.
Conference Objectives: To assess the opportunity of turning Central Eurasia into an
area of joint economic development. To analyze the advantages and challenges
of implementing transport and logistics projects, as well as other investment
projects. To propose a consolidated agenda for the regional development. To
propose measures for improving security and stability for harmonious economic
development.
International Conference
“Eurasia Development: Silk Road Economic Belt”
Astana
April 17, 2015
Programme
PLENARY SESSION
Central Eurasia Development: Regional
Co-development and the Silk Road
Economic Belt Potential
2014 was a significant year not only in terms of “Russian turn to the East”,
but also due to the development of a genuine strategic partnership between
Russia and China, and major changes in the relations between Moscow and
its traditional partners in the West. These historical events coincided with a
new stage of Eurasian integration - creation of the Eurasian Economic Union,
and further development of Silk Road initiative, specifically, establishment
of Silk Road fund and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
Now, at the beginning of 2015, we can probably talk about the start of the
“Central Eurasian Moment” – a unique concourse of international political
and economic circumstances, which will help the region’s states to realize
their potential for cooperation and common development.
Objective:
To define the strategic potential and prospects for transforming Central
Eurasia into a co-development

and prosperity zone. To point out the main
goals and challenges of international cooperation in the region. To identify
priorities for interstate cooperation.
International Conference
“Eurasia Development: Silk Road Economic Belt”
10:00
Astana
April 17, 2015
MODERATOR:
Sultan AKIMBEKOV
Director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics under the Foundation of
the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – the Leader of the Nation
SPEAKERS:
Dariga NAZARBAYEVA
Deputy Chairman of the Majilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
Director, Fund of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – the Leader
of the Nation
Ziyavudin MAGOMEDOV
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Summa Group
Dominique DE VILLEPIN
Prime Minister of France (2005-2007)
Asset ISSEKESHEV
Minister of Investment and Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Tian JINCHEN
Head of the Department of Fiscal and Financial Affairs under the National
Development and Reform Commission of China
Askar MAMIN
President of the Republican State Enterprise “Kazakhstan temir zholy”
FU Mengzi
Vice-President of China Institutes
of Contemporary International Relations
Sergey KARAGANOV
Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, National Research
University Higher School of Economics (NRU HSE), Honorary Chair of the Presidium
of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy
Andrei BYSTRITSKY
Chairman of the Board, Foundation for Development and Support
of the Valdai Discussion Club
11:40
COFFEE BREAK
International Conference
“Eurasia Development: Silk Road Economic Belt”
12:15
Astana
April 17, 2015
INPUT FOR DISCUSSION
Eurasia Development
Silk Road Economic Belt
Konstantin KUZOVKOV
Vice-president, Investments and development; Member
of the Management Board. Fesco Transportation Group
12:15
SESSION 1.
On the Way
to Regional Stability
Internal challenges and uncertainty about geo-strategic position of
Eurasia instigate external forces to challenge security in the area,
attempting to “drive a wedge” between Moscow and Beijing, and
placing other Eurasian states in a position where they are forced to
choose between seemingly mutually exclusive alternatives.
Moreover, none of the contradictions among the leading Eurasian
states discussed in political and academic circles is significant, let
alone antagonistic. Russia, China, Kazakhstan, and the Central Asian
states face common external, and in some cases, internal threats –
religious extremism, environmental challenges, drug production and
trafficking, negative impact of policies pursued by major extra-regional
powers. Of course Eurasian countries need to further improve social
and economic stability, and implement measures to maintain healthy
economic growth. Development agenda for the region should be
consolidated, and cooperation should be strengthened in particular
regarding international security, where the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) could prove a very effective tool. Huge challenge
for everyone is stabilizing the situation that has developed after the
latest invasion of Afghanistan.
International Conference
“Eurasia Development: Silk Road Economic Belt”
Astana
April 17, 2015
Objectives:
To review opportunities for international cooperation in the region,
specifically in improving security and stability. To describe the role and
interests of major states and international organizations. To highlight
the risks and challenges which can be dealt with if the countries in the
region are able to settle down to a course of effective co-development.
MODERATOR:
Sergey KARAGANOV
Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, NRU HSE,
Honorary Chair of the Presidium of the Council on Foreign
and Defense Policy.
INPUT FOR DISCUSSION:
Timofey BORDACHEV
Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International
Studies, NRU HSE
SPEAKERS:
Sultan AKIMBEKOV
Director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics under the
Foundation of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – the
Leader of the Nation
ZHAO Huasheng
Director of the Center for Russian and Central Asian studies
at the Fudan University
Jahangir KARAMI
Head of Russian Department, Faculty of World Studies,
University of Tehran
DISCUSSION
13:30
LUNCH
International Conference
“Eurasia Development: Silk Road Economic Belt”
14:30
Astana
April 17, 2015
SESSION 2.
Potential for Co-development
and Regional Integration
The future of interstate cooperation in Central Eurasia lies not only
in transport and logistics projects, but also in the co-development
of Central Eurasia as a whole, including the southern part of Siberia,
South Urals, Tatarstan, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and North-West
China. Moreover, other countries, which not yet directly involved in
Eurasian affairs, are also interested in improving cooperation in Central
Eurasia – mainly Iran, Korea, India, and Mongolia. This macro-region
has huge development potential, which is secured by its current
economic dynamics and rich resource base, investment opportunities,
and legal and institutional platforms – Eurasian Economic Union,
Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Collective Security Treaty
Organization. Coordination between these initiatives and the Silk Road
Economic Belt would be mutually beneficial, and can spur the macroregion development.
In this context, an important role is being played by the Eurasian
integration within the Eurasian Economic union (EEU), which came
into being on January 1, 2015. It creates efficient legal and institutional
framework for regional trade development and prevention and
resolution of international trade disputes. Now with Kazakhstan and
Kyrgyzstan being part of the EEU, the markets of China and European
Union are separated by only one intermediate customs border. Current
challenges and sporadic violations of trade regimes by EEU countries are
nothing out of the ordinary, when it comes to large-scale integration
projects implementation.
Through the synergy of regional players’ efforts, a new center of
economic development will appear in Central Eurasia. This will be
mainly due to the accelerated growth of the western regions of
China, as well as Kazakhstan and Iran, and due to utilization of labor
and natural resources of Central Asia. Russia’s Siberia would play key,
not a peripheral role in this trend given its significant industrial and
human potential.
International Conference
“Eurasia Development: Silk Road Economic Belt”
Astana
April 17, 2015
Objectives:
To assess the potential of Central Eurasia as a region of intense crossborder cooperation in the field of logistics, transport, and related sectors
(services, logistic hubs), industry (mining, automobile manufacturing),
culture. To assess the potential for cross-border co-development,
including Kazakhstan, Central Asia, western regions of China, and
Russia’s Siberia. To assess the potential of the region’s demographic
and labor resources. To describe the potential role of the Eurasian
integration in the development of Central Eurasia as new economic
growth pole. To analyze the opportunities offered by the Silk Road
Economic Belt framework.
MODERATOR:
WU Dahui
Director, Centre for Strategic Studies of Eurasia, Tsinghua University
INPUT FOR DISCUSSION:
Aleksandr LUKIN
Head of School of International Affairs, NRU HSE
SPEAKERS:
Maksat MUHANOV
Chairman of the Board of Economic Research Institute of the Ministry of
Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Alexander GABUEV
Senior associate and the Chair of the Russia in the Asia-Pacific Region
Program, Carnegie Moscow Center.
FENG Yujun
Director of the Institute of Russian studies, China Institutes of
Contemporary International Relations
YANG Cheng
Associate Professor of International Relations, and Deputy Director of
Center for Russian Studies, East China Normal University
Stanlislav GEORGIEVSKIY
Head of the Department of Trade Policy of the Eurasian
Economic Commission
DISCUSSION
International Conference
“Eurasia Development: Silk Road Economic Belt”
16:00
Astana
April 17, 2015
Session 3.
The Transport Component
of the Silk Road: Infrastructure
and Investment
The current concept of terrestrial Silk Road allows for the development
of four routes from China to Europe and establishment of a North-South
transport corridor. The Northern Sea Route also could be developed.
What are the pros and cons of each route? What amount of investment
will be needed to launch each route, and what are the sources of
financing? What are the economic benefits in using these routes?
Are there any other alternatives to currently identified «branches»
of the Silk Road? How to make the transport and logistics aspects of
Silk Road more efficient? What options are available not only for the
east-west, but also for the north-south transport corridors?
International Conference
“Eurasia Development: Silk Road Economic Belt”
Astana
April 17, 2015
Objective:
To analyze the state of the existing infrastructure and determine
the economic impact of each route implementation. To formulate
recommendations for the optimal plan of Silk Road implementation in
terms of construction and commissioning of infrastructure.
MODERATOR:
Yermolai SOLZHENITSYN (TBC)
Director, McKinsey Russia
INPUT FOR DISCUSSION
Alexei BEZBORODOV
Managing partner of Infranews Agency
SPEAKERS:
Erkhat ISKALIEV
Senior Vice President of United Transport & Logistics Company
Majid RAOUFI
Researcher, the Energy Policy PASA Group, Sharif University of Technology
Nigmatzhan ISSINGARIN
Chairman, ETK Trans Group Consortium
DISCUSSION
International Conference
“Eurasia Development: Silk Road Economic Belt”
17:30
Astana
April 17, 2015
Summarizing
Sultan AKIMBEKOV
Director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics under the
Foundation of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan –
the Leader of the Nation
Sergey KARAGANOV
Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, NRU HSE,
Honorary Chair of the Presidium of the Council on Foreign and Defense
Policy
Andrei BYSTRITSKY
Chairman of the Board, Foundation for the Development and Support
of the Valdai Discussion Club
18:00
END OF CONFERENCE