Katsav receives credentials of five new ambassadors

Jerusalem Post ^ | Jun. 27, 2003 | GREER FAY CASHMAN

[yonif]

Kairat Abdrakhmanov, the new ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan, presented his credentials on Thursday to President Moshe Katsav.

Given that of all the Muslim countries with which Israel has diplomatic ties, Kazakhstan is arguably the most friendly, and her President Nursultan Nazarbayev the most well disposed towards Israel, the year-long delay in appointing a successor to previous ambassador Byrganym Aitimova seems irregular. Abdrakhmanov, however, said that it was simply diplomatic procedure.

Abdrakhmanov joined his country's Foreign Ministry 10 years ago, and this is his second posting abroad and his first in the capacity of ambassador. He was previously minister-councilor of the embassy of Kazakhstan to the UK. While there is strong political and economic cooperation between the two countries, said Abdrakhmanov, there are still many things to be done, especially in the spheres of economic cooperation and cultural exchanges. There are tremendous opportunities in Kazakhstan for Israeli businesses, he said.

He also voiced his country's gratitude for the humanitarian cooperation it has received from Israel, especially the Foreign Ministry's Mashav programs that have been operating in developing countries for half a century. Abdrakhmanov was one of five ambassadors who presented credentials to Katsav throughout the morning.

Swedish ambassador Robert Rydberg is a veteran career diplomat with considerable experience in the UN and the European Union.

Croatian ambassador Ivan del Vechio, an industrial designer by training, fought in Croatia's War of Independence in 1991, and was promoted to colonel. He was made an ambassador two years ago. Panidjunai Khaliun, the ambassador of Mongolia, is also his country's ambassador to Turkey, a post that he has held since February this year. It was his first ambassadorial posting.

Onesimo Silveira of Cape Verde is a 68-year-old poet and literary scholar who was detained by the Portuguese police during the 1950s for his protests against Portuguese human rights abuses against Cape Verdeans.

Silveira told Katsav that there is a large Marrano population in Cape Verde, and that Stars of David can be found in the decor of many houses. Cape Verde's relations with Israel were severed in 1973 and renewed in the early 1990s.

[yonif]

Silveira told Katsav that there is a large Marrano population in Cape Verde, and that Stars of David can be found in the decor of many houses.

Cool.

[adam_az]

Where is Cape Verde?

[swarthyguy]

The Central Asians can be a cool bunch; they are fairly close to India, like the Tajiks and apart from the kooks, have no love lost for the ArabPaki scum infesting their lands. And they have not been infected by the antiJewish virus, that seems to have reached epidemic proportions in Pakistan, of all places.

[yonif]

Where is Cape Verde?

Western Africa I believe.