Putin speaks at forum in Eurasian University in Astana

ITAR-TASS News Agency
June 18, 2004 Friday 12:22 AM Eastern Time

ASTANA, June 18 — Russian President Vladimir Putin is participating
in the work of the international forum on “Eurasian Integration:
Current Development Trends and Globalization Challenges,” which has
opened in Astana.

The forum takes place in Eurasian National University. It was founded
in 1996 at the site of Akmola University.

Under the Kazakh presidential decree, the institution of higher
learning has a special status.

Graduates from the university have state diplomas recognised in
CIS countries.

Education in several fields of specialization is given here to students
from Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, China,
Mongolia, Yemen, Lebanon and Turkey.

The Kazakh branch of Moscow Lomonosov State University was founded
at Eurasian University in 2001.

Foreign leaders and heads of international organisations visited
Eurasian University more than once.

CIS presidents Vladimir Putin, Askar Akayev, Saparmurat Niyazov,
Alexander Lukashenko, Leonid Kuchma and Ilkham Aliyev addressed
students here.

NATO secretary general George Robertson, Spanish King Juan Carlos,
Pope John Paul II and Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski visited
the university.