OREANDA-NEWS. March 21, 2012. Will Astana be the venue to hold EXPO-2017, will be known in the second part of the current year, but the Government of Kazakhstan demonstrated a political will and readiness to solve all technical issues related to the achievement of this objective to experts of the International Exhibitions Bureau (BIE ), headed by chairman Steen Christensen.

Members of this delegation hold a number of meetings in the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, ministries and authorities, the chamber of commerce and Industry of Kazakhstan. But, the meeting with the President Nursultan Nazarbayev became the most important.

“We are pleased to show possibilities of our country to hold the exhibition in 2017. We are committed to prepare and to conduct "EXPO-2017" in the case of positive decision of the commission. It will be national project. During your visit in our country, you have an opportunity to meet with representatives of various agencies, to be introduced with a potential of Astana,” the President said.

“An invitation to visit Kazakhstan shows a seriousness of an idea to hold EXPO 2017 in your country. Our commission conducted a number of meetings with ministries, representatives of the Parliament, Senate and the chamber of commerce and Industry of Kazakhstan. We were convinced in political and financial support of this project,” Steen Christensen said.

It is well-known, Belgium’s Liege is a competitor of Astana to hold the exhibition. “The task of the expert commission is to determine does an application of Astana meet technical requirements of the BIE, not to compare these two projects,” Steen Christensen said.

On March 14, experts discussed with Mayor of Astana Imangali Tasmagambetov possibilities of Astana to be the venue to host EXPO-2017.

Guests shared impressions about meetings with Head of State and a positive impression after the meeting with students of the Eurasian National University named after Lev Gumilev.

"Thank you very much for such a warm welcome that we have here. We have a very positive days, the program is very intense. We conducted a series of meetings. Today we met with the President of Kazakhstan, then we had a meeting with students. In general, we have a very positive impression about Astana. We see that this is a very dynamic city. Also, we see the political will to hold EXPO-2017 in Astana. Our visit lasts only a few days, but we will leave Astana with very positive impressions," Steen Christensen said.

General Secretary of the BIE Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales noted that: "a meeting with students was very interesting. The students prepared very well. They asked a lot of interesting questions. Also, maybe it will be interesting to hold a small seminar with them in the future. Because they know a lot information about the EXPO. I think it will be interesting to hold more detailed exchange of information."

The Mayor of Astana commented a particular perception of an idea to host EXPO-2017 by residents of the capital of Kazakhstan in terms of demographic characteristics of Kazakhstan.

"An average age of Kazakhstan people is around 31-32 years. In this connection a perception new things, changes in society is a very tolerant and positive." Imangali Tasmagambetov said.

"Today, a new generation of Kazakhs grows, they know several languages??: Kazakh, Russian, English, French ... This is becoming a norm. That’s why we have a great interest among youth to host the EXPO in Kazakhstan. If the EXPO will be held in Kazakhstan in 2017, those who today asked questions will already be professionals in different fields, probably, may be they will directly work on holding the EXPO. So, we are very hope on it," Imangali Tasmagambetov said.

The Mayor of Astana paid attention on how Astana rapidly develops as well as the GRP- it grew on 70 times since the capital was moved to the center of the country, he noticed: “There is nothing impossible in the world.”

According to him: "The main thing is a political will and, of course, the ability of the state to implement a particular project. Kazakhstan has the political will, and there is an economic opportunity to carry out this project. I think that EXPO could be held in Kazakhstan. This will give new impetus to the development of the region of the former Soviet Union."

Experts of the BIE were interested in construction details of the exhibition complex for EXPO 2017 and a future contractor.

The Mayor of Astana said that: “113 hectares of land were reserved in Astana, which meet all standards”.

He also said, that the project will be not only an exhibition center, it will execute functions of the cultural center. Concerts, exhibitions, performances and other cultural events will be held there.

Also, Kazakhstan is a multinational country, so an ethnic village will be constructed near the exhibition center, which will open a deep history and culture of peoples of Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan in a young country, it has a very serious potential, which give a possibility to put high targets and to execute them, as well as it has a system, which meets all contemporary international standards.

He also noted, that European cities don’t have a centralized heating system. There is a centralized heating system in the whole post soviet territory. Daily, Astana burned 200 cars of coal, and this - four railway staff. In addition, oil is also used for these purposes. This energy sources are not renewable.

“So, the theme of EXPO is very actual for this part of the world. It means, that new technologies, new opportunities to use alternative energy sources, including for industrial purposes will solve many problems associated with the use of natural resources, environmental issues, carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, in general, well-being of cities. I think the exhibition is held, not just for its holding. An exhibition is held in order to give a new impetus to the use of innovations which the world has at this stage. In this connection, we are very interested in hosting the EXPO in Kazakhstan," the Mayor of Astana said.

Tomorrow, on the agenda of the expert commission is a visit of the venue of the EXPO-2017, and a very important is that this place will become the center of the best achievements in the world of modern technologies.

It is known, Belgium’s Liege also pretends to hold EXPO-2017. Kazakhstan made a bid to host EXPO-2017 in Astana in June 10, 2011.157 members of the BIE will made a decision, which country will host the EXPO-2017 in November 2012, by voting.