December 15, 2017 in Astana, President Nursultan Nazarbayev's The Era of Independence was presented, timed to the Independence Day of Kazakhstan. Director of the Institute of Eurasian Integration Gani Nygymetov shared his impressions of reading the book of the Head of State in an interview with our correspondent.

President Nursultan Nazarbayev's new book, The Era of Independence, is a fundamental case on how to manage changes on a national scale, how to "charge" a nation for a modernization breakthrough and how to turn historical possibilities into reality. It also reveals the meaning and importance of the three waves of Kazakhstan's modernization, describes unique examples of public and personal diplomacy.

It is especially interesting to read the personal reminiscences of the Head of State about his meetings with the first persons of world politics. On the pages of the book, one can find formal and informal dialogues with the Presidents of the People's Republic of China Jiang Zemin and Xi Jinping, the presidents of Russia Yeltsin, Putin, US Presidents George Bush senior and junior, European leaders Thatcher, Sarkozy, Schroeder and many others.

In today's world, full of contradictions and confrontations, it is extremely difficult to be equally recognized and respected politician in countries with different polar views. However, our President succeeds in this, of course, and his today's recognition in the world, as well as the facts set forth in the book are a vivid confirmation. His comprehensive competence makes it possible to deal with almost all issues related to state construction, from various branches of the real economy to sensitive diplomacy issues.

One of the episodes of the book well describes this characteristic feature of the President. For example, in the book, he recalls how he told President George W. Bush, in detail, about the transportation and chemical technology of one of the largest deposits in Kazakhstan. Then the American leader was impressed with such details and was sure that his interlocutor is an oilman by training, since professional politicians rarely understand the technological subtleties of the production process. All this shows that the Head of State takes quite serious approach to any issues of state policy.

The Era of Independence reflects the character of the President. In particular, his assertiveness, with which our modern statehood was built.

One of the characteristic moments of the book is an episode in talks with Chinese leader Jiang Zemin about the delimitation of state borders. When the negotiations at the expert level reached a dead end, the issue reached the highest level. Then the head of China told Nazarbayev that if this issue is not solved now, then in the future it will be doubly more difficult to solve. And our President proposed to take a decision on the disputed territories in the following way: 53% – to Kazakhstan, 47% – to China.

Given the extreme persistence of the Chinese leader in the matter of defending national interests, it was very difficult for the Head of State to negotiate with him. Nursultan Abishevich described very well how Zemin's view changed and became tough, but he eventually signed the agreement, having understood that this issue was fundamentally important for Nazarbayev, while maintaining the friendly nature of the relationship.

Examples of this kind speak about such an important personal quality of the President, as the ability to create a constructive atmosphere in high-level negotiations. Another fairly emotional event described in the book is Nazarbayev's meeting with the 43rd US President Bush Jr. in 2001. Then, before the meeting, Nursultan Abishevich stayed in the summer home of Bush Sr., who gave through him a special password to his son — the then-current President of the United States. And when President Nazarbayev conveyed to him the words of the ex-president at the meeting with Bush Jr. after the greetings, everyone laughed together, and the atmosphere of conversation immediately gained a depleted character. While the topics of the talks were very serious.

In his book, the President not only identifies the main features of a successful manager, but also speaks about their advantages on the examples of specific individuals. For example, the book highlights the most powerful charisma and ability to self-training of Vladimir Putin, foresight and determination of the reformer Lee Kuan Yew, with whom Nursultan Nazarbayev was associated for many years of friendship.

The unique and interesting predilections of world leaders were also revealed. For example, Nursultan Abishevich described one of the informal meetings with Jiang Zemin and Vladimir Putin in Astana. It turned out that Jiang Zemin really loves and sings Russian songs. They remind him of the young years spent in the Soviet Union. And, of course, the idea that confidential relations between the leaders of the countries are automatically projected onto the interrelationships of whole nations is a red thread throughout the text.

In addition, the book contains many examples of how to present your country and attract capital. After all, in fact, every departure of Nazarbayev abroad is the opening of new roads to the Kazakh business. Thus, the book emphasizes that to attract investors to negotiate only with the leadership of the country is not enough. On this occasion, the President recalls that Bill Clinton once said to Nursultan Nazarbayev: "I cannot put pressure on our corporations. But my advice to you: gather all American oil workers working in Kazakhstan, and let them attract people from other sectors of the economy to this meeting. Explain to them their opportunities in Kazakhstan. This will be much more effective than the requests of my ministers." This is the approach to investors we see today. The President personally collects potential investors and invites them to the country. The way he does this, how he attracts businessmen, you can partially understand by reading the book.

There are quite a lot of such really historical moments described in the work of the President. However, even a detailed retelling will not be able to convey the information as expressively as the book's own reading, in the course of which each reader will discover new previously unknown facets of the newest history of our country and rethink the path we traveled.

In one of the episodes of the book, a dialogue is described, when once Bush Jr. addressed to Nursultan Nazarbayev pronounced a prophetic phrase: "Indeed, you have a unique chance to enter the history of your people, as George Washington entered the history of the American people." I think these words clearly emphasize the scale of the President's personality and the fact of world recognition of his historical role.

The Era of Independence will allow each of us to draw our own conclusions, be imbued with respect for our great history and confidently look into the great future of the country, with his vision of which we are introduced by the Head of State in the pages of the book.