Marat Tazhin

Marat Mukhanbetqaziuli Tazhin Марат Мұханбетқазыұлы Тәжин
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office January 10, 2007 – September 4, 2009
Prime Minister	Karim Massimov
Preceded by	Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Succeeded by	Kanat Saudabayev
Secretary of the Security Council
In office February 1999 – May 2001 December 2001 – August 2002[1] April 2006 – January 2007
Chairman of the National Security Committee
In office May 4, 2001[2] – December 2001
Preceded by	Alnur Mussayev
Succeeded by	Nurtai Dutbayev
Personal details
Born	8 April 1960 (1960-04-08) (age 51) Aktobe, Kazakhstan
Political party	Nur Otan
Alma mater	Almaty National Economic Institute, Kazakh State University
Religion	Sunni Islam

Marat Muhanbetuly Tazhin (Kazakh: Марат Мұханбетқазыұлы Тәжин; born in 1960 in Aktobe) is a Kazakh politician. He served as the Foreign Minister in the Government of Kazakhstan from 2007 to 2009. He previously served as Secretary of the National Security Committee (NSC).^[3] In September 2009 he was named an advisor to President Nursultan Nazarbayev and secretary of Kazakhstan's Security Council.^[4]

Education and early career

He graduated from the Almaty National Economic Institute and continued his post-graduate study at Kazakh State University, eventually becoming a senior lecturer there. From 1987 to 1988 he interned in London, United Kingdom. From 1991 to 1992 he served as a department head at Al-Farabi University in Almaty.^[4]

Political career

Tazhin began his service as chairman of the NSC in May 2001, succeeding Alnur Musaev. He was replaced shortly thereafter in December 2001 by Nartai Dutbayev.^[5]

Tazhin replaced Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as foreign minister on 10 January 2007 during a government shake-up. Tokayev became the Chairman of the Senate.^[6][7]

Tazhin assisted President Nursultan Nazarbayev in writing several books.^[8]

Tazhin met with United States Senator Richard Lugar in Astana on 7 February 2006 to discuss biological weapon nonproliferation measures and cooperation with U.S. scientists.^[9]

He has received the Order of Kurmet.

Perception

Analysts have described him as a theoretician^[10] and as a shadow who prefers to wield power behind the scene.^[11] President Nazarbayev described him after appointing him foreign minister as a "scholar, a Ph.D., and has been my adviser, including on foreign policy questions. Since the international community attaches great importance to my choice for foreign minister, I appointed the person I know well and believe in. Most importantly, I believe he will succeed in his new job and will bring his own contribution to further foreign policy successes of our country.”^[12]

References

1. ^ New Security Council Secretary Named in Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Daily Digest, EurasiaNet
2. ^ Kazakh paper Karavan analyses recent government reshuffle Kazakhstan Daily Digest, EurasiaNet
3. ^ Kazakhstan interested in cooperation with US to promote Democracy NGO Watch
4. ^ ^{a b} Biography of Marat Tazhin Research Portal
5. ^ Кузнецов, Николай (2009-12-11), "Девять жизней Комитета нацбезопасности", Взгляд 45 (134), http://www.respublika-kaz.info/news/politics/6787/, retrieved 2010-01-28 
6. ^ Kazakhstan to remain committed to multifaceted foreign policy - Nazarbayev Interfax
7. ^ Kazakhstan FM elected as Chairman of the Senate ITAR-Tass
8. ^ Nazarbayev - The Kazakhstan Way Neweurasia.net
9. ^ Kazakhstan vows continued nonproliferation support Global Security Newswire
10. ^ Kazakh paper Karavan analyses recent government Reshuffle Eurasianet
11. ^ Марат Тажин: стратег, конспиратор и идеолог в одном флаконе Думаем.ру
12. ^ New Government in Kazakhstan Takes Shape Embassy of Kazakhstan

Political offices
Preceded by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev	Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan {{{years}}}	Succeeded by Kanat Saudabayev

Persondata
Name	Tazhin, Marat
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	8 April 1960
Place of birth	Aktobe, Kazakhstan
Date of death
Place of death