ASTANA, 16 September 2006 — The message of Islam is peace and mercy and it is not possible to link it with terrorism or fascism or violence, Saleh Bin-Humaid, chairman of the Shoura Council said yesterday.
“Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance and dialogue. It came to protect man and his honor. It has prohibited violence and extremism. It has fought terrorism and confronted the corrupt,” he said while opening Kazakhstan’s new Senate building, which was built with the Kingdom’s financial support.
The Shoura chief underscored the deep-rooted relations between Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan.
“During the past 15 years our relations have developed considerably and this has created an atmosphere of mutual understanding,” he added.
He said Saudi Arabia was one of the first countries to recognize Kazakhstan in 1991, which was followed by an exchange of high-level visits.
President Nursultan Nazarbayev visited the Kingdom in 1994 and 2004 while Crown Prince Sultan visited Kazakhstan in 2000.
“These visits were instrumental in taking our ties to new heights,” he said.
Bin-Humaid said the Kingdom’s financial contribution to establish the new Senate headquarters in Astana was within the framework of its support to development activities in the Islamic world.
“I am confident that the Senate would serve as a lighthouse spreading the lofty meanings of dialogue and promoting objective debate,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the Shoura chairman as saying.
Kazakhstan’s Senate Chairman Nurtai Abykaev thanked Saudi Arabia for its continuous support to his country. “The Kingdom is a basic and important partner in our development in various sectors,” he stated.
