Azerbaijan, Baku, March 14 /Trend E.Kosolapova/
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev received the expert commission of the International Exhibitions Bureau, press-service of the President said on Wednesday.
The sides discussed the possibility of Astana International specialized exhibition EXPO-2017 during the meeting.
"Today we are happy to show the possibilities of our country as a candidate for an exhibition in 2017. We are determined to prepare and conduct EXPO-2017 in the case of a positive decision of the commission. We will consider it as a national project," Nursultan Nazarbayev said at the meeting.
In turn, the chairman of the Expert Committee of the International Exhibitions Bureau Steen Christensen noted that the invitation of the expert committee by Kazakhstan underscores just how seriously the country refer to the idea of hosting the EXPO-2017.
"Our committee held several meetings with ministers, members of Parliament and the Chamber of Commerce of Kazakhstan. We were assured in both political and financial support of this project," Christensen said.
At the same time, Christensen added, today the chances of Kazakhstan and Belgium, claiming to hold EXPO-2017, are equal.
The delegation will be composed of Chairman of the commission Steen Christensen, president of the organization Ferdinand Nagy, Secretary General of the International Exhibitions Bureau Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales, Counsellor for Economic and Commercial Affairs Embassy of Spain in France, Santiago Mendioroz Esheverria, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Dominican Republic to the French Republic Faksas Laura, an expert on international relations Tourism Ministry of San Marino Mauro Maiani, Director of promoting international exhibitions of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan Yasushi Iwata.
International Exhibitions Bureau (BIE) was established in 1928 to oversee the implementation of the Paris Convention for the international world's exhibition and issues of their organization. At present, this international organization includes 160 countries. The headquarters of the organization is based in Paris.
The country which will host the EXPO-2017 will be determined in December 2012 at the regular session of the General Assembly of the International Exhibitions Bureau.