Kazakhstan, Astana, Jan. 25 / Trend D. Mukhtarov /
Kazakh Foreign Minister Yerlan Idrisov has commented on the issue of transiting the Kazakh language to the Latin alphabet at a press conference in Moscow with the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov today.
"This work is to be planned," Idrisov said at a press conference. "We are approaching it in a civilised manner. We are preparing all layers of society not to lose our historical heritage and prepare Kazakhstan for new working conditions in the 21st Century. So this is a normal process and I want you to assist us to dispel the myths about the supposed geopolitical changes."
The Kazakh Foreign Minister gave an example saying that political activist Lunacharsky also actively promoted the idea of the Latin alphabet in the USSR in the early days of Soviet period.
"There is another interesting fact," Idrisov said. "Moscow State University has recently started developing the idea of transiting the Russian language to the Latin alphabet. We are moving deliberately on a planned and well thought out basis."
Sergei Lavrov supported his colleague, saying that transiting the Kazakh language to the Latin alphabet is not connected with any change in geopolitical preferences.
"I think the Cyrillic alphabet was introduced in Kazakhstan in 1929," Lavrov said. "Until 1940, Kazakhs used the Latin alphabet. Of course, we have heard the Kazakh President's statement that this is not connected with any change in geopolitical preferences."