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 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.

January 2013 Marat Tazhin was relieved of his duties as Aide to the President and Security Council Secretary and appointed Kazakhstan’s Secretary of State, replacing outgoing Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed.^[10]

Perception

Analysts have described him as a theoretician^[11] and as a shadow who prefers to wield power behind the scene.^[12] 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.”^[13]

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. Biography of Marat Tazhin Research Portal
5. Кузнецов, Николай (2009-12-11), "Девять жизней Комитета нацбезопасности", Взгляд, 45 (134), 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. "Kazakhstan's Government sees a large-scaled reshuffle". Tengrinews.kz English. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
11. Kazakh paper Karavan analyses recent government Reshuffle Eurasianet
12. Марат Тажин: стратег, конспиратор и идеолог в одном флаконе Думаем.ру
13. New Government in Kazakhstan Takes Shape Embassy of Kazakhstan