Nazarbayev reappoints Nurtai Abykayev as New National Security Committee Chief

    Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev on Monday, August 23, appointed Nurtai Abykayev as the new head of the National Security Committee.
     He will replace Adil Shayakmetov.
     “Nurtai Abykayevich has lived up to expectations in all positions he has been appointed to by the president. The head of state expressed confidence he will also live up to his expectations in this office and fulfill all tasks have been set for the National Security Committee,” Presidential Chief of Staff Aslan Musin said.
     Major-General Nurtai Abykayev is 63 years old; he formerly headed the National Security Committee in 1998-1999, then worked as first deputy foreign minister and Senate chairman.
     In 2007-2008, Abykayev was Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Russia. In the past two years, he worked as first deputy foreign minister, according to Itar-Tass.