Marat Tazhin

Marat Mukhanbetkazyuly Tazhin (Kazakh: Марат Мұханбетқазыұлы Тәжин, Marat Muhanbetqazyuly Tájın; born 8 April 1960) 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] Marat Tazhin was appointed First Deputy Head of the Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan in January 2017.[5]

Marat Mukhanbetkazyuly Tazhin Марат Мұханбетқазыұлы Тәжин
State Secretary of Kazakhstan
In office 24 March 2019 – 18 September 2019
President	Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Preceded by	Bakhytzhan Sagintayev
Succeeded by	Krymbek Kusherbayev
In office 16 January 2013 – 21 January 2014
President	Nursultan Nazarbayev
Preceded by	Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed
Succeeded by	Karim Massimov (Acting)
First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan
In office 29 August 2002 – 13 April 2006
President	Nursultan Nazarbayev
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Office abolished
In office 12 January 2017 – 24 March 2019
President	Nursultan Nazarbayev Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Preceded by	Office reestablished
Succeeded by	Darhan Kaletaev
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 10 January 2007 – 4 September 2009
President	Nursultan Nazarbayev
Prime Minister	Karim Massimov
Preceded by	Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Succeeded by	Kanat Saudabayev
Secretary of the Security Council
In office 24 February 1999 – 5 May 2001 11 December 2001 – 29 August 2002[1] April 2006 – January 2007
Chairman of the National Security Committee
In office 4 May 2001[2] – 11 December 2001
Preceded by	Alnur Mussayev
Succeeded by	Nurtai Dutbayev
Personal details
Born	(1960-04-08) 8 April 1960 Aktobe, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union
Political party	Nur Otan
Alma mater	Almaty National Economic Institute, Kazakh State University

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.[6]

Tazhin replaced Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as foreign minister on 10 January 2007 during a government shake-up. Tokayev became the Chairman of the Senate.[7][8]

Tazhin assisted President Nursultan Nazarbayev in writing several books.[9]

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.[10]

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.[11]

February 2014 Marat Tazhin was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Russian Federation.

January 2017 Marat Tazhin was appointed First Deputy Head of the Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.[5]

Perception

Analysts have described him as a theoretician[12] and as a shadow who prefers to wield power behind the scene.[13] 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.”[14]

References

1. New Security Council Secretary Named in Kazakhstan Archived 2008-09-04 at the Wayback Machine Kazakhstan Daily Digest, EurasiaNet
2. Kazakh paper Karavan analyses recent government reshuffle Archived 2008-09-04 at the Wayback Machine Kazakhstan Daily Digest, EurasiaNet
3. Kazakhstan interested in cooperation with US to promote Democracy NGO Watch
4. Biography of Marat Tazhin Archived 2007-01-23 at the Wayback Machine Research Portal
5. Kazakh Ambassador To Russia Gets New Appointment
6. Кузнецов, Николай (2009-12-11), "Девять жизней Комитета нацбезопасности", Взгляд, 45 (134), retrieved 2010-01-28
7. Kazakhstan to remain committed to multifaceted foreign policy - Nazarbayev Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine Interfax
8. Kazakhstan FM elected as Chairman of the Senate Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine ITAR-Tass
9. Nazarbayev - The Kazakhstan Way Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine Neweurasia.net
10. Kazakhstan vows continued nonproliferation support Global Security Newswire
11. "Kazakhstan's Government sees a large-scaled reshuffle". Tengrinews.kz English. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
12. Kazakh paper Karavan analyses recent government Reshuffle Archived 2007-07-08 at the Wayback Machine Eurasianet
13. Марат Тажин: стратег, конспиратор и идеолог в одном флаконе Archived 2007-02-08 at the Wayback Machine Думаем.ру
14. New Government in Kazakhstan Takes Shape Archived 2007-05-29 at the Wayback Machine Embassy of Kazakhstan

Political offices
Preceded by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev	Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan	Succeeded by Kanat Saudabayev