Nazarbayev inaugurated for the second time

Nursultan Nazarbayev has been officially inaugurated to the post of president of Kazakhstan.

The ceremony took place in the Presidential Palace in the capital Astana, where the chairman of the country's Constitutional Council, Igor Rogov, made an official statement that Nazarbayev had been elected President on the basis of the Constitution and the results of December 4, 2005, presidential election.

Holding his hand on the Constitution, Nazarbayev pronounced the text of the presidential oath in the Kazakh language, saying: "Hereby I make this solemn oath to serve the people of Kazakhstan, to abide strictly by the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to guarantee human rights and freedoms, and to perform conscientiously the honorable duties of the President vested in me."

After reading the oath and getting a presidential identification document, Nazarbayev is considered President of the republic.

National television provided full coverage of the ceremony, beginning with the moment of Nazarbayev's cortege driving up to the palace and Nazarbayev getting out of the presidential limousine.

As he entered the building, seven artillery shots were made symbolizing the seven years that he will stay in the presidential office under the Constitution.

Delegations from more than 70 countries of the world came to Astana to attend the inauguration ceremony, Itar-Tass reports.

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