Erlan Idrissov
Erlan Abilfayizuly Idrissov (, ; born 28 April 1959) is a Kazakh politician who served as Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan 1999 to 2002 and 2012 to 2016. In June 2002, his Foreign Ministership ended. He became the Kazakh ambassador to the United Kingdom. After serving in London, Idrissov assumed the role of Ambassador to the United States in July 2007. The Ambassador has been quoted in the past as being opposed to the film Borat, but has seemed to take a softer approach to the film more recently. In September 2012, Idrissov was appointed Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan after serving as the Ambassador to the United States until October 2012. The appointment was widely viewed by western analysts as a sign of Nazarbayev's intent to maintain strong relations with the west. As Foreign Minister, Idrissov has sought to improve relations with states in the South and Central Asia region. During a March 2013 visit to Tajikistan, Idrissov met with President Emomali Rahmon and Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi and signed a “Program of Cooperation” that reaffirmed bilateral commitment to cooperation in the areas of energy, migration, political and water issues. Idrissov chaired the February and April meetings in Almaty of the