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[[Image:Nurtai Abykayev.jpg|thumb|right|[[Kazakhs|Kazakh]] politician Nurtai Abykayev]]'''Nurtai Abykayevich Abykayev''' ({{lang-kz|Нұртай Әбіқайұлы Әбіқаев}}, ''Nurtay Äbiqayulı Äbiqayev''; {{lang-ru|Нуртай Абыкаевич Абыкаев}}, ''Nurtay Abykayevich Abykayev'') is the current Chairman of the [[National Security Committee of Kazakhstan]].<ref>http://www.inform.kz/eng/article/2296830</ref>  Previously he was [[Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary]] of Kazakhstan to the [[Russian Federation]] and before this chairman of the [[Senate of Kazakhstan]].<ref>{{cite web
  | script-title=ru:Посол - Биография
  | publisher = [[Embassy of Kazakhstan in Moscow]]
  | url = http://www.kazembassy.ru/ambassador/biography/
  | accessdate = 2008-07-04 |language=ru}}</ref> He is a long-time friend and assistant to President [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]], and is viewed as the leader of one of the political "clans" that make up Kazakhstan's elite.<ref name=RFERL>[http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2004/03/8aaf810f-f040-44b5-9a9b-4903eecb384f.html Kazakhstan: Abikaev Is Suddenly The Number-Two Man] Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty</ref><ref name=time>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,901060313-1169871,00.html Casualties of a Clan War] Time Magazine</ref>

== Biography ==

Nurtai Abykayev was born on May 15, 1947 in [[Taraz|Zhambyl]], Kazakhstan. He studied at the Ural Polytechnic Institute, graduating in 1970. This was followed by two years in the [[Red Army|Soviet Red Army]], after which Abykayev worked as an engineer in a heavy-machinery factory in [[Almaty]] (then Alma-Ata) until 1976. Throughout the 1980s he worked his way up the hierarchy of the [[Communist Party of Kazakhstan]], eventually becoming Nazarbayev's aide. After independence he served throughout the presidential administration until he was named ambassador to the [[United Kingdom]] in 1995. He returned to Kazakhstan the next year, and later became the head of the [[National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan|National Security Committee]].<ref>[http://www.rferl.org/specials/kazakhelections/bios/abikaev.asp Kazakhstan Votes 2004: Nurtai Abikaev] Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty</ref><ref name=posol>{{ru icon}} [http://www.kazembassy.ru/ambassador/biography/ Биография - Посол Республики Казахстан в Российской Федерации Абыкаев Нуртай Абыкаевич] Embassy of Kazakhstan in Russia</ref>

In August 1999 Abykayev was dismissed from his post as Chairman of the National Security Committee for his role in a scandal over the sale of old [[MiG]] fighter planes to [[North Korea]] by the Kazakhstan Ministry of Defense.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/415736.stm Kazakh sackings over plane scandal] BBC News</ref> Several members of his staff were arrested for their direct involvement in formulating the trade.<ref>[http://www.pircenter.org/board/article.php3?artid=104 Scandal with MiG-21 Sale to North Korea Mat Affect Kazakhstani Arms Market] Center for Policy Studies in Russia (PIR Center)</ref>

Abykayev's absence from government did not last long. By April 2000 he had been appointed deputy [[foreign minister]].<ref>[http://www.eurasianet.org/eurasianet/resource/kazakhstan/hypermail/200004/0006.html Compromised Kazakh Security Official Moves To Foreign Ministry] Eurasianet</ref> He was then named head of the Presidential administration in January 2002.<ref name=RFERL/>

Abykayev became chair of the Senate on March 10, 2004. He was re-elected on December 1, 2005.<ref>[http://www.parlam.kz/Information.aspx?doc=5&lan=en-US History of parliamentary development in Kazakhstan] Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan</ref> In a [[2007 Kazakh political shakeup|large political shake-up]] in January 2007, Abykayev was replaced by [[Kassym-Jomart Tokayev]], later being appointed as the Kazakhstani ambassador to Russia.

In August 2010, he was appointed again as the head of the National Security Committee, replacing [[Adil Shayakhmetov]]. Shayakhmetov was removed from his post in the aftermath of the arrest of Prosecutor-General's Office official [[Murat Musabekov]], who was fingered as allegedly plotting a coup in an anonymous letter allegedly circulated by NSC officers.<ref name="AbykayevSecondTerm">{{citation|url=http://www.eurasianet.org/node/62106|title=Kazakhstan: Coup Rumor a Sign of Factional Infighting in Astana|last=Lillis|first=Joanna|date=2010-10-07|accessdate=2010-12-13|periodical=Eurasianet}}</ref>

Abykayev also serves as the Secretariat head of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, a meeting of world religious leaders organized by President Nazarbayev in [[Astana]].<ref>[http://www.kazakhembus.com/020905.html Senate Leader Visits Washington to Promote Stronger Ties] Embassy of Kazakhstan in the United States</ref>

There has been speculation that Abykayev was involved in the murder of Altynbek Sarsenbayev,<ref>[http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2008/02/082f8bc9-93b5-43c8-8ba1-48fca6e64c7a.html Kazakhstan: Two Years Later, Opposition Leader's Murder Still Casts Long Shadow] Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty</ref> however several other high-profile politicians, including Nazarbayev, have also been accused of the murder at some point.<ref name=time/>

Abykayev is married. He has three children and three grandchildren.<ref name=posol/>

== See also ==
* [[Government of Kazakhstan]]
* [[Majilis]]
* [[Parliament of Kazakhstan]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{ru icon}} [http://www.kazembassy.ru Embassy of Kazakhstan in Russia]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abykayev, Nurtay Abykayevich}}
[[Category:Chairmen of the Senate of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Kazakhstani diplomats]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of Kazakhstan to Russia]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of Kazakhstan to the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Communist Party of Kazakhstan politicians]]