In an address before a joint session of parliament on 1 September, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev outlined a number of domestic and foreign policy innovations.

A presidential election is expected to be held in December (pending a decision by parliament), and Nazarbaev, who has already announced his intention to run, pledged that he will do "everything required to ensure that the forthcoming election is absolutely free and transparent." Nazarbaev also said he will create and head a state commission to draw up a six-year plan for democratic reforms. Kazakhstan also intends to pursue its campaign for the chairmanship of the OSCE in 2009, Nazarbaev said, vowing a "comprehensive program" to prepare Kazakhstan's bid. In foreign policy, the president said cooperation with Russia, China, the United States, and the Europe Union will be priority tasks. He stressed, however, that it is "very important for Astana to be an active member of the [CIS] Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization."