Prague, 9 June 2026 - A meeting was held at the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Prague with representatives of the Department for Veterans and War Graves of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic, Pavel Kugler, Martin Žour and Radim Chrást.
During discussions with Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the Czech Republic Kairat Abdrakhmanov, the parties reviewed prospects for Kazakh-Czech cooperation in the identification, research, restoration and maintenance of military burial sites located in the territories of both countries.
Particular attention was devoted to archival and historical research, efforts to establish the fate of fallen military personnel and civilian victims, as well as the preservation of historical memory related to the tragic events of the twentieth century and the legacy of the two World Wars.
In this context, the parties noted the significance of the visits to Kazakhstan by Jan Bartošek, Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, in 2023 and 2025. During these visits, burial sites of persons of Czech origin in several regions of Kazakhstan were visited, meetings were held with representatives of state institutions and the expert community, and a scientific and historical conference was organized.
The participants underscored the importance of establishing a systematic framework for cooperation at the governmental level, including the restoration and study of military archives, the development of comprehensive databases of war graves, and the exchange of international best practices in this field. Such efforts, they noted, would contribute to strengthening humanitarian ties, fostering mutual understanding, and deepening people-to-people contacts between the two countries.
The parties further emphasized that respectful stewardship of memorial sites, together with the search for and restoration of military burial places, carries not only historical significance but also an important moral dimension. Preserving the memory of victims of war serves future generations and contributes to the promotion of peace, reconciliation and conflict prevention.
Kazakh diplomats expressed their appreciation to their Czech counterparts for their dedicated and sustained efforts to preserve and maintain the burial sites of Czech soldiers abroad, as well as those of foreign, including Kazakh soldiers, located on the territory of the Czech Republic.
The meeting reaffirmed the mutual commitment of both sides to further expanding cooperation, enhancing expert exchanges, and implementing joint initiatives aimed at studying shared historical heritage and preserving military burial sites, in line with the agreements reached at the highest level.
