ASTANA. September 4. KAZINFORM. /Kalamkas Abuova/ Today afternoon President Nursultan Nazarbayev introduced newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kanat Saudabayev. Kanat Bekmyrzayevich Saudabayev (born next to Alma-ata, Kazakhstan in 1946) served as the Secretary of State of the Republic of Kazakhstan since 15 May 2007. He served as Kazakhstan's Ambassador to the United States from December 2000 until the political shakeup of 2007, when President Nursultan Nazarbayev promoted him to his current position. In Washington, Saudabayev brought an important contribution strengthening the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the USA in the spheres of security, nuclear disarmament, economy and democratic development. Before his appointment to the U.S., Ambassador Saudabayev had a long career in the fields of government, diplomacy and the arts. In 1999 and 2000, he served as the head of the Prime Minister's Office with the rank of Cabinet member. Before entering the diplomatic service, Kanat Saudabayev had a distinguished cultural career, serving as Kazakhstan's Chairman of the State Committee of Culture with the rank of Minister, Chairman of the State Film Committee, and Deputy Culture Minister. He began his career as a theatrical producer. Kanat Saudabayev holds degrees from the Leningrad Institute of Culture and the Academy of Public Sciences of the Central Committee of Communist Party of the Soviet Union. He has a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the Kazakh State University and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the Moscow State University. His service has been recognized by the orders of Otan (Fatherland), Kazakhstan's highest state award, and Kurmet (Distinguished Service). Kanat Saudabayev is married with three children.