CLEVERLY VISITS LAND OF BORAT

FOREIGN Secretary James Cleverly yesterday posed with an eagle during a visit to Kazakhstan, where he also donned the country’s national dress.

Mr Cleverly visited the Central Asian country to sign a mineral trade deal, and is set to offer UK help to develop additional export routes that do not pass through Putin’s Russia.

The former Soviet nation has refused to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Mr Cleverly said yesterday the UK ‘greatly appreciates Kazakhstan’s consistent and principled position’. As part of an introduction into Kazakh culture, he was given a lesson in falconry near the capital Astana. He wore traditional dress over his usual suit and tie – including a long blue robe with fur collar and embroidery, and a matching fur hat – and shot a bow and arrow.

Handling falcons and other birds of prey is an ancient tradition in Kazakhstan, dating from when they were used for hunting. Kazakhstan is best known by many in the West as the birthplace of Sacha Baron Cohen’s hapless reporter Borat.