In his inauguration speech, Nazarbayev said that he would work on strengthening Kazakhstan's partnership with the United States, the European Union and Russia, and continue democratic and economic reform in the country.
Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country in the world. Thanks to its natural resources and a continued annual economic growth rate of over seven per cent, it is popularly referred to as a Central Asian economic tiger.
The inauguration ceremony in the capital Astana brought together a large number of foreign delegations. In attendance were presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia, Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine, Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, as well as the presidents of Georgia, Tajikistan and other countries in the region.
The Croatian president took the opportunity for a number of bilateral talks.
Mesic told reporters that his talks with Putin focused on two outstanding issues between Croatia and Russia, notably a debt clearance scheme on which an agreement had been signed but has not been implemented yet, and the Druzba Adria oil pipeline project.
Mesic and Putin agreed that the debt clearance agreement was in the interests of both countries and that it should be implemented as soon as possible.
Under the agreement, Russia should deliver to Croatia about 15 multi-purpose helicopters and Russian companies should build a third section of the Sisak thermal power plant and a Croatian connection to the gas pipeline network in Hungary.
Mesic said that Druzba Adria was an important project for both Croatia and Europe because they needed oil and gas. He stressed that the issue should be dealt with by the governments and institutions of Croatia and Russia.
Speaking of his talks with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, Mesic said that economic cooperation between Croatia and Georgia was not at a satisfactory level despite the interests and potentials of both sides.
Mesic said that there were not even basic agreements between Croatia and Georgia that would facilitate economic cooperation.
Earlier in the day Mesic briefly met Nazarbayev, with whom he spoke about the situation in Kazakhstan. The Croatian president is due to meet his host once again in the afternoon before returning to Zagreb.
Before leaving Kazakhstan, Mesic is also expected to meet Ukrainian President Yushchenko.
Croatian business people, who arrived in Astana with Mesic, held separate talks with their Kazakh colleagues. Croatia is interested in promoting economic cooperation with Kazakhstan, particularly in the building and energy sectors.