The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan (MFA RK, Kazakh: Қазақстан Республикасы Сыртқы істер министрлігі, romanized: Qazaqstan Respublikasy Syrtqy ıster ministrlıgı, ҚР СІМ; Russian: Министерство иностранных дел Республики Казахстан, МИД РК) is the Kazakh government ministry which oversees the foreign relations of Kazakhstan.The Khanate's main purpose in terms of diplomacy was to negotiate the expansion of territories, with the desire to create trade routes, the travel roads, and trade centres for international exchange.[1] The headquarters of the Kazakh khans had offices, which issued documents of a diplomatic and socio-economic nature.Kazakh khans appointed their envoys (known as ilchi), who were instructed to transmit messages and orders to neighboring rulers and governors.[2][3] The first modern Kazakh foreign ministry was formed in the early 1920s as the diplomatic office for the Turkestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.