Kazakh Leader Hails Rapid Development of Ties with Russia

Russian leader Putin invited Tokayev to attend an informal pre-New Year's meeting of the CIS leaders in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Photo: Akorda

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev commended the outcomes of the narrow-format talks held with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who arrived in Astana for a state visit.

"As for our cooperation, we came to a common opinion, gave the corresponding instructions to the governments. We have a lot of work ahead of us. I state that our cooperation develops on an upward trajectory, gained an irreversible momentum. Our task is to ensure that this cooperation does not slow down, investment cooperation deepens, as well as contacts in humanitarian and educational spheres develop in the ascending line," stated Head of State Tokayev, The Caspian Post reports, citing Kazinform.

The Kazakh leader drew special attention to the state of trade and economic ties between Kazakhstan and Russia. According to him, mutual trade is growing steadily and there is a good opportunity to take the bilateral trade turnover to up to 30 billion US dollars in the nearest future. Positive developments are observed in the field of investment as well.

93 joint projects with total investments of 18.3 billion US dollars have been implemented so far, thanks to which over 22,000 jobs were created in Kazakhstan. 49 projects worth around 29.5 billion of investments with the potential of creation of over 20,000 jobs are on the agenda, said the Kazakh President.

Earlier Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated that relations between Kazakhstan and Russia are based on a solid foundation of strategic partnership and alliance during a restricted-attendance meeting with his counterpart President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the Akorda.

Russian leader Putin invited Tokayev to attend an informal pre-New Year's meeting of the CIS leaders in St. Petersburg, Russia.

As was reported, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan hosted his Russian counterpart President Vladimir Putin in the Akorda presidential residence.

On November 27-28, the Russian President will be in Kazakhstan on a state visit and is expected to participate in the next session of the Collective Security Council (CSC) of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in the Kazakh capital.