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Mr Putin said at the forum that regional interests were a mighty impetus for CIS countries’ governments to speed up and promote integration in the EurAsEC and other regional organisations.

Border contacts were powerful vehicles of integration. Seventy-two Russian regions had firm trade and economic ties with Kazakh partners. It was relevant now to revive technological links in the engineering and petrochemical industries—in particular, through the establishment of financial and industrial groups. Mr Putin expressed his conviction that such groups would make Russian and Kazakh manufacturers more competitive in the world markets and enhance both countries’ exports.

He said he hoped that innovative high-tech industrial projects—in particular, space research, with its vast potential—would follow projects in the fuel-and-energy complex.

Russian-Kazakh border partnership promised to promote joint fight against drug trafficking, terrorism, transnational crime and illegal migration, and ward off epidemics and other dangers. Decisions were also being drafted on joint border guarding, Mr Putin said.