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Beginning of Russia-Kazakhstan talks

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Tokayev, I am very happy to see you. Thank you for accepting our invitation. We meet regularly with you. We saw each other just recently, but decided to meet here, in Sochi. We have a lot of work ahead.

We will be celebrating the 30^th anniversary of diplomatic relations in October. Many events are planned to mark this milestone. Our ministries and departments are involved in these preparations. This concerns the Intergovernmental Commission, while the foreign and defence ministries are preparing different events together, including CSTO joint exercises and so on.

Our trade is growing. It increased by 34.4 percent in the past year. In the first five months of this year, it went up by almost 9 percent, or 8.8 percent to be exact. Both our countries are increasing their investment in each other’s economies. I believe, Russia’s investment has reached US$17 billion, and Kazakhstan’s investment in Russia is over US$4 billion, about US$4.5 billion.

Russia is Kazakhstan’s biggest trade and economic partner. We are also developing promising large projects, including high-tech and space. To sum up, we are working intensively and have positive achievements in all areas.

I am very glad that our meeting is certainly imparting an additional impetus to the development of our trust-based strategic partnership. I am very happy to see you.

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev: Thank you, Mr President, first of all, for your invitation to visit this wonderful city – Sochi. I am glad to see you in good health.

Indeed, Kazakhstan and Russia have relations of strategic partnership. This year we are celebrating a very important date – 30 years of diplomatic relations. We established these relations 30 years ago and signed the first Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance. In 2013, this treaty was supplemented with a new document, which you signed – on allied relations between our countries. So, we have a very solid foundation.

Our trade and economic cooperation is making steady headway. We are happy to note that industrial cooperation is doing very well. As you noted, trade dynamics are positive. Our trade reached US$24.5 billion last year; Russia ranks first in this indicator for Kazakhstan. This year, our trade is also developing very well. We maintain intensive cooperation at the main venues of the United Nations and other international associations.

This year, Kazakhstan is chairing the CIS, and in October, we will hold the CIS summit. We are hoping very much for your personal participation, especially since Russia plays such an important role in the Commonwealth of Independent States. This is really one of the priorities in our cooperation in the international format. Naturally, the specific character of the international situation suggests the need for us to compare our positions with a view to giving additional instructions to our governments, if necessary. They are working together, cooperating with each other; nevertheless, life is bringing us new challenges that must certainly be resolved. Overall, there is every reason for us to be content with the development of our cooperation. I agree with you in this respect.

We are united by a common border, the world’s longest land border that is fully delimited. So, we have no reason to be pessimistic about the future of our cooperation – certainly not. As President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, I want to give more momentum to our bilateral cooperation in all areas.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

We will have an opportunity to talk both formally and informally – during the working lunch. There are many issues. I am happy to have the opportunity to discuss all items on the agenda in a business-like and friendly atmosphere.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev: Thank you.

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