Kazakh President, Dutch PM discuss ways of strengthening cooperation
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has held a meeting with Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, who arrived in Astana for a working visit, Kazinform News Agency learned from the Akorda press service.
The sides discussed the prospects for expanding interaction in political, economic and cultural-humanitarian spheres.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that Kazakhstan values Mark Rutte’s personal contribution to the development of the Kazakh-Netherlands mutually beneficial cooperation.
“With warmth I remember our meeting in 2015. We appreciate your personal contribution to the promotion and development of our mutually beneficial cooperation. We know that you are currently the longest serving Prime Minister of your country and you have rich international experience. I would like to point out dynamic development of our bilateral cooperation. The Netherlands is the largest investor in our economy, with the volume of direct investments exceeding $120 billion. Our countries are implementing large-scale joint projects,” the Head of State said.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the importance of Prime Minister Rutte’s visit from the viewpoint of giving additional impulse to the development of trade-economic relations between Astana and Amsterdam.
In turn, Mark Rutte highly assessed the level of the Kazakh-Netherlands bilateral cooperation. He also spoke for boosting the practical interaction between Kazakhstan and the Netherlands.
He reminded that he paid his first visit to Astana in 2010, its was his first trip outside the EU after his appointment of the country’s Prime Minister. The next visit took place in 2015.
Mark Rutte said he had always been impressed with a rapid development of the Kazakh-Netherlands bilateral relations and added he had always respected Kazakhstan’s well-balanced position on the regional and international agenda.
He said the Dutch side would be pleased to share ideas and innovations in agriculture, green energy, and water resources management.
The parties also discussed the ways of strengthening the trade-economic, energy, and investment cooperation, as well as contacts in transport, innovations, nuclear energy, agriculture, healthcare, climate, and water resources management.
The sides also exchanged views on the topical issues of regional and international agenda, and pointed out the importance of continuing the dialogue as part of interaction with the European Union.
