Russia is our first and main trading partner in world - Kazakh Economic Integration Minister

ASTANA. November 10. KAZINFORM /Murat Zhakeyev/ Our first and main trading partner in the world is Russia. Kazakh Minister for Economic Integration Zhanar Aitzhanova said it on Thursday in Astana.

She noted that in the first half of 2011 the share of Kazakh products in Russia's trade turnover increased from USD 3.5 billion to USD 5.4 billion.

"In the first half of 2011 the volume of trade with the Customs Union member states increased by 44% and made up 18.7% of the total trade turnover of Kazakhstan," the Minister noted. "Speaking of bilateral trade with the countries of the Customs Union, it should be noted that it is correlated with the overall dynamics of foreign trade. Thus, the turnover between Kazakhstan and Russia and Belarus in 2010 grew by 40.3%, or USD 5.2 billion, and made up USD 18.1 billion."