WEEKLY REVIEW: Kazakhstan expands trade-economic coop with largest countries
On Tuesday, May 1, Kazakh Industry and New Technologies Minister Aset Issekeshev met with visiting Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan Yukio Edano. The parties signed bilateral documents, as well as the memo of cooperation, including the Road Map to strengthen economic and investment relations in implementing large projects. It contains 40 nuclear and petrochemistry, mining and new technology projects.
On Wednesday Minister Edano met with Kazakh Foreign Affairs Minister Yerzhan Kazykhanov. He told that Japan intends to expand cooperation with Kazakhstan in rare earth elements recovery and processing.
On Thursday, May 3, Adilbek Dzhaksybekov, Kazakh Defence Minister, chaired the meeting of the CSTO Defense Ministers' Council in Astana. The CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha made a speech at the session.
The participants concentrated on construction, preparation and application of the collective security system resources and facilities, building up the CSTO combat potential, creating force grouping in the Central Asian region and equipping the collective forces with up-to-date military and special equipment.
In addition, according to A. Dzhaksybekov, a number of important documents were signed during the CSTO meeting.
"Today the CSTO Defense Ministers has given consideration to a wide range of important problems that confirm that military component is of paramount importance for the CSTO member countries. Our cooperation in this respect develops from year to year and has a good potential. We have summed up the results and signed a number of documents that will strengthen the organization and ensure security of our people in future," Minister Dzhaksybekov told press conference after the meeting.
On Friday, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov named priority areas for Hungarian investments at the joint Kazakh-Hungarian business forum in Astana.
The head of the Government especially pointed out that Kazakhstan's investment climate was attractive due to sustainable macroeconomic development. For instance, its GDP increased for 7.5 per cent in 2011.
"Agriculture has always traditionally been one of the leading sectors of Kazakhstan's economy. Level of agricultural development is the determining factor of the economic and socio-political stability of the country. Kazakhstan is the world's leader in crops and flour production and boasts huge potential in livestock and diary sector," Prime Minister Massimov stressed.
"We are interested in Hungary's experience in implementation of the innovative technologies in this field. I believe that engineering, chemical industry and tourism are promising sectors for mutual cooperation as well," he added.
There are some 50 joint Kazakh-Hungarian ventures in oil processing, agricultural, chemical and pharmaceutical fields in Kazakhstan today. In 2011 sales volume between Kazakhstan and Hungary made USD 270 million.
Bilateral meeting between prime ministers of Kazakhstan and Hungary Karim Massimov and Viktor Orban took place in Astana.
During negotiations Karim Massimov have expressed confidence that within the bilateral governmental meeting and the meeting with President of Kazakhstan the sides will make a meaningful step in development of the bilateral relations.
The sides have already debated a range of important bilateral issues, situation in the EU and Central Asia.
The premiers signed a joint declaration.
Agreement on exchange of tax information, the Protocol of intentions on cooperation in the framework of a plan of action in the health sector, an agreement on cooperation between the Chamber of Commerce of the RK and the Chamber of Commerce in Hungary were signed following the bilateral meeting.
Besides, Kazakhstan and Hungary also signed a cooperation agreement between the Almaty region and the region Yas-Nadykun-Solnok, a memorandum of understanding between JSC National Agency for Export and Investment "KAZNEX INVEST", and the Hungarian Investment and Trade Agency "HITA", a letter of intent establishing a strategic railway cooperation between JSC "KazakstanTemirJoly" and JSC "Hungarian railways".
Later in the day Kazakh Foreign Affairs Minister Yerzhan Kazykhanov and Estonian FM Urmas Paet held talks in Astana.
"Estonia favours Kazakhstan's accession to the World Trade Organization," Urmas Paet told after the talks with his Kazakh counterpart in Astana.
"We are interested in the transit of Kazakh goods through our ports and railways. I hope for opening of direct flights between Kazakhstan and Estonia. We are working on this issue," he added.
"Kazakhstan is an important partner of the EU in this region. And we support signing of the new partnership and cooperation agreement between the EU and Kazakhstan," he noted.
