Nursultan Nazarbayev welcomed the leader of Russia in Kazakhstan, having mentioned the upcoming Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit to be held on October 16, and added that the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is expanding and acquiring respect and credibility in the international arena.
“I think we are on the right track”, he said.
The sides recalled their recent meeting in Sochi, where they discussed the main areas of their bilateral relationship. Relevant documents were prepared for signing as a result of the previous talks.
“I would also like to add that our relations are developing on the basis of the treaty ‘On good neighbourliness and alliance in the 21st century.’ The alliance is secured by the Collective Security Treaty and economically by statutory documents of the EAEU. Kazakhstan was, is and will always be the closest and most reliable neighbour of the Russian Federation. It is in the fundamental interests of the people of Kazakhstan”, said Nazarbayev.
In turn, Putin said there is no need to categorise Russian-Kazakh relations.
“It is not just a trustworthy partnership, but it is also a friendly relationship in every sense of the word. Kazakhstan is one of our largest trading partners. Today, almost 6,000 Russian companies are working in Kazakhstan. A large amount of investment has been accumulated in dollar equivalents. Your brainchild, the Eurasian Economic Union, is actively developing and creating conditions for the effective development of our economies. We see that many of our partners are willing to cooperate with the EAEU in different formats”, he emphasised.
Nursultan Nazarbayev said Russia is a strategic partner and close ally of our country.
“We interact in the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union. Bilaterally, our countries successfully implement projects in the economic, scientific and humanitarian spheres. In this regard, we attach significance to this meeting, which will provide additional impetus to cooperation between the two countries”, he said.
The President of Kazakhstan noted that the current drop in volumes of mutual trade is temporary, and was caused by the cyclical development of the world economy and lower prices for basic export commodities.
“We understand the need for timely coordinated measures at the national level and within the EEU. The Eurasian Economic Union can exist in conditions of equality for all members of the Organization; the representatives of our countries should work in the interests of all countries and in accordance with the general economic position”, he said.
In turn, Vladimir Putin stressed that bilateral relations between Kazakhstan and Russia are developing effectively in all areas, including the economy, politics, and security.
“There are practically no changes in physical volumes of trade. We operate under the bilateral plan that was adopted in 2013. Now our experts are preparing a joint plan for 2016-2018 years. We hope that in the near future it will be approved”, he said.
Vladimir Putin noted that Russian investments in Kazakhstan’s economy have exceeded US $ 9 billion. The main volume of Kazakhstan oil transit to foreign markets is carried out through the Russian territory. In addition, the Russian leader emphasized the large-scale joint projects in the field of high technology, industry, agriculture, and energy.