VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
Vladimir Putin's speech:
I had meetings with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and my Kazakh counterpart Karin Masimov.
We conducted an intense and meaningful round of talks in the traditional atmosphere of friendship and goodwill.
As planned, the formation of a customs union of Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus was one of the key items on the agenda.
We believe it is necessary to make the best possible use of the advantages and potentialities of integration for increasing reciprocal investment and trade and carrying out joint projects. In this sense, the proposed customs union should become a major instrument for overcoming the crisis and resuming economic growth.
We highly value the position of Kazakhstan for its consistent support in the implementation of all integration programmes in the post-Soviet space.
It is only natural that in the current difficult conditions our countries have chosen to unite their potentials in countering the negative consequences of the global financial and economic crisis.
In this context, we discussed in detail further expansion of the bilateral business partnership. We are going to step up efforts in carrying out a package of measures envisaged by our plan of joint action for 2009-2010.
The plan provides for joint study and exploration of space, and cooperation in the fuel-and-energy sector, gas and electric power industries, peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and the military-technical sphere.
Kazakhstan is one of Russia's key economic partners. In 2008, our trade went up by more than 19% as compared with the previous year to reach $19.7 billion.
The aggregate sum of Russian investment in Kazakhstan exceeds seven billion dollars.
We will continue building a favourable environment for mutually advantageous cooperation and implementation of major joint projects.
Today, we discussed cooperation in countering terrorism and the threat of drug trafficking, and in resolving urgent regional and international issues.
In this context, broad opportunities for cooperation will open up in 2010, when Russia takes over the post of the CIS chairman, and Kazakhstan presides over the OCSE.
In conclusion, I would like to emphasise that I regard our current meeting in Astana as one more important step towards consolidating strategic partnership between Russia and Kazakhstan.
Thank you very much.
Speech by Karim Masimov:
As Mr Putin mentioned, during his visit he met with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and with Government officials. In principle, the whole range of issues has been discussed. I would like to add a few details. We have specified our future steps towards building the customs union.
Our First Deputy Prime Ministers are going to meet in the near future, and on June 9 our Prime Ministers are going to meet in Moscow.
I think that all major questions have been covered. We hope that in the near future our negotiating teams will reach a mutually acceptable solution on all issues pertaining to the formation of a customs union.
We have also discussed cooperation in developing electric power industry, electricity input complementarity, nuclear energy, transport, and space, including the Kazstat-2 project, to name but a few.
I am sure that the decisions adopted today will help promote mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries.
Thank you.
