13 cooperation documents to be signed during Putin's visit to Kazakhstan

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin will render a work visit to Kazakhstan on Wednesday to take part in the 9th Forum of Interregional Cooperation that will include signing of an inter-government document on oil supplies, Interfax-Kazakhstan reports. “Kazakhstan party agreed to sign the protocol on amendments to the inter-government agreement on trade and economic cooperation in oil and oil products supplies,” President’s assistant Yuriy Ushakov told the journalists. 13 documents will be signed in the framework of the innovative cooperation forum held in Kazakhstan's Pavlodar. Ushakov noted that fuel and energy industry is a key sector of economic interaction between the two countries. In particular, the parties cooperate in transit of Kazakhstan oil for its further export via the territory of Russia, implementation of joint projects on production of hydrocarbons in North Caspian area. Besides, Russia buys Kazakhstan’s natural gas and supplies it to the markets in third countries. “Cooperation in electric energy is developing: Russia’s and Kazakhstan’s energy systems are working in parallel. A joint development of the uranium development in Kazakhstan is in process,” Russian President’s assistant said. The coming Forum will cover innovative cooperation and interaction in sustainable development and high technologies. The plenary meeting is expected to cover new mechanisms of interregional interaction, prospects of development and implementation of joint scientific and technical projects. 12 Russian regions have common borders with 8 Kazakhstan’s oblasts. There are over 250 agreements, protocols and memorandums between them. In general, 76 Russian regions maintain permanent trade and economic ties with Kazakhstan. “Vladimir Putin and Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev will traditionally hold a separate meeting on the sidelines of the Forum. The meeting is to cover important issues of bilateral cooperation; presidents will exchange their opinions on integration issues, in particular, the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space. They will also discuss current issues of regional and international agenda,” Ushakov said. According to Russia’s Federal Customs Service, the volume of mutual trade in 2010 increased by 35.4 percent compared to 2010 and made $20.5 billion. Russia’s export increased by one quarter, while import from Kazakhstan grew 60.6 percent.