Kazakhstan - center of economic miracle: Czech President

The President of Czech Republic Milos Zeman has called Kazakhstan an economic miracle, Tengrinews reports from Akorda, the residence of Kazakhstan’s President. Milos Zeman arrived to Kazakhstan this Monday.

Czech President said that Kazakhstan was becoming a priority partner for the Czech Republic, and the reason behind it was not necessarily the crisis between Ukraine and Russia.

“Countries once considered economic miracles, for example, Germany, Japan, South Korea can now be compared with Central Asia, and especially Kazakhstan. Because Kazakhstan is a center of gravity of the economic miracle. I was here (in Kazakhstan) 12-13 years ago as Prime Minister. I can see an incredible progress. For instance, in the construction of the capital. Nazarbayev introduced me with the construction plans until 2050. I am convinced that Kazakh Yeli, as the President calls his country, will become one of the important players of the global economy,” he said.

Milos Zeman also noted that a business partnership could be developed in transport. “We offer the best cars – the trucks that could help Kazakhstan grow. We offer cooperation in civil aviation – our modernized aircrafts of medium and small sizes. I know that currently a network of airfields is being built in Kazakhstan,” he continued.

Currently, 70 joint Kazakh-Czech companies and 20 offices of Czech companies are working in Kazakhstan, the Central Asian country’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev said.

"We have a fruitful cooperation in car manufacturing - take Asia Auto that produces Skoda cars (in Ust-Kamenogorsk city in eastern Kazakhstan). More than 15 thousands cars have been assembled since 2005, while next year it is expected to produce 8 thousand. We are launching a large industrial innovative construction project. In this context, there are good conditions for expanding the cooperation in engineering, energy, construction, agriculture and pharmaceutics. Around 13 agreements amounting to $450 million will be signed today at the business forum,” Nazarbayev said on Monday.

He also mentioned that around 2,000 Kazakh nationals were studying in the universities of the Czech Republic, and this was very important for the development of humanitarian cooperation.

He added that Czech experience in pharmaceutics and agriculture was very important for Kazakhstan given that Kazakhstan was an agro-industrial country.

President Nazarbayev also noted that together with the Czech President they discussed the issues that were on the international agenda, including the reciprocal sanctions between Russia and Europe, events in Middle East and Ukraine. “All these influence our countries. We talked about possible collaboration between the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union,” he said.

Reporting by Asemgul Kasenova, writing by Assel Satubaldina