Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry commented on the situation around Baikonur

Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry has commented on the situation around Baikonur cosmodrome, Tengrinews.kz reports citing the Ministry’s press-service. “Just as before, Kazakhstan counts on expansion of its participation in the space activities of Baikonur cosmodrone, development of its space potential. In this view it would have been unwise for us to lose the opportunity of close cooperation with such an important space country as Russia, especially at our own cosmodrome,” press-secretary Ilyas Omarov said. He noted that Kazakhstan plans to fully use the existing potential to cover the needs of its economy. “We suppose the cooperation in space will be even more effective and productive both for Kazakhstan and Russia. On December 19 presidents of Kazakhstan and Russia once again certified the importance of cooperation in space: the leaders of our countries realize the importance of saving Baikonur as a symbol of our successful bilateral interaction,” Ilyas Omarov said. Earlier Russian government sent an official note to Kazakhstan government with a request to explain the statements made by the head of KazKosmos Talgat Mussabayev about the future of the Cosmodrome. On December 10 Talgat Mussabayev, Head of KazKosmos National Space Agency, announced that Kazakhstan and Russian are working out a new agreement to gradually edge away from lease-based relations over Baikonur cosmodrome. He also added that Baikonur town may be transferred under Kazakhstan’s jurisdiction.