11 February 2013 | 20:48

Problems between Russia and Kazakhstan are connections growth related

Nursultan Nazarbayev and Vladimir Putin. Photo courtesy of Akorda

President of Russia Vladimir Putin met with Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev and said that problems between Moscow and Astana have appeared because of a large scale of cooperation between the two countires, RIA Novosti writes. “We have met just recently, but nevertheless there are a lot of issues pending. We discussed these issues by phone several times, but this is normal because the cooperation volume is very high and I am pleased to note that it is constantly growing,” Putin said. There have been a lot of media reports on the possibility of Russia and Kazakhstan ceasing their cooperation in all joint space projects as a result of the recent restrictions imposed by Kazakhstan on Russian rockets launches from Baikonur and reviewal of cooperation on joint projects, including Dnepr program and Baiterek project. Putin noted that growth of connections between Russia and Kazakhstan had a positive effect on the economies of both countries and their citizens. “We are gaining a very good integration experience. I am glad to see you, thank you for coming. We have several more key issues that we would like to discuss with you,” the President of Russia said. Nazarbayev in his turn declared that a new treaty on friendship and cooperation between the countries might be signed in autumn in Yekaterinburg. “We have instructed to prepare a new treaty on friendship and cooperation. I hope that we will sign it in Yekaterinburg this autumn,” the President said. Earlier the Kremlin tagged preparation of the new agreement On good-neighborly relations and allies aimed for the 21st century a priority for improvement of the regulatory base of the bilateral cooperation. The tenth interregional cooperation forum will be held in Yekaterinburg in autumn. It is traditionally attended by presidents of both countries. Nazarbayev arrived in Russian on February 7 to discuss key issues of bilateral relations under the plan of joint actions of two countries for 2013-2015 adopted in December 2012.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin met with Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev and said that problems between Moscow and Astana have appeared because of a large scale of cooperation between the two countires, RIA Novosti writes. “We have met just recently, but nevertheless there are a lot of issues pending. We discussed these issues by phone several times, but this is normal because the cooperation volume is very high and I am pleased to note that it is constantly growing,” Putin said. There have been a lot of media reports on the possibility of Russia and Kazakhstan ceasing their cooperation in all joint space projects as a result of the recent restrictions imposed by Kazakhstan on Russian rockets launches from Baikonur and reviewal of cooperation on joint projects, including Dnepr program and Baiterek project. Putin noted that growth of connections between Russia and Kazakhstan had a positive effect on the economies of both countries and their citizens. “We are gaining a very good integration experience. I am glad to see you, thank you for coming. We have several more key issues that we would like to discuss with you,” the President of Russia said. Nazarbayev in his turn declared that a new treaty on friendship and cooperation between the countries might be signed in autumn in Yekaterinburg. “We have instructed to prepare a new treaty on friendship and cooperation. I hope that we will sign it in Yekaterinburg this autumn,” the President said. Earlier the Kremlin tagged preparation of the new agreement On good-neighborly relations and allies aimed for the 21st century a priority for improvement of the regulatory base of the bilateral cooperation. The tenth interregional cooperation forum will be held in Yekaterinburg in autumn. It is traditionally attended by presidents of both countries. Nazarbayev arrived in Russian on February 7 to discuss key issues of bilateral relations under the plan of joint actions of two countries for 2013-2015 adopted in December 2012.

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