Mikhail Mishustin and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met during the Russian Prime Minister’s working visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan.
From the transcript:
Mikhail Mishustin’s meeting with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Mikhail Mishustin’s meeting with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Mikhail Mishustin’s meeting with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev: Mr Mishustin, our Russian friends and colleagues,
I am delighted to be welcoming you all to our capital city. I am aware that you had substantive and rewarding meetings yesterday. I have been taking note of the swift progress in our trade and economic relations. We are prepared to sign some very important agreements, which will undoubtedly lend a major impetus to the further development of our cooperation.
It is gratifying that during the first five months of this year alone, bilateral trade climbed 26 percent, even despite all the complications caused by the pandemic.
We have got some sizable plans on our agenda, such as building up cooperation through specific projects. Up until now, thanks to our governments’ efforts, we have launched several important anchor projects in various fields such as mechanical engineering, agriculture, and other major sectors.
I think we must definitely continue working on this track. We have just discussed a whole range of topics that concern the implementation of our plans. I really do appreciate your efforts in getting personally involved in this work and I am absolutely sure that the ultimate result will be successful.
Mikhail Mishustin: Thank you, Mr Tokayev.
First of all, I would like to convey to you best wishes and the warmest greetings from the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. Colleagues, I would like to thank you all for the friendly welcome you have given our large Russian delegation in Nur-Sultan.
I fondly remember the first meeting with you and colleagues that took place in Nur-Sultan in February 2020. It was my very first foreign visit as Prime Minister. We sincerely value our friendship and partnership, and alliance with fraternal Kazakhstan.
We have got together a very substantial and detailed agenda between the governments. It opens up ample opportunities for collaboration. Trade and economic cooperation is growing fast. In the first half of this year, mutual trade increased by more than one-third. We expect good, even record figures by the end of the year. There is every reason to expect this.
We are successfully cooperating when it comes to investment. Russian businesses are involved in 32 major projects in Kazakhstan. At the same time, Kazakhstani colleagues are engaged in projects in Russia. Interregional dialogue plays a key role here. We are preparing for the next Russia–Kazakhstan Interregional Cooperation Forum where the heads of state will participate.
As regards the coronavirus pandemic, we are now opening large joint facilities including the Karaganda factory that will be making Sputnik V. The facility has been completed. As many as 5 million doses of the vaccine have been produced in Kazakhstan since the beginning of 2021. I am quite sure that massive vaccine rollout will help us finally overcome this infection.
Yesterday I had a lively discussion with my colleague, Askar Mamin, and considered current aspects of practical interaction.
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