Excerpts from the transcript:
Russia-Kazakhstan talks
Mikhail Mishustin with Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov
Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov
Mikhail Mishustin at the Russia-Kazakhstan talks
Russia-Kazakhstan talks
Mikhail Mishustin: Good afternoon, Mr Smailov, friends.
We are delighted to welcome you to the Russian Federation Government House. Your visit is taking place under the 16 May agreements, reached in Moscow during talks between our presidents, Vladimir Putin and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. I would like to ask you to convey our warmest and sincerest regards to President of Kazakhstan, Mr Tokayev.
I would also like to note that we sincerely value our friendship, neighbourly relations and alliance with Kazakhstan. This is particularly important in today’s complicated conditions, which were caused by illegal unilateral sanctions by unfriendly states against Russia. Despite the sanctions war unleashed against us, we have facilitated economic stability and a well-balanced exchange rate for the rouble. We are working to create new production and logistics chains, and we are creating conditions for implementing our promising long-term projects.
Expanding trade and economic cooperation with Kazakhstan is among our priorities. Last year, mutual trade reached a record high, over $25 billion. As of the end of the first quarter, it increased by another 12.5 percent compared to the same period in 2021, to about $5.8 billion.
Prospects are good for implementing the import substitution programme in many sectors. Conditions are in place for launching new strategic joint projects in the manufacturing industry, engineering, transport, energy, and the digital economy. Our intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation is on top of these matters.
Mr Overchuk is heading it from our side. He is in constant contact with his Kazakhstani colleagues and reports to me on the issues for both sides.
We propose putting more effort into expanding region-to-region cooperation and investment cooperation. Russia’s aggregate direct investment over the past 15 years is about $17 billion. Kazakhstan’s private sector capital investment in the Russian economy is increasing. The Innoprom exhibition, to be held in Yekaterinburg in July, will provide additional opportunities in this regard, I believe. We are delighted to have Kazakhstan as the exhibition’s partner country this year.
Many new agreements and commercial contracts are likely to be concluded at Innoprom, which, I am sure, will give additional boost to our trade.
We are focusing particularly on cooperation in education, scientific research and culture. The legal framework is in place for the successful operation of university branches in Russia and Kazakhstan. I would like to thank you and esteemed President Tokayev for being respectful to the Russian language, which enjoys the status of an official language in Kazakhstan. This is a key tool for communication between our countries and peoples and helps us strengthen the multifaceted ties between Russia, Kazakhstan and our partners.
I propose comparing notes regarding the implementation of the agreements that were concluded during the talks between our respective heads of state and making specific government decisions that will make it possible for us to break new ground in cooperation and launch new joint investment projects. Over to you, Mr Smailov.
Alikhan Smailov: Mr Mishustin, I would like to begin by thanking you for your traditionally warm welcome. I am pleased to have the opportunity to meet with you today and to discuss the pressing matters of cooperation.
Kazakhstan and Russia have a traditionally high level of interaction across the range of bilateral relations, which is supported by our many meetings at different levels.
This year marks a significant date – the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations – which underlies our bilateral events.
Last week, we marked the 30th anniversary of the treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance. Our countries used these years to develop a stable, trust-based and constructive dialogue and to achieve a high level of interaction. Critically important guidelines for making progress in our strategic cooperation were outlined during a meeting of the presidents of our respective countries that was recently held as part of the anniversary meeting of the heads of state of the CSTO member countries.
The Government of Kazakhstan is committed to deepening and strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation with the Russian Federation in all areas. We need to build up mutual trade and investment.
The Russian Federation is Kazakhstan’s main trade and economic partner. We noted the increase in mutual trade by one-third last year, which took it to a record high of $24 billion, as you mentioned.
Trade continued to grow this year to $7.2 billion in the first four months.
Systematic work is underway to expand multifaceted economic ties between our countries. Timely implementation of the 2021-2025 comprehensive programme for economic cooperation between our countries is critically important. The Kazakh-Russian intergovernmental commission has a major role to play in expanding cooperation.
Industrial cooperation is among the core areas of cooperation. As many as 13 landmark joint industrial projects have been implemented in Kazakhstan, and 22 more major projects worth almost $4 billion in a number of key industries, including engineering, metallurgy, and the chemical industry, are underway or are being developed. We have significant potential for doing more in this area.
We are interested in launching joint projects as soon as possible and are ready to provide comprehensive support.
In addition to bilateral cooperation, we closely cooperate in regional organisations such as the EAEU, the CIS, the CSTO, the SCO, and the CICMA. We consider cooperation within the EAEU an important tool for the dynamic development of trade and economic cooperation for the benefit of our citizens.
Mr Mishustin, I am sure that the Kazakh-Russian strategic partnership’s strong dynamics will continue to expand across all areas.
