Kazakhstan and Germany sign over 30 commercial agreements worth $2B
In his statement to the media, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed confidence that today’s talks would pave the way for further strengthening ties between the two countries and noted that he attaches particular importance to this visit.
“Germany is a country with significant political influence, strong potential and high international standing. Your remarkable achievements in the economy, science, technology and other fields are a vivid testament to this. Taking this opportunity, I would like to sincerely congratulate you, Mr Chancellor, and all your fellow citizens on the upcoming Day of German Unity. This is undoubtedly a historic day that ushered in a new era in Germany’s development and gave a powerful impetus to the prosperity of Europe as a whole. I sincerely wish continued prosperity to the friendly German people,” he said.
The President described Germany as a reliable strategic partner of Kazakhstan in Europe and one of the first countries to recognize Kazakhstan’s independence.
“Next year will mark the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. Over this period, our partnership has steadily developed at all levels. Trade and economic, investment, cultural and humanitarian ties have grown stronger. An appropriate legal and contractual framework has been established. Cooperation within international organizations has also expanded. I am confident that our cooperation, based on mutual respect and support, will continue to develop successfully,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
Summing up the talks, the Head of State emphasized that important agreements had been reached during his substantive discussions with the Federal Chancellor of Germany. According to the President, there are every reason to say that today’s meetings were substantive and productive.
“More than 30 commercial documents worth a total of around 2 billion US dollars were signed as part of the talks. Clearly, the effective implementation of these contracts will make cooperation between our two countries even stronger. Tomorrow, I plan to visit Bavaria and meet with a number of senior officials. During the visit, I will take part in a unique event – the Kazakhstan-Bavaria Technology Forum. I expect this meeting to also contribute to strengthening the partnership between our countries,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
The talks also included an exchange of views on pressing regional and global issues.
“We believe that any conflict should be resolved through peaceful and diplomatic means. This is a shared position of our countries. We also agreed to further develop dialogue in the ‘Central Asia–Germany’ format. Kazakhstan intends to strengthen its strategic partnership with Germany, focused on long-term, mutually beneficial and tangible results,” the Head of State concluded.
The President of Kazakhstan and the Chancellor of Germany then answered questions from members of the media.
Dilnaz Yerlanova, a correspondent for Jibek Joly TV channel, asked the Head of State how he assesses the nature of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Germany ahead of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
“We highly appreciate the path we have travelled together. As you know, a journey is made by those who keep moving forward. We have come a long way, faced considerable challenges and achieved significant success. Germany enjoys great respect in our country. We like and respect this country and duly appreciate its achievements, primarily in the economy, as well as in other fields. Germany is a highly respected country on the international stage. That is why I came here with great expectations and high hopes of reaching new agreements with this country. And we have reached these agreements. Now, the task is to ensure their proper implementation and fulfilment. Therefore, I have a very positive outlook on the future. I am fully confident that we will achieve even greater success. During the talks, I said that we look forward to welcoming Chancellor Merz on a state visit at any time convenient for him next year,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
Demian von Osten, a correspondent for ARD, asked the Head of State to comment on his statement made in Omsk regarding the need to freeze the war, as well as to assess the current situation in Russia.
“Today, I spoke with considerable conviction about the fact that President Putin, as a statesman and as the leader of Russia, is, as strange as it may sound to you, perhaps the most acceptable political figure for Central Asia, including Kazakhstan, as well as for Europe and the world as a whole. I know him very well. He possesses the qualities most necessary for the leader of a large country with a complex history and its own understanding of the strategic objectives facing the country. Of course, we are all concerned about what is happening in Ukraine. From the very beginning, I have said that Kazakhstan would adhere to the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations. We insist on respect for and preservation of the principle of the territorial integrity of all states. From the outset, we have said that we have great respect for the Ukrainian people, their history, culture, traditions and, of course, the Ukrainian language. I did not say that the war should be stopped immediately. I understand that, under current circumstances, this would probably be unrealistic. What I am talking about is freezing military operations on the territory of Ukraine in order to move towards diplomatic negotiations or negotiations in any other format,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated.
Earlier, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, held talks with the Federal Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz.