Kazakhstan keen on expanding coop with the U.S., Iran

“In 2016, Kazakhstan will continue to implement its multi-vector balanced foreign policy and its main course towards integration into the global economic space. The integration potential of the Eurasian Economic Union, implementation of the Silk Road Economic Belt project together with China strengthen Kazakhstan’s positions as the most important business partner and hub in Eurasia,” the Kazakh President said.

According to him, Kazakhstan will actively participate in development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Kazakhstan is also ready to bring the Conference on Confidence-Building Measures in Asia to the level of a security organization in Eurasia.

“The role of Kazakhstan as a transit territory is evident now. Compared to 2013, last year the flow of containers en China-Kazakhstan-Europe route increased from 6,000 to 48,000. In 2016, it will make 95,000. This is a result of infrastructure policy of our country. New railroad lines were built from the Pacific Ocean through Kazakhstan, Russia, Europe, through the Gulf region and new stages of the Great silk Road are opened. In 2013, 77 trains only ran on this route. This year, we expect that their number will rise to 1,100”, noted the President.

Undoubtedly, cooperation with the Central Asian countries will remain a priority for Kazakhstan, he added. The Head of State called Central Asian countries to unite to solve the acute problems of the region, among which are water problems, closer trade and common security.

The Kazakh Leader reminded of signing of the Extended Partnership Agreement with the EU two months ago. In his opinion, this is an important step towards enhancing commodity turnover and attraction of investments from European countries.

“The U.S. is one of the largest foreign investors in Kazakhstan economy. We intend to expand our cooperation with this country. Besides, having close historical and spiritual ties with the Middle East, Kazakhstan plans to strengthen relations with the Islamic world and Middle East in general. We are interested in development of a full-scale trade-economic cooperation with Iran. In view of lifting sanctions from Iran, I hope that our trade relations will be raised to a higher level. Over all these years, Kazakhstan has not stopped his trade with Iran,” said Nazarbayev.

The President emphasized also that Kazakhstan will continue to assist in economic and social development of Afghanistan as much as possible. N.Nazarbayev promised to continue rendering support in infrastructure development, training of youth and to develop political contacts with this country.

In his speech, Nazarbayev touched upon the activation of economic, investment and technological cooperation with the Asian-Pacific countries, taking into consideration that some countries of this region want to create free trade with the EEU. The relations of Kazakhstan with Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean are being developed consistently.

The Head of State said that full-fledged membership of our country in the WTO will allow to expand the geography of foreign trade and raise our investment potential.