Kazakhstan-Russia border cooperation - generator of economic integration

Undoubtedly, in this context the annual forums of near-border regions of both countries add new trends in our good neighborhood.

Experts say the near-border cooperation forums are absolutely new forms of inter-relations between two friendly nations.

It is worthy to note that current state of near-border relations takes its rise from the Agreement on cooperation of near-border regions of Kazakhstan and Russia as of January 26, 1995.

Later priority aspects of near-border cooperation were outlined in such important documents as the Program on near-border cooperation for 1999-2007, 2008-2011, the Treaty between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation on Kazakh-Russia state border as of January 18, 2005, the Program on Russia-Kazakhstan cooperation in humanitarian sphere and the Protocol on main directions of cooperation of the Kazakh-Russian customs services.

The longest land frontier of 7, 500 km between Kazakhstan and Russia is a factor of no little importance.  Moreover seven regions of Kazakhstan share borders with 12 subjects of the neighbor country. Approximately 40% of bilateral commodity turnover falls on near-border zone. More than 340 joint enterprises are functioning in frontier zone. Besides 70% of the Kazakhstan-Russia trade volume falls on inter-regional ties. 76 Russian regions from Moscow to Tatarstan support trade-economic relations on a regular basis.

Such close cooperation is reflected on the state and development of all range of trade-economic ties. To date Russia is the largest trade partner of Kazakhstan. As earlier reported, fuel-energy complex, nuclear energy, agro-industry, transport industry, space development were defined priority directions of bilateral cooperation by the Heads of the two states.

The share of bilateral commodity turnover makes more than 18% of the total foreign trade turnover of Kazakhstan. According to the data provided by the Kazakh Foreign Office goods turnover in 2008 made USD 19.9 bln that is 22% higher against 2007.

Functioning of more than 3, 100 joint ventures in near-border regions highlights the importance of both countries' economic ties. Among the largest ones are KazRusChrome, Koksohim, and an automobile complex on the ground of UralAZ and Kostanay Diesel Plant. In addition, the regions entered into 68 direct agreements.

As is known the first Forum of Kazakhstan, Russia near-border regions took place May 17, 2003 in Omsk. At this meeting the parties defined keynote tasks on removing barriers reducing the volumes of commodity turnover between our countries, adoption of the decisions which would simplify communication of the people living in near-border zone.

The next forums in Chelyabinsk (May 17, 2005), Uralsk (October 3, 2006) and Novosibirsk (October 4, 2007) also proved the efficiency of such meetings.

The previous fifth meeting of Kazakhstan's and Russia's border regions with participation of Nursultan Nazarbayev and Dmitry Medvedev, which took place on September 22, 2008 in Aktobe holds a specific place in the history of our relations. The heads of the states decided to change the format of the meeting into the Forum of Inter-Regional Cooperation.

It is notable that the meeting was held in the year of the 10^th anniversary of signing of the Kazakh-Russian Declaration in Eternal Friendship and Alliance. "This document became a long-term basis for the bilateral relations between our states", the President of Kazakhstan said.

"Stability and predictability are the two principles our interaction with Kazakhstan is based on", the Head of the Russian Federation noted.

The issues of environmental protection still represent a very important cooperation sphere. "Implementation of joint projects on green power is an important task for development of cooperation in this field. Such tasks are the priority issues of technological development all over the world. Technological breakthrough of any country is possible due to such technologies", N. Nazarbayev said at a joint press conference after the previous Aktobe forum.

The cross border cooperation should strengthen interaction between Kazakh and Russian law enforcement agencies in countering traditional and alternative threats and challenges. Our cultural and humanitarian links also get a boost. In October 2007 we signed the Intergovernmental Program on Cooperation if Humanitarian Sphere for 2007-2010 aimed at implementation of activities in the field of education, humanitarian science, culture, mass media, tourism and sport, healthcare, youth organizations and etc.

According to Head of the Economic Research Department of the Kazakh Strategic Research Institute under the President of Kazakhstan Anar Rakhimzhanova, main directions of the trade-economic interaction between the two states are counter deliveries of fuel and energy resources, ore mining and smelting materials, creation of joint enterprises, trade in foodstuffs and agricultural stuffs.

"Both countries try to change the internal structure of trade turnover to the exchange of high value-added products. Thus it is necessary to take into account the structure of production and innovative industrial projects planned for realization in Kazakhstan as well as the opportunities of establishment of joint technological projects", A. Rakhimazhanova said.

As reported earlier, the program of the Orenburg Forum will be highly topical. According to official representative of the Kazakh Foreign Affairs Ministry Yerzhan Ashikbayev, the issues of cooperation in the trade-economic, cross border, cultural-humanitarian, transport spheres and fuel & energy complex will be discussed.