Lithuania, Kazakhstan enjoy successful economic cooperation: President Dalia Grybauskaitė
VILNIUS. KAZINFORM - Bilateral relations, closer partnership in the sphere of economy, transport, innovations and other fields were discussed during the Monday meeting of President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė and Foreign Affairs Minister of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov in Vilnius.
"Lithuania and Kazakhstan enjoy successful economic cooperation. I am delighted to see the rapidly growing commercial ties between our countries, however, we fail to make maximum use of the existing potential in such sectors as transport, business, science and high technologies," President Grybauskaitė noted.
Sales turnover between the two countries totaled nearly LTL 2 billion in 2013, but there are many spheres in which Kazakhstan and Lithuania may expand their cooperation. Lithuania's export into Kazakhstan is growing - it has reached LTL 1.3 million this year. 75% of the Lithuanian export falls at transport services, mainly provided by Saule train connecting Lithuania, Kazakhstan and China. The Lithuanian President noted that the train is one of the most effective ways of cargo delivery from China to Europe - it takes only 13 days.
Information technologies, medical tourism, research, innovations and student exchange were mentioned as the promising areas for the future Kazakh-Lithuanian cooperation.
After the cooperation agreement in the sphere of education, science, culture and arts between Kazakhstan and Lithuania signed during Ms Grybauskaitė's visit to Kazakhstan in 2011 came into effect, the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences together with Versli Lietuva prepared a platform for the export of medical research and service to Kazakhstan. The university also offers student exchange programs, career development courses and scholarships for Kazakhstani students.