Nicolas Sarkozy to pay state visit to Kazakhstan
ASTANA. October 5. KAZINFORM. /Aigul Tulekbayeva/ President of France Nicolas Sarkozy will pay a state visit to Kazakhstan on October 6; Kazakh MFA's official representative Yerzhan Ashikbayev has made it public today.
A number of intergovernmental and commercial agreements in trade-economic, energy, military, scientific-technical and humanitarian spheres is planned to be signed after the talks. A joint business forum will be held within the framework of the visit.
According to Mr. Ashikbayev, the oncoming visit of the French President to Kazakhstan confirms that Paris acknowledges important role of Astana in Central Asia and considers Kazakhstan to be a worthy partner in its foreign policy system. "In its turn Kazakhstan considers France as a consistent leader of the movement toward multipolar world", he added.
Over the period of January-June 2009 the volume of bilateral turnover between Kazakhstan and France amounted to USD 1.7 billion (export - 1.5 bln; import - 208.8 mln). In 2008 it was USD 6.2 billion. Over 40 French oil and gas, mining, energy, transport and service companies work in Kazakhstan. As of January 1, 2009 25 enterprises with participation of French capital were registered in the country.