Russia ready to help Astana host EXPO-2017 event

In the Russian capital, head of the delegation and first Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Rapil Zhoshybayev met with ex-president of the Steering Committee of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi Dmitriy Chernyshenko. At the meeting, Zhoshybayev and Chernyshenko discussed the preparations for the EXPO-2017 event in Astana. "We expect that 100 countries and more than 10 million organizations will participate in the event. That is why we are particularly interested in Russia's experience in terms of organization of such big international events," R. Zhoshybayev stressed. "Kazakhstan also prides on having experience in organization of international events. The cities of Astana and Almaty played hosts to the Winter Asian Games in 2011. Now we are to hold the International exhibition EXPO-2017. The sides also touched upon the Russian experience in organizing and hosting the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi this winter. Mr. Chernyshenko congratulated Astana on winning the right to host the EXPO event. "I have no doubt that you have necessary experience to organize the event at the highest level possible and achieve the goals set by President Nursultan Nazarbayev. We wish you success," he added. The former president of the 2014 Winter Olympics Steering Committee pointed out that Russia is ready to support Astana and share its hands-on experience it has accumulated in the process of preparation and holding of the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi.