Putin and Tokayev gave an interview ahead of the meeting on November 9

The leaders of Russia and Kazakhstan, Vladimir Putin and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, assessed the strategic areas of cooperation ahead of the meeting in Astana on November 9. The President of the Russian Federation spoke about the development of relations between the two countries in an interview “Kazakhstanskaya Pravda”Tokaev – Russian “Izvestia”.

Putin assessed the partnership between Russia and Kazakhstan as particularly privileged and actively developing. “It is based on the principles of mutual respect, recognition of sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs,” the Russian President emphasized. This is confirmed, among other things, by a database with more than 350 documents that regulate relations between the two countries.

“The main thing is that our peoples have always been and remain good neighbors and true friends. <...> Whatever the situation in the world, I look with confidence into the future of our allied relations and integration partnership,” Putin said.

The President noted his friendly relations with Tokayev. According to him, they regularly call each other and meet in different formats to “compare notes” on the bilateral agenda and on issues of multilateral interaction.

Putin called cooperation on the SCO platform, in which 26 countries participate, one of the “key vectors of strategic relations of friendship and alliance” between countries. Russia, according to Putin, has special expectations with this platform, since it differs from the “narrow bloc structures promoted by the West with a limited, selective composition of participants.”

Putin called another “very representative regional format” – the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) – an integral element of maintaining peace and stability in the Eurasian space.

“From January 1, 2024, Russia will be the chairman of the CIS. Our main priorities include deepening economic interaction, expanding cultural and humanitarian ties, contacts in the field of security and law enforcement, and connecting Eurasian integration processes,” the president said.

Putin pointed to the “good pace” of trade development with Kazakhstan. Mutual trade turnover last year increased by 10.2% to a record $28.2 billion, and in January-August of this year it added another 7.6% and amounted to $18.9 billion.

Russia’s investments in Kazakhstan amount to about $17 billion; about 6,000 enterprises with Russian participation operate in the republic. And 76 Russian regions are developing partnerships with the akimats of Kazakhstan.

In addition, Russia is ready to help in the gasification of the northern and eastern regions of Kazakhstan. Strategic cooperation, providing for geological exploration, production, processing, supply and transportation of gas, is provided for in an agreement signed on November 1 by the head of Gazprom, Alexey Miller, and the First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Roman Sklyar.

“Our countries interact constructively in the oil sector. Using the logistics capabilities of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, we ensure the transportation of oil to world markets in the most reliable and cost-effective way,” the president noted. He added that, together with their OPEC+ partners, countries “are making a significant contribution to ensuring stability and predictability in the global oil market.”

On cooperation in the field of energy resources, Putin also indicated Rosatom’s readiness to develop a nuclear power plant project for Kazakhstan if the decision on construction is made. “State Corporation”Rosatom“I am ready to develop an appropriate project using the most advanced technologies, in compliance with the highest environmental requirements and safety standards,” he said.

Putin also named the Russian language as an important factor cementing Russian-Kazakh friendship. He expressed gratitude to Tokayev for the initiative to create the International Russian Language Organization. According to him, it is symbolic that the decision to sign the founding agreement and charter of this structure was made at the CIS summit this year, declared the Year of the Russian Language in the CIS.

The President of Kazakhstan called regular meetings with Putin a confirmation of the “high level of meaningful content of relations” between Moscow and Astana. Tokayev stressed that relations between the two countries remain “constructive and focused on a mutually acceptable result.”

Commenting on the opening of the International Organization for the Russian Language, Tokayev noted that the Russian language “is a serious consolidating factor in maintaining friendly relations” between Russia and Kazakhstan. The absence of a language barrier is also one of the reasons why more than 60,000 Kazakh students choose to study in Russia, which “testifies to the demand and high educational potential of Russian universities.”

Tokayev noted that within the framework of industrial cooperation, Russia and Kazakhstan are working on 143 joint projects worth $33.5 billion. Also, 30 projects worth about $3.2 billion have already been implemented. He clarified that now in key sectors of the economy, including mechanical engineering, metallurgy and chemical industry, work is underway on 40 projects worth $16.6 billion. As part of their implementation, more than 15,000 jobs will be created, the Kazakh leader added. In this regard, Tokayev drew attention to the huge potential in the field of investment cooperation.

In addition, the Kazakh leader drew attention to the interest in using transit potential and expressed readiness to further increase the volume of Russian gas transportation. As for oil, it is exported to foreign markets through the territories of both countries. In particular, by 2033 they plan to send more than 100 million tons of Russian oil through Kazakhstan, Tokayev said.

He assured that Kazakhstan will act as a reliable logistics hub and will use all resources for this. “Today it is transport and logistics that come to the fore in international cooperation. In fact, there is intense competition in the world for control over transport routes and logistics,” Tokayev said. In this regard, the North-South transport corridor, which connects to the ports of the Persian Gulf, plays an important role. Tokayev emphasized that “North-South” will definitely “contribute to the growth of mutual trade and investment” in relations between Moscow and Astana.

Speaking about the formation of a modern multipolar world, Tokayev drew attention to the painfulness of this process. “However, I believe that prudence and cooperation will prevail over bloc thinking and selfishness. <...> Ultimately, the global community will come to a state of “long-term sustainable peace,” the Kazakh leader emphasized, drawing attention to the fact that the UN has a central role in creating a “harmonious world economy.” Tokayev also emphasized that the revision of stereotypes in favor of cooperation, constructive dialogue and highly professional diplomacy will help restore trust and build a fair system of international relations.