Kazakhstan considers Azerbaijan main economic and strategic partner in Caucasus
By Sara Israfilbayova
Azerbaijan is the main economic and strategic partner of Kazakhstan in the Caucasus.
Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan Beybit Isabayev made the remark at an event dedicated to the 26th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence on December 13.
The ambassador stressed that during the years of independence, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan developed very strong, friendly relations built on trust and equality. These relations are getting stronger every year, adding that over the past 10 years, Azerbaijan has achieved impressive progress in the development of the national economy.
“We are pleased to see the growing influence of the country”, ambassador said.
Isabayev noted that Azerbaijan is one of the key regional participants of the global energy policy.
Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan Parviz Shahbazov congratulated the Ambassador of Kazakhstan and all the people of Kazakhstan on the 26th anniversary of independence.
He noted that during independence, under the leadership of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan has become one of the leading countries of the region.
“Relations between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are dynamically developing in many spheres, and especially in the energy sphere and serve as an example of strong mutual cooperation”, minister noted.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in August, 1992. Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Turkic Council, Joint Administration of Turkic Arts and Culture, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
The two countries have already signed over 100 agreements, which constitute legal basis for negotiations between the countries. More than 20 of those are in the field of economy.
Both Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan attach great importance to the development of bilateral trade and economic ties. There is a successfully operating Intergovernmental Commission, and business forums are held regularly.
For Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan the most important points of cooperation appear to be the contacts on energy issues, oil transportation, agriculture, and the use of the Caspian Sea as an important international traffic artery.
Now the two countries are working on promotion of a joint transport project - the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), which involves cargo transportation from China via Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and further via Turkey and Ukraine to Europe.
The trade turnover between the countries increased by 3.7 percent and amounted to $102.5 million over the three quarters of this year.
In particular, export from Azerbaijan increased by 7.3 percent and amounted to $21.8 million, while import from Kazakhstan increased by 2.7 percent and amounted to $80.7 million.
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