Kazakhstan, GB agree on goods transit from Afghanistan
Kazakhstan and the Great Britain signed an agreement on goods
transit from Afghanistan within the visit of British Senior
Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Kazakh
Foreign Ministry reported on April 15.
This agreement is important for the effective withdrawal of British
troops from Afghanistan.
Within the visit Baroness Warsi discussed further development of
bilateral relations and topical international issues with Kazakh
Foreign Minister Yerlan Idrisov.
The sides noted that the bilateral relations are developing
dynamically and stressed the importance of work of the
Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific,
Technological and Cultural Cooperation,.
The next meetings of the intergovernmental commission are expected
to be held in Astana in May within the Astana Economic Forum and in
London in October within the traditional Kazakh business forum.
Yerlan Idrisov and Baroness Warsi also discussed visa issues and
facilitation of British visa obtaining procedures for Kazakh
citizens. Agreement on this issue was reached during the visit of
British Prime Minister David Cameron to Astana in July 2013.
Speaking of the international agenda, Mr. Idrisov and Baroness
Warsi discussed the situation in Ukraine, the Iranian nuclear
program and the situation in Afghanistan in the light of
presidential elections in this country and the process of
withdrawal of international coalition's troops.
The parties stressed that the situation in Ukraine should be
resolved through negotiation and diplomacy, including through
timely and effective negotiations between the EU, Russia, Ukraine
and the United States in Geneva on April 17.
Yerlan Idrisov and Baroness Warsi also expressed commitment to
negotiation on Iran's nuclear program, as well as the further
stabilization of Afghanistan.
The trade volume between Kazakhstan and Great Britain hit $2.1
billion in 2013, according to the Kazakh Customs Control Committee.
Kazakh export reached $1.5 billion, import - $0.6 billion in this
period.
Britain is the third top-investor in Kazakhstan (after the
Netherlands and the United States). The Great Britain invested $10
billion in Kazakhstan from 2005 till September 2013.