Armenian-kazakh relations enhancing

YEREVAN, December 11. /ARKA/. Armenian-Kazakh relations make a great leap forward, said Charge d’Affaires of Kazakhstan to Armenia Yerlan Kubashev.

The testimony of Armenian-Kazakh friendly relations is bilateral visits and dialogues between both country leaders, as well as CSTO cooperation, according to him.

Kubashev believes Armenia and Kazakhstan should develop bilateral economic relations. A number of negative factors impede bilateral cooperation, particularly, absence of borders, problems with transport communications, lack of competence in marketing, Kubashev said.

“In this connection, we meet with Armenian entrepreneurs to improve the situation,” the Charge d’Affaires said.
He pointed out that an expo of Armenian goods will be held in Kazakhstan in 2008.

Kubashev attached importance to the role of the Armenian-Kazakh intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation. He pointed out that the members of the commission are to meet in Kazakhstan in April 2008.

The Charge d’Affaires believes the Armenian Disapora in Kazakhstan (which numbers about 30,000) can greatly contribute to the development of bilateral economic relations. Armenians in Kazakhstan are actively involved in the country’s economy, particularly in such spheres as construction and hotel business.

45,000 small Armenian enterprises were registered in Kazakhstan in late 2006 with 21 joint corporations. Their main directivities are trade, production and sales of construction materials. Armenian-Kazakh trade turnover totaled $191.3mln in January-October 2007 – 62.4% increase. Armenian exports to Kazakhstan totaled $6.6mln – 80.4% increase as compared to January-October 2006.

Kazakh imports to Armenia totaled $184.7mln – 61.8% increase in the reporting period. Imports from Kazakhstan totaled $4.2mln by increasing thrice.

The share of Kazakhstan in Armenia’s foreign trade turnover was 5.5% in January-October 2007. –0--