BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12
By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:
The rail link from Europe to China which goes through the territory of Kazakhstan may become even more important for Finland-Kazakhstan relations in the future, Sirpa Oksanen, Director of the Unit for Eastern Europe and Central Asia of Department for Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia at Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs told Trend.
On October 17, 2018, trade agreements, as well as an agreement on the opening of a freight rail link were signed between Kazakhstan and Finland.
Commenting on the developments within the agreement on the opening of a freight rail link, Oksanen explained that the rail link doesn’t seem to have reached its full potential yet.
"However there are already positive signs of successful transports through rail links from Finland to China via Kazakhstan. As the capacities at seaports in Europe may reach their limits at some point, this rail link from Europe to China may become even more important in the future," Oksanen said.
The value of trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Finland amounted to $198.3 million over the first nine months of 2020, compared to $215.5 million during the same period of 2019.
Kazakhstan’s export to Finland amounted to $101.8 million over the period from January through Sept. 2020, compared to $90.3 million during the same period of 2019.
In turn, Kazakhstan’s imports from Finland amounted to nearly $96.5 million over the reporting period, compared to $125.2 million during the same period of 2019.
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