Astana, Kazakhstan, Jan.24
By Daniyar Mukhtarov - Trend:
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso have discussed the country's cooperation with EU, Acorda said on Jan.24.
The parties discussed the prospects of strengthening of cooperation, as well as the topical issues of the international agenda.
Kazakh president stressed that the head of the European Commission pays special attention to the development of relation between Kazakhstan and EU.
"The volume of trade with the European Union is $50 million. Currently we are working on a number of issues, especially, on the extended partnership and cooperation agreement.
The signing of this document should be speeded up as far as possible. We are also interested in the solution of the issue of visa-free regime with EU. Moreover, our accession to WTO is the most topical issue today," Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
The president urged the EU to provide all possible assistance and support the early conclusion of negotiations on the country's accession to the WTO. Kazakh president expressed confidence that it will serve as an additional guarantee for European investors and will further improve the investment and business climate in the country under the conditions of global competition.
In turn, Barroso said that the EU is a major trade and investment partner of Kazakhstan and European companies are interested in further deepening of economic relations with the country. In this regard, he stressed that the completion of the negotiations and the signing of a new bilateral agreement on extended partnership and cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU in the near future will give an additional impetus to the strengthening of mutually beneficial cooperation and will form the legal basis for a qualitatively new stage of dialogue with the EU.
European Commission president also highly appreciated Kazakhstan's role in the economic development of Central Asia and emphasized the personal contribution of the president to stability in the region.
Nursultan Nazarbayev and Barroso also discussed the issues of interaction between the Customs Union and the EU.
The Customs Union, as a purely economic union, brings substantial benefits to all parties involved, according to Kazakh president.
Translated by L.Z.