ARMENIAN AND KAZAKH PRESIDENTS HIGHLY ASSESS DEVELOPMENT OF ECONOMIC COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES

Armenpress
Nov 06 2006

ASTANA, NOVEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS: Delegation headed by the Armenian
President Robert Kocharian has left today on a two-day official
visit to the capital of Kazakhstan Astana. The delegation consists of
Armenian Trade and Economic Development Minister Karen Tshmaritian,
Armenian Culture and Youth Affairs Minister Hasmik Poghosian, deputy
foreign ministers Gegham Gharibjanian and Samvel Avetisian, deputy
defense and education ministers Yuri Khachaturov and Bagrat Yesayan,
Chairman of the Armenian Central Bank Tigran Sargsian, Chief Prosecutor
Aghvan Hovsepian and other officials.

After the meeting ceremony negotiations took place at the residence
of the Kazakh president after which a number of intergovernmental
documents have been signed. At a joint press conference, followed
after the signing ceremony, the presidents of the two countries noted
that the documents will create a better basis for cooperation. Kazakh
President Nursultan Nazarbaev said that during the meeting with
his Armenian counterpart they mainly referred to the development of
trade-economic cooperation between the two countries as the volume
of the turnover does not satisfy either of the sides.

President of Armenia Robert Kocharian pointed out the high level of
the political dialogue existing between the two countries but he said
bilateral economic cooperation between the countries is rather weak.

"Kazakh business has started displaying interest towards Armenia,"
Kocharian said, noting that the Armenian-Kazakh inter-governmental
commission for economic cooperation, which held its second session
yesterday, may have an essential role in the development of bilateral
relations.

The two presidents also referred to the cooperation in the humanitarian
sphere. Robert Kocharian said that the potential of the two countries
is not being fully used in this sphere.

Kocharian also said that during the meeting with his Kazakh counterpart
he presented to him the current pace of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
regulation process.

Tomorrow the Armenian president will meet with the representatives
of the Armenian community in Kazakhstan.