Russian investments in Kazakh economy near $30 bln - Putin
MOSCOW. May 27 (Interfax) - Overall Russian investments in the Kazakh economy have neared $30 billion, and about 70 big projects are being implemented in Kazakhstan together with Russian investors, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.
"The total amount of Russia's accrued investments in Kazakhstan's economy is nearing $30 billion. Enterprises established jointly with Russian partners account for more than 40 percent of all foreign-invested companies in Kazakhstan. Our investors are engaged in 70 major projects in the Republic, including in the automotive, heavy engineering, and chemical industry, as well as many other technology-intensive sectors, providing over 60 thousand new jobs," Putin said in his article published by the newspaper Kazakhstanskaya Pravda before his state visit to Kazakhstan.
The article was also published on the Kremlin website.
Russia and Kazakhstan are major trade partners, Putin said. "For several years running, our export and import operations, mostly carried out using national currencies, have remained at a high level," he said.
Russian-Kazakh energy cooperation has been actively developing, Putin said.
"The Caspian Pipeline Consortium carries over 80 percent of the total exports of Kazakhstan's oil to global markets. There are plans to involve Gazprom in improving the efficiency of and expanding the national gas transportation infrastructure, with a view to ensuring the Republic's sustainable energy supply. Furthermore, Russian businesses offer their Kazakhstani partners unique developments and know-hows in the field of alternative and clean energy, he said.
An important joint step was made in the space industry this year, as the first launch of the Russian-Kazakh Soyuz-5/Sunkar medium-lift LV was performed from the Baiterek site on April 30. "Symbolically, this event coincided with the 65th anniversary of the first human orbital spaceflight: Yury Gagarin's historic lift-off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome," Putin said.
