Strengthening partnership, alliance with Kazakhstan is Russia's unconditional priority - Russian PM

ALMATY. Feb 2 (Interfax) - Russian-Kazakh cooperation is based on the principles of brotherhood and friendship, and also strategic partnership, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said.

Strengthening the relations between the two countries is an unconditional priority for Moscow, he said.

"To us, of course, strengthening relations with Kazakhstan is an unconditional priority, our cooperation is based on the principles of brotherly friendship, strategic partnership and alliance," Mishustin said at a meeting with Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov.

Russian-Kazakh mutual trade is successfully developing, the indicator has increased by 10% to $25.5 billion, he said. "But it's only January-November 2022, we just need to check the months, to look," the Russian prime minister said.

"It is not at all bad in these difficult conditions," he said.

Speaking about the agenda of bilateral relations, Mishustin said it is important for the parties to speed up the creation of new production chains in industry, machine-building, energy, and transport infrastructure.

"And of course, mutual, so to speak, complemenability of economic, production and technological potentials of both the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan creates a good foundation for that," he said.

All these issues are under permanent control of the bilateral intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, the Russian prime minister said.

He thanked the Kazakh side for always reacting promptly to the solution of all existing issues.

Russia became chair of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) this year, and Kazakhstan will become chair of the board of the Eurasian Economic Commission next year, Mishustin said. "I hope we will prepare all projects that exist in the EAEU this way or another together, will deepen economic integration, and will use is capabilities in particular for the development of our economies and to boost our people's wellbeing," Mishustin said.

It has become a good tradition to hold the first session of the intergovernmental council in Kazakhstan with a connection to the digital forum this year, he said. "This once again reflects the importance of the digital agenda in the EAEU, the demand for new high-tech projects of the entire Five," Mishustin said.

He thanked for hospitality and a warm reception, sending kinds regards from Russian President Vladimir Putin to Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov.