Kazakh PM opens consulate general in Russia's Yekaterinburg

ASTANA. July 10 (Interfax) - Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, who is paying a working visit to Yekaterinburg for the 13th Innoprom international industrial exhibition, has attended the opening of a Kazakh consulate in the city, the press service for the Kazakh government said.

"The prime minister began his visit to the city with attending the official ceremony, which opened the Kazakh consulate general bound to broaden trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation between regions and enterprises of Kazakhstan and Russian regions and to increase the accessibility of consular services," the press service said on Monday.

The consulate will operate throughout the Russian Urals Federal District, namely, the Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Kurgan and Tyumen regions and the Perm Territory.

Over 90,000 Kazakh citizens, including more than 7,000 Kazakh students, are staying within the consular district, the press service said.

"Kazakh regions and cities have built sustainable dialogue with practically every constituent territory of Russia. The Urals is a region important from the angle of geographic proximity and trade and economic relations with the industrially developed Sverdlovsk, Kurgan, Tyumen and Chelyabinsk regions and the Perm Territory," Smailov said at the consulate opening ceremony.

The consulate will unlock new opportunities for the development of interstate cooperation, Smailov said. He wished success to the consulate personnel.