Kazakhstan, Macedonia intend to enhance political and trade cooperation

None
None
SKOPJE. KAZINFORM The protocol on holding regular political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan and Macedonia was signed in Skopje by deputy foreign ministers of the two countries Roman Vasilenko and Arta Tochi, Kazakh MFA's press service reports .

Diplomats met in the capital of Macedonia to hold the second round of political consultations, during which they reviewed in length the state and prospects of bilateral cooperation in political, trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian spheres, interaction within the framework of international organizations, and exchanged views on topical issues of regional and global agenda.

The sides confirmed that Kazakhstan and Macedonia regard each other as an important political partner, building up relations of friendship and cooperation, not having any disagreements of political or any other sort. All this, in the opinion of diplomats, creates a favorable background for enhancing cooperation across the entire spectrum of bilateral ties.

Participants of the consultations mutually expressed their interest in raising the number of mutual visits at various levels and noted the necessity of increasing the volume of mutual trade turnover and strengthening the investment cooperation. An agreement was reached on the expansion of the bilateral legal framework in the areas of legal cooperation, transportation, education, and culture.

The Macedonian side expressed its particular gratitude to Kazakhstan for the humanitarian support provided by our country in assisting in the liquidation of the consequences of the devastating flood in 2016. In turn, the Kazakh diplomat thanked the Macedonian partners for unilaterally granting a visa-free regime for Kazakh citizens visiting this country on the Balkan Peninsula.

On the same day, a separate meeting was held in Skopje with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Macedonia, Nikolay Dimitrov, during which the Macedonian side expressed interest in bringing the bilateral relations to a new quality level, considering Kazakhstan as a key partner in Central Asia. For his part, the Kazakh diplomat wished Macedonia success in pursuing the policy of strengthening relations with neighboring states and along the path of European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

The development of inter-parliamentary cooperation was the subject of a meeting between the Kazakh deputy minister and the Deputy of the Assembly of Macedonia, the head of the country's delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Betian Kitev and other Macedonian parliamentarians. The sides noted an interest in intensifying contacts between the legislative bodies of the two countries in order to exchange experience in state building, development of democracy and strengthening of the rule of law. In addition, the Macedonian parliamentarians were informed about the foreign policy priorities and international initiatives of the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The head of the Kazakh delegation discussed the possibilities of expanding trade and economic cooperation between the two countries with a group of Macedonian entrepreneurs who were acquainted with the development programs of Kazakhstan and the existing preferences for foreign investors. In turn, representatives of Macedonian business noted the interest in attracting capital from Kazakhstan for the implementation of joint projects in the territory of Macedonia, the advantages of which include tax preferences and free access to the markets of the European Union and Turkey.

 

Currently reading