Kazakh, Turkish FMs discuss ways to deepen strategic partnership
Astana, The Gulf Observer: Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu met with Türkiye’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan on Monday to discuss ways to deepen strategic partnership, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service.
Nurtleu welcomed Fidan, who arrived on an official visit to Astana and congratulated him on his recent appointment as Türkiye’s Foreign Minister. He wished further development and prosperity to the brotherly nation, as the visit coincided with the centennial anniversary of the founding of Türkiye and the 500th anniversary of Turkish diplomacy.
Covering politics, trade, economy, investment, transport, logistics, culture, and humanitarianism issues, the ministers agreed to continue coordinating joint efforts within international and interregional organizations such as the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), and others.
Nurtleu said Türkiye is Kazakhstan’s closest partner, emphasizing deep-rooted historical ties shared by the two nations.
He noted positive dynamics in bilateral relations achieved in recent years that culminated in an expanded strategic partnership after the state visit of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Türkiye in May 2022.
He also praised the outcomes of the fourth meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council held during President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s reciprocal state visit to Kazakhstan in October of the same year.
The ministers highlighted a consistently increasing volume of investments, testified by $4.7 billion put in Kazakhstan over the past 13 years and over $1.2 billion invested in the Turkish economy.
According to Nurtleu, Kazakhstan created favorable conditions for Turkish entrepreneurs, having over 4,000 companies with Turkish capital successfully operating in the country.
“Turkish contractors played a significant role in constructing most of the buildings in the capital, earning a profit of $27 billion,” he said.
The parties reiterated the importance of utilizing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, which passes through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye on its way to European countries.
The ministers acknowledged the progress of cooperation in aviation, which witnessed a double increase in flights from 40 to more than 90 last year.
Nurtleu recalled a record-hit figure of $6.3 billion the two countries reached in mutual trade last year, stating that Türkiye has become Kazakhstan’s fourth largest trading partner, following Russia, China, and Italy.
The ministers also underscored the cultural and humanitarian cooperation within the Turkic integration, a significant area of multilateral diplomacy in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan invited the Turkish side to participate in the 10th-anniversary OTS Summit scheduled for November in Astana. The summit is expected to bolster the development of the Turkic world.
During a meeting of Fidan on Sept. 11 with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, it was announced that a street in Astana will be named after Anadolu (Turkish form of Anatolia) to mark the centennial anniversary of Türkiye.
