Azerbaijan is Kazakhstan’s key partner in South Caucasus and Caspian rgn

BAKU, June 22 (KAZINFORM) - «Azerbaijan is Kazakhstan’s key political and trade-economic partner in South Caucasus and Caspian region,» Deputy Prime-Minister-Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Mukhtar Tileuberdi told at the meeting with his counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov as part of his official visit to Baku. In his welcoming speech the Kazakh FM said that Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev continuing the foreign policy course of the Elbasy attaches great importance to further strengthening of all-round and friendly relations with Azerbaijan. He told a joint press conference that Kazakhstan highly appreciates good partnership and mutual benefit cooperation with Baku established for the past 30 years. According to him commodity turnover between the countries doubled in 2016-2019. Amid the pandemic and quarantine restrictions the sales decreased by 38% to USD 142 mln. The parties agreed to ramp up economic diplomacy, use all existing instruments to boost commodity turnover, expand nomenclature of goods, supplied to the markets of both nations. The FM noted that Kazakhstan is interested in sooner resuming of direct air service, and negotiating mutual recognition of vaccination passports to foster business trips and ties. The Minister also highlighted cultural cooperation emphasizing holding of various joint events in the spheres of arts, science, education, healthcare, tourism and sports.