RUSSIA-KAZAKHSTAN BUSINESS FORUM OPEN IN ASTANA TUE

ALMATY, June 17 (Itar-Tass) - A Russo-Kazakhstani business forum opens in Astana on Tuesday. It has been organised by the Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of the two countries, Yerzhan Ashikbayev, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, has told Itar-Tass.

Ashikbayev said the forum would be attended by the chiefs of the CCIs of CIS countries, as well as by Sergei Levedev, Chairman of the Executive Committee -- Executive Secretary of the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States).

Kazakhstan CCI President Yerlan Kozhasbai has told Itar-Tass, "We are planning to discus CCI's participation in the implementation of
innovations-based projects, prospects for Russo-Kazakhstani investment
cooperation, the peculiarities of bank servicing of Russo-Kazakhstani
economic contacts".

The Russian CCI committee on the economic integration of the
member-countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the CIS, and the Russo-Kazakhstani Business Council are to hold their sessions within the framework of the business forum. The 6th session of the Council of the CCI chiefs of CIS countries will be held on Wednesday.

Interaction between the CCIs of Russia and Kazakhstan is based on the cooperation agreement dated October 5, 2004. The two countries'
foreign-trade turnover ran at a record-high $16,300 million in 2007,
growing by 27 percent compared with that in 2006. The trend is keeping on this year as well.