Turkey, Kazakhstan determined to continue solidarity in global platforms

By Trend

Turkey and Kazakhstan on Tuesday confirmed their determination to continue their solidarity on platforms such as the United Nations Economic Cooperation Organization and the Organization of Turkic States, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Tuesday arrived in Ankara, his first official visit to Turkey, which is expected to herald a new era in the two countries' relations.

Speaking during a joint press conference alongside his Kazakh counterpart Tokayev, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Turkey and Kazakhstan will reach their targeted $10 billion (TL 152.40 billion) bilateral trade volume as the volume doubled since the previous year.

"The trade volume between Turkey and Kazakhstan rose 58% from the previous year and exceeded $5.3 billion. Thus, we have quickly surpassed our target of $5 billion," he said.

"Now, hopefully, we will reach the target of $10 billion just as quickly with the steps we take together," he added.

Erdogan added that he believes a meeting with Turkish-Kazakh businesspeople set for Wednesday will be "particularly beneficial in this respect."

Stating that he discussed the Russia-Ukraine war with Tokayev as well, Erdogan said: "Our views on peaceful resolution of Ukraine on the basis of sovereignty and territorial integrity coincide."

On over a dozen agreements that were signed between the two nations ahead of the press conference, Erdogan called them "steps that will further strengthen the foundation of our relations."

The agreements cover such areas as transportation, the defense industry, military intelligence, information technology, culture, agriculture, trade, customs, the environment, education, youth and communications.

For his part, Tokayev called Turkey "a very important strategic partner" for his Central Asian country.

He underlined that during the talks in Turkey, $1 billion worth of commercial pacts will be signed.

The visit comes as the countries mark 30 years since they established ties on March 2, 1992. It included a joint news conference between Tokayev and Erdogan following an official ceremony at the Presidential Complex, the signing of various agreements and face-to-face and inter-delegation meetings. In addition to bilateral relations, the leaders exchanged views on current regional and international issues.

At the talks, the delegations discussed measures to increase the bilateral trade volume from the current $5 billion to $10 billion, as well as new opportunities to expand areas of cooperation.

Turkey was among Kazakhstan's top five foreign trade partners last year, while investments by Turkish companies in the Central Asian country reached a record level.