The country’s president told the Russian newspaper Izvestia on Wednesday.

Kazakhstan will transport more Russian oil and gas, the country’s president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, told Russian daily newspaper Izvestia on Wednesday, a day before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the Central Asian nation.

The Kazakh leader appeared to be warming to the idea of a “gas union” with Russia, which would also involve Uzbekistan. Putin proposed this idea last year, with a Kremlin spokesman last year commenting that it would satisfy the “need for synchronization”, since all three countries sell natural gas. A union would involve support to shipments between the three nations as well as to outside energy buyers such as China.

On Wednesday, Tokayev said: “We are interested in making full use of our transit potential and are ready to further increase the volume of Russian gas transportation.”

He added that the project “will give a powerful impetus to the industrial development of our countries”.

Kazakhstan is looking to shore up its energy supplies after a huge increase in gas prices last year caused civil unrest across its major cities. At the start of this year, a natural gas shortage in the middle of winter also caused protests in Uzbekistan.

The Central Asia-Center gas pipeline connects the two countries with Russia. As part of a two-year deal agreed in October, Gazprom will supply nine million cubic metres of gas per day to Uzbekistan via the pipeline.

Just last week, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Kazakhstan and agreed to a joint declaration promoting nuclear energy partnership. The Central Asian nation is looking to maintain ties with both western Europe and Russia, which is reflected in recent energy policy decisions. A source close to the issue told Euractiv that the “Kazakhs cannot risk being sanctioned by the EU, their main trading partner, by joining force with Russia. On the other hand, aligning only with an EU country like France would send a very unpleasant signal to Moscow.”

Source: Offshore Technology

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ASTANA – The Astana Times has compiled a selection of articles on Kazakhstan published in international media. This week’s foreign media digest includes coverage of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, U.S. senators’ efforts to repeal Jackson-Vanik amendment for Kazakhstan and other topics.

Volume of cargo transported alongside Middle Corridor by Kazakhstan grows

Business Lend published an article on Sept. 8 focused on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR).

“The quantity of cargo transported alongside the TITR, or the so-called Middle Corridor, by Kazakhstan increased by 86 % in comparison with the same period of 2022, and reached 1.6 million tons,” the article reads.

According to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, the country’s railway and logistics company, exports from Kazakhstan amounted to 1.2 million tons, representing a 2.5-fold increase year-on-year.

Kazakhstan’s bold new economic plan can enhance its regional role

The Geopolitics published an article on Sept. 1 analyzing the Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state-of-the-nation address. 

“In his recent state-of-the-nation address titled Economic Course of a Just Kazakhstan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev laid out an ambitious and nuanced roadmap for the nation’s economic and political future. For those who have been closely observing Kazakhstan’s trajectory, the President’s comprehensive vision seems not only promising but also feasible, provided there is committed execution of the outlined initiatives,” the article notes.

Kazakhstan and Italy Aim to Expand Cooperation

EU Reporter published an article on Sept. 7 informing that Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Murat Nurtleu, met with Antonio Tajani, Italy’s Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Tajani was in Astana on an official visit.

According to the article, Minister Tajani expressed support for the initiatives announced in President Tokayev’s State of the Nation Address “The Economic Course of a Just Kazakhstan”, as well as for political and socio-economic reforms aimed at building a strong economy and a prosperous society. He also noted the high level of relations between the two countries, emphasizing the presence of new promising areas.

Bipartisan bill seeks to repeal Jackson-Vanik for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan

U.S. Senators Chris Murphy and Todd Young introduced legislation on Sept. 7 to repeal the Jackson-Vanik amendment for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan and grant the three Central Asian states permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status, the Diplomat reported on Sept. 7.

If passed successfully, the U.S. Congress will have alleviated a notable point of irritation for the states of Central Asia affected. In light of the Russian war in Ukraine’s deleterious effect on Moscow’s influence in the region and simultaneous Chinese inroads into Central Asia, repealing the Jackson-Vanik amendment for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan is a considerable gesture of goodwill from the United States. 

The Jackson-Vanik amendment to the Trade Act of 1974 rendered certain countries ineligible for normal trade relations with the United States due to restrictions on emigration, specifically that of Soviet Jews seeking to leave the Soviet Union. Although it collapsed in 1991, Jackson-Vanik lived on.

Bajram Begaj and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev discuss opening of Kazakhstan embassy in Tirana 

Albanian Daily News published an article on President Bajram Begaj’s state visit to Kazakhstan on Sept. 6-8.

Invited by his Kazakh counterpart, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Begaj conducted a state visit that coincides with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. After the official ceremony, the two Presidents held a face-to-face meeting, where one of the topics discussed was the opening of the Kazakhstan embassy in Tirana, the article states.

“Special attention was also paid to economic cooperation, trade exchanges, finding opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest, such as energy, infrastructure, agriculture or extraction and processing of minerals,” said Begaj. 

Source: Astana Times

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ASTANA – Kazakhstan is ready to use all opportunities for the development of trade, economic and investment cooperation with the European Union, particularly in green transition and strengthening transport connectivity, said Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov at the 12th meeting of the Kazakhstan-EU dialogue platform on July 1, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.

Expanding its partnership with the EU is one of Kazakhstan’s priorities, said Smailov. Considering the experience and achievements of the European countries in alternative energy, Kazakhstan is keen to implement new joint projects, as it sets an ambitious goal to increase the share of renewable energy sources in its energy balance from the current 4.5% to 15% by 2030.

Smailov mentioned Svevind Energy’s major project to produce green hydrogen, which was launched in the Mangystau Region on June 21. It is one of the steps toward the implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed last year on the value chains of sustainable raw materials, batteries and green hydrogen.

With an increasing role of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), Kazakhstan is working on the synchronous elimination of bottlenecks with other participating countries, Smailov said. The country is set to join efforts with European partners to connect the TITR with the Trans-European Transport Network and the Global Gateway initiative.

“Kazakhstan and the EU have a wide range of opportunities to further deepen its partnership in the green economy, transport and logistics,” he noted.

The Prime Minister also spoke about the agreements and signed contracts related to the TITR during his recent visits to Azerbaijan and Georgia.

The EU Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Kestutis Jankauskas, considers renewable energy and transport interconnections to be priorities for joint work, as the relations between the country and the EU continue to develop rapidly.

Amid rising climate change risks, the EU has repeatedly reaffirmed its commitment to a net-zero transition by 2050, Jankauskas said.

“We would also like to support Kazakhstan on this path with specific projects of our companies and banks,” he said.

Jankauskas also commended regional initiatives to develop transport infrastructure and optimize logistics processes aimed at increasing cargo turnover along the TITR.

Source: Astana Times

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President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will pay a state visit to China on May 17-19, reported the Akorda press service on May 8. 

The President is expected to meet President of China Xi Jinping in the Chinese city of Xi’an to address the strategic partnership between the two countries, expanding cooperation in trade, economic, investment, transport and logistics and energy sectors, as well as deepening cultural and humanitarian ties.

The President also plans to meet with the leaders of major Chinese companies and take part in the China + Central Asia (C+C5) Summit.

Source: Astanatimes

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