Medvedev makes first foreign visit as Prime Minister

    The extension of the Agreement on Friendship and Cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan will be the key topic during the first visit of Dmitry Medvedev as Prime Minister. The two sides are also planning to discuss several amendments to the agreement which marked its 20th anniversary this year. For one, Kazakhstan suggests making several amendments linked to the creation of the Single Economic Space.
    Kazakhstan is one of Russia’s strategic partners. This is the reason why Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will visit Astana, followed by President Vladimir Putin who will go there a week later. These visits should give impetus to joint investment projects of the two countries, says director of the Center for studying the former Soviet Republics, Alexei Grozin.
    “There is no partner of Russia in Central Asia closer than Astana. Last year, bilateral trade volume between Russia and Kazakhstan reached a record level and exceeded 24 billion U.S. dollars. The overall trade volume between Russia and other Central Asian republics is far less than this sum. Why is Dmitry Medvedev to first to visit Kazakhstan? This is because Russia’s relations with Kazakhstan are being built on the basis of practical cooperation. There is less geo-politics but more economics, consequently, the Prime Minister has all the cards in his hands,” Alexei Grozin said.
    Nevertheless, the key topic of the meetings in Astana will be the discussion of the necessary amendments, which will be included in the Friendship and Cooperation agreement between Russia and Kazakhstan signed on the 25^th of May 1992. This agreement is the basis for cooperation between the two countries in many areas. Its 5^th article guarantees mutual assistance in case of an attack by a third country. Neither Russia nor Kazakhstan has such bilateral agreements with other countries.
    During his tour of Central Asia, Dmitry Medvedev will visit Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan where the Prime Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States will meet, the Voice of Russia said.