President boosts Kazakhstan ties

President Truong Tan Sang (left) meets with Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyen Khang

ASTANA (VNS)— President Truong Tan Sang left Kazakhstan yesterday after concluding a deal on long-term co-operation in the oil and gas sector.

Sang and Kazakhi Prime Minister Karam Massimov agreed on exploration and exploitation in Kazakhstan, Viet Nam and third countries.

The leaders also agreed on measures to improve trade, including the early signing of a free-trade agreement between Viet Nam and the Kazakhstan-Russia-Belarus customs union.

Sang and Massimov attended the Viet Nam-Kazakhstan Business Forum and the debut of the Viet Nam-Kazakhstan Business Council.

Sang also received several Kazakhi businesses leaders who said they believed that more agreements would be signed because of the Vietnamese President's visit.

The Kazakhi business community praised Viet Nam's textiles and garments sector and proposed future negotiations with delegations of Vietnamese entrepreneurs.

Sang said that bilateral trade still remained modest, reaching only about US$40 million per year.

The leaders agreed on measures to boost bilateral ties and pave the way for activities in mining, textiles and garments and the processing of agricultural products.

Sang said the Vietnamese Party and State would help Kazakhi businesses in Viet Nam and encourage Vietnamese businesses to expand co-operation with Kazakhstan.

Later, the President visited Kazakhstan's oil and gas group KazMunayGaz, where he praised the corporation for stepping up co-operation in oil and gas.

Sang proposed that Kazakhstan 's leaders and State agencies, including KazMunayGaz, help the Viet Nam National Oil and Gas Group (PVN) initiate joint projects in the oil and gas industry.

The President and Kazakhi government representatives witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding by the directors of PetroVietnam and KazMunayGaz.

Under it, both partners will negotiate on an oil and gas contract involving joint research as soon as possible.

Meeting lawmakers

President Sang met with Kairat Mami, Chairman of the Kazakhstan Senate, or upper house on Monday.

The two leaders agreed that their national assemblies would continue join hands at regional and international parliamentary forums.

Sang also met the Speaker of the Mazhilis, lower house of parliament, Nurlan Nigmatulin.

The leaders recognised the development of economic and trade relationships but said much more could be done.

The two Kazakhi parliamentarians accepted an invitation to visit Viet Nam.

Earlier, Sang and his counterpart, Nursultan Nazarbayev, attended the opening of a Vietnamese cultural event in Kazakhstan. He also met former Kazakhi experts who had made many contributions to Viet Nam's national defence and construction.

In talks with Vietnamese community in Kazakhstan, he told them to actively integrate and abide by the laws of the host country, as well as being an economic and cultural bridge between the two nations. — VNS