Kazakhstan, Astana, Sept. 5 /Trend, D. Mukhtarov/
While in Berlin, a Kazakh delegation held talks with the management of leading German companies specializing in the production and sources of alternative energy and relevant technologies. The group expressed their interest in cooperating in the implementation of the 'Energy of the Future' project of the international exhibition in Astana.
A number of agreements were achieved as a result of talks, the press service of Kazakhstan's' Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Wednesday.
The economic forum 'Kazakhstan as an Economic and Tourist Center in the Context of the International Exhibition EXPO-2017 in Astana', organized by German Bundestag and Kazakhstan's Embassy in Germany, was one of the significant events in the history of Kazakh-German relations.
Cooperation is intensively developing between countries at the moment.
The main areas of the cooperation are in raw materials, industry and technology. The introduction of Germany's dual system of professional and technical education in Kazakhstan has been also launched.
Germany is one of the first countries in Europe to support Astana's candidacy for holding EXPO-2017. This country has great experience in holding such an exhibition in Hanover, and is ready to provide every possible contribution in the organization and holding EXPO-2017.
During the forum, the Kazakh delegation was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister, commissioner of EXPO-2017 Rapil Zhoshybayev, member of the Kazakh Parliamnet's Committee for economic reform and regional development Askhat Bekenov, chairman of NC Astana EXPO-2017 Talgat Yermegiyayev and others.
The main speakers from Germany were the German Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office Cornelia Pieper, Chairman of the Committee on Economics and Technology of the Bundestag Ernst Hinsken and others.
In total, 200 guests participated at the event, among them there were the representatives of the deputy corps, the top staff of Germany's state bodies and representatives of socio-political and business circles.
Pieper said that Kazakhstan is a key partner for Germany and that Kazakhstan is an important engine of the region with which a solid political dialogue has been established and trade and economic relations are successfully developing. The German diplomat welcomed the expansion of bilateral partnership in raw material, industrial and technology spheres, as well as active interaction of the sides on implementation of Germany's dual system of professional and technical education in Kazakhstan.
She also stressed that Kazakhstan has confidently undertaken a leadership role in the region and Germany is interested in Kazakhstan's further success.
The MP Bekenov read a welcome address by the Kazakh Parliamentary speaker Nurlan Nigmatulin and thanked his German colleagues for organizing the forum.
Particular attention was paid to the successful development of inter-parliamentary cooperation between the two countries, which is one of the important elements of the political dialogue.
In his welcome address, Zhoshybayev highlighted the solid political dialogue between the two countries, as well as their consistent growth of mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation.
According to the Kazakh diplomat, the successful visits of Kazakh President Nazarbayev to Germany in 2012 and of German Chancellor Merkel to Kazakhstan in 2010, reaffirmed the promising nature of bilateral relations and brought them to new levels of strategic partnership.
Zhoshybayev, mentioning key priorities and the foreign investment policy of Kazakhstan, invited German business circles to actively participate in the preparation and holding of "Expo -2017" in Astana.
Presentations were also made by the First Vice-Minister of Industry and New Technologies A. Rau, the Chairman of the NC Astana EXPO-2017 T. Yermegiyaev and by the deputy chairman of the Committee for Tourism Industry of Kazakhstan Ministry of Industry and New Technologies D. Bektibayev.
