ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 21. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh have agreed on the need to build a highway linking the two countries, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president.
Tokayev made the statement during a joint media briefing following talks in Astana.
“Of course, this is a complex project that requires comprehensive analysis and careful study. What is fundamentally important is that we are striving to achieve a common goal. Therefore, my Mongolian colleague and I have agreed to establish, at the preliminary stage, a joint intergovernmental working group. This group will be tasked with a comprehensive review of all complex issues, coordinating negotiations with neighboring countries, and monitoring the project’s implementation timeline. It is clear that, in the future, the launch of the Kazakhstan-Mongolia highway will give a strong boost to trade relations, while its transit potential will also bring tangible benefits to our neighbors,” Tokayev said.
The president also recalled that at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit held in China last year, he put forward the initiative to launch the “Trans-Altai Dialogue.”
“There is no doubt that the countries of the Altai region will reach a consensus on trade, transport and logistics, tourism, and culture. The integration of the transport and logistics potential of the four countries will make it possible to form a single transit corridor that will not only boost trade turnover but also contribute to the development of the unique ‘Altai’ tourism cluster,” Tokayev said.