Russia, Kazakhstan seek to strengthen cooperation

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev shake hands after signing the Declaration on the 30th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Russia and Kazakhstan in Moscow, Russia, Nov. 28, 2022. (Kremlin press release)

The declaration stipulates efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation in the fields of politics, economy, defense, culture, education, health care, youth and sports.

MOSCOW, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a cooperation document on Monday as the two countries mark three decades of diplomatic ties this year.

The Declaration on the 30th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Russia and Kazakhstan contains 37 articles and stipulates efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation in the fields of politics, economy, defense, culture, education, health care, youth and sports.

Before inking the document, Putin and Tokayev took part via video link in the 18th Russia-Kazakhstan Inter-regional Cooperation Forum held in the Russian city of Orenburg, and held talks in the Kremlin.

"It is the first visit after Mr. Tokayev's re-election as president of Kazakhstan. In this sense, it has a symbolic meaning. It underlines the special nature of our relations," Putin said at the meeting.

"For Kazakhstan, Russia has been and remains our main strategic partner, a country with which we have deep ties in a wide range of sectors," Tokayev replied.