Russia, Kazakhstan extend Friendship Treaty for 10 years

[ejazr]

Russia, Kazakhstan extend Friendship Treaty for 10 years

Astana, June 8 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russia and Kazakhstan have agreed to extend their bilateral Friendship Treaty, originally signed in 1992, for an additional 10 years.

The protocol on amendments to the treaty was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev after talks in the Kazakh capital Astana.

Both sides also agreed to step up efforts to expand bilateral cooperation and integration. Moscow and Astana have plans to increase trade from the current $24 billion to $40 billion annually over the next few years.

The Kazakh president, on this occasion, said the two sides would focus on cooperation in the energy sector, nuclear and space industry, and exploration of resources in the Caspian Sea.

Russia and Kazakhstan adopted a special statement on preserving the infrastructure of the Baikonur Space Centre, which the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos uses to launch various spacecraft into orbit.

Nazarbayev also confirmed plans to build a nuclear power plant in his country with Russian assistance.

Kazakhstan has tried to balance relations with Russia and the West since becoming independent after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

 

[LurkerBaba]

(Sorry, couldn't resist)

 

[Singh]

What kind of relationship does Kazakhstan have with the west ?

 

[asianobserve]

10-year friendship.... interesting. It's a friendship with expiration date...

 

[Neil]

10-year friendship.... interesting. It's a friendship with expiration date...

the agreement is for 10 years....not friendship....who knows what will happen tomorrow so to be on safe side the agreement has expiry date!!

 

[IBSA]

10-year friendship.... interesting. It's a friendship with expiration date...

Friendship is a formal name for the treaty. in actually, there is no friendship among any countries in world, alone interests and occasional allies.

And the today's ally can be the tomorrow's enemy and vice versa, all as the several nationals interests change in time. For this the treaty has expiration date.

Ten years later, when treaty will be near expiration, Kazakhstan begin a game between Russia and West to forcing Russia offers a bit more money and advantages to sign a new 10 years-long treaty.

Nazarbayev is a dictator. He knows he can not contradict his powerful northern neighbour and that the K-stan's future is attached to Russia's future inevitably. But he utilize the US interest on infiltrate themselves in Heartland area and on Caspian oil to take maximum advantage for both sides.

 

[asianobserve]

I was being sarcastic... Anyway, who would want to be "friends" with Russia in the first place...?