MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
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PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
Government House # 2, Republic Square
Yerevan 0010, Republic of Armenia
Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: press@mfa.am
<; PRESS RELEASE 01-06-2006 Minister Oskanian Visits Kazakhstan Minister Oskanian is in the Republic of Kazakhstan on a two-day official visit. On June 1, Minister Oskanian met with Kazakhstan¹s Foreign Minister, Kasymzhomart Tokayev in Astana. During the meeting, the two discussed a number of issues of bilateral and international importance. They both expressed their satisfaction with the level of political relations between the two countries, and expressed interest in deepening economic cooperation. In this regard, the Armenian-Kazakh Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation, as well as the existence of legal documentation and absence of political disagreement between the two countries contribute greatly to this cooperation, they said. For activating trade and economic relations, Minister Oskanian attached importance to organizing meetings between businessmen and hosting cultural events in Armenia and Kazakhstan. Further, the colleagues stressed the importance of mutually beneficial economic cooperation in the framework of CIS, CSTO and Eurasian economic cooperation organization, as well as international organizations. They focused especially on energy and transport issues. In this regard, Minister Tokayev presented Kazakhstan¹s position on his country¹s involvement in a number of regional programs, specifically in Caspian projects. Taking into account the fact that Kazakhstan is aspiring to take over the chairmanship of the OSCE in 2009, the Armenian Minister detailed for his counterpart the latest developments of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement process. Toward the end of the meeting, Minister Oskanian invited Minister Tokayev to pay an official visit to Armenia. The same day, the Armenian Minister met with Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of the Republic, and addressed students of the Diplomacy Institute. On June 2, in Almaty, the Minister will meet with representatives of the Armenian community of Kazakhstan, after which he will return to Armenia.