Head of State voices details of upcoming visits to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan
"Questions always arise about neighbors, because they are neighbors. I will visit Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. In October, I will be in Russia. So, there are always questions. Now, the situation with our neighbors, especially with Uzbekistan, is very good. For instance, all checkpoints are open; they have reduced the high excise duties for our wheat almost up to zero. There was such a paradoxical situation when they had to go from Tashkent through Kazakhstan to reach another region or we had to go from Maktaral through Uzbekistan to get to us. Both of these points were closed, roads were dismantled, and we, traveling on bypass routes, used to cover 150 km instead of 50 km. For now, we have fixed it, and everything will be fine," Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
According to the President, trade with Uzbekistan has increased 35% this year. "It is a very good figure, we exchange goods. Thus, we will discuss interstate relations and regional issues," Nazarbayev highlighted.
As for the visit to Turkmenistan, the Head of State said he would go to the opening of the 5th Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games. "The President [Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov] invited me to the opening of the games. He came to the opening of the Expo 2017, now I have to go to him," the Kazakh President summed up.