Singapore keen to sign FTA with EAEU - Parliament Speaker

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Majilis Speaker Nurlan Nigmatulin has met with the Speaker of Singaporean Parliament Halimah Yacob who is in Kazakhstan for a four-day official visit, Kazinform has learned from the chamber's press service.

Hailing Singapore as Kazakhstan's key partner in Southeast Asia, Speaker Nigmatulin stressed the role reciprocal top-level visits and personal relations between President Nursultan Nazarbayev and first Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew played in cementing bilateral ties.

Madam Halimah, in turn, expressed confidence that the groundwork laid by the two leaders will be continued for the benefit of Singapore and Kazakhstan.

Nurlan Nigmatulin also noted that Madam Halimah's visit on the threshold of the opening of the International specialized exhibition EXPO-2017 in Astana illustrates Singapore's interest in maintaining the high level of bilateral relations with Kazakhstan.

Investment cooperation and interaction in the sphere of new technologies and innovations were named as priority areas of trade and economic partnership between Singapore and Astana.

Madam Halimah stressed that Singapore is interested in signing the Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) that will serve as additional platform where the sides can develop their cooperation.

Mr Nigmatulin also briefed the Singaporean delegation on the constitutional reform being carried out in Kazakhstan. In his words, it will help to make public governance system in Kazakhstan more effective.

The sides also expressed interest in strengthening inter-parliamentary ties between Kazakhstan and Singapore.