ASTANA. March 16. KAZINFORM /Serik Sabekov/ "Uzbekistan is the biggest strategic partner of our country in Central Asia", Kazakh First Deputy Prime Minister Umirzak Shukeyev has said today in the interview to mass media.

"The statistics and dynamics of development of our economic, political and trade relations witness it. Considering figures of 2008, the trade turnover between our states is up to USD 1.2 bln, where USD 800 mln out of it is our export and USD 400 mln - import. In this context we have positive balance", U.Shukeyev noted.

The First Deputy Premier informed that in accordance with bilateral agreements the export and import of goods between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are free. But there exist special conditions for four types of goods - alcohol, beer, rice and tobacco goods. Concerning Uzbekistan, this country doesn't set customs duties but has excise taxes inside the country for over 40 types of goods that decreases competitive ability of our entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan.

"We negotiate these issues within trade talks", U.Shukeyev noted.

He also said that taking into account the fact that Kazakhstan is a member of the Customs Union, Russian and Belarusian delegations must take part in such talks. As well as Kazakhstan will now take part in negotiations of Russia and Belarus with third parties.