Angela Merkel: Germany interested in strengthening cooperation with Kazakhstan

BERLIN. KAZINFORM – Germany is interested in strengthening cooperation with Kazakhstan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a press conference after the bilateral talks with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Berlin on Thursday, Kazinform reports.

During the press conference, Angela Merkel praised the level of relations reached with the First President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, and expressed hope it will be continued in the future.

The German Chancellor emphasized that cultural and personal ties are the foundation of positive bilateral relations between the two nations.

«We welcome great interest of young Kazakhstanis in German education. Over 1,000 students from Kazakhstan study in Germany,» she noted.

Angela Merkel went on to add that during the bilateral negotiations in the Federal Chancellery the sides touched upon President Tokayev’s reforms in Kazakhstan, economic relations, water resources management, human rights and relations with China and Russia. In her words, the meeting focused on many other issues of German-Kazakh relations.

It was noted that last year the two-way trade has grown by 5.9%, exceeding 5 billion Euro.