President Lennart Meri received Ahmetov, the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, and the statesmen of Kazakhstan accompanying him, at Kadriorg today. The co-operation between the two countries, especially the possibilities to intensify trade relations, were discussed.

As the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan said, Kazakhstan is very eager to intensify trade relations, and therefore, a distinguished delegation of businessmen accompanies him in Estonia On the meeting, mostly oil export to Western Europe, and the possibilities of its transit through Estonia were considered. As President Meri said, Estonia is also interested to use rail connections through Kazakhstan for enlivening economic relations with China; and the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan said that this would be favoured by the goodneighbourly relations between China and Kazakhstan. President Meri suggested that the Muuga port, one of the greatest in the Baltic Sea, should be used more intensely in the co-operation.

Also security policy and its connections to economic policy were discussed. The Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan thanked Estonia for extensive support to Kazakhstan's aspirations for membership in the World Trade Organisation, and hoped that the co-operation would continue in the same spirit.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, December 1, 2000

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