Kazakh business leader pushes more trade with Turkey

Despite excellent cultural and historical links, economic ties between Turkey and Kazakhstan lag, and both sides agree this should change, according to Kairat Kelimbetov, the CEO of Kazakh state-owned company Samruk-Kazyna. "Currently, we have about $2 billion in trade and we agreed to (work to) increase this to some $5 billion within three years," Kelimbetov said, speaking to news channel Skyturk. "Turkish companies are very active in the construction of roads in Kazakhstan and also in textiles, but I think this isn't enough." Kelimbetov said they are working in such areas as oil and gas, citing Calik Holding's proposal to join the Samsun Ceyhan pipeline. He said amid complex political and geopolitical issues, Kazakhstan's consistent principle is that any deals should benefit both sides. "We have to use these opportunities to focus the attention of Turkish investors on investment opportunities in Kazakh companies," he told Skyturk. "These could be in the energy sector like oil and gas, energy generation, electricity grids or in uranium companies or mining companies, but we're very much looking for interest from large Turkish companies." Turkey was the first country to recognize Kazakhstan in 1991 when it gained independence from the Soviet Union, and relations between the two countries were further strengthened with the signing of a strategic agreement in 2009.