Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan to ink co-op agreement
By Aynur Jafarova
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan will sign an agreement on cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries, Chairman of the Majilis of the Kazakh Parliament Nurlan Nigmatulin told journalists on February 19.
Nigmatulin, who started a visit to Azerbaijan on February 19, further said Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are strategic partners.
"The friendship relations between our countries have an ancient history. The legislative bodies also make a significant contribution to the development of bilateral relations," he said.
Azerbaijanis and Kazakhs are both Turkish-speaking nations and share close historical, religious, and cultural ties. Both are the littoral states of the Caspian Sea and possess a common maritime border.
About 130,000 ethnic Azerbaijanis live in Kazakhstan.
A solid legal basis has been established between the two countries. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have signed more than 90 documents, including 20 documents in the economic field, particularly on investment protection and avoiding double taxation. These documents positively affect the development of trade relations between the two countries.
About 740 enterprises with Azerbaijani capital operate in Kazakhstan, while 35 companies with Kazakh assets work in Azerbaijan.
The main products exported from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan are mineral resources (oil and gas), chemical raw materials, grain, barley, tobacco products, rolled carbon steel, and electrical equipment.
Oil products made of bituminous materials, ethylene polymers, and machinery components are imported to Kazakhstan.