The launch of the Astana-Yerevan direct flight is on the agenda for the session of the Armenian-Kazakh inter-governmental commission on commercial and economic cooperation in 2014 and 2015. The establishment of direct flights can help increase flows of tourists, especially since a memorandum of fraternity was signed between the sanitary cities of Jermuk in Armenia and Shushink in Kazakhstan by the mayors of those cities during the session of the inter-governmental commission that kicked off in Yerevan on October 24. The commission also examined the issues on deepening cooperation in the spheres of small and medium businesses, agriculture, healthcare, transportation, nature protection, urban development, culture and other spheres.

RA Deputy Minister of Agriculture, co-chair of the commission Grisha Baghiyan says there are prerequisites for the deepening of Armenian-Kazakh relations, especially since Armenia wants to join the Customs Union. “Being a member of the Customs Union, Kazakhstan has great experience, and our commission must work correspondingly to study and use Kazakhstan’s experience,” Baghiyan said, reports ArmenPress.

In the past eight months, the foreign trade turnover between the two countries has increased twice and small and medium enterprises have been established. “The decisions approved after the previous sessions have been implemented or are in the process of implementation. Our countries have established close ties in healthcare, agriculture, nature protection and transportation. For instance, in the healthcare sector, we have come to terms on exchanging information about infectious diseases, the ways of treating them and fake drugs,” the RA Deputy Minister of Agriculture said.

Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture Marat Taliban attached importance to the Armenian-Kazakh friendship and underlined the presence and role of Kazakh-Armenians in the strengthening of relations in the future.

“We’re paving the way for cooperation in commerce, economy, culture and other spheres, and the efforts are being made within the inter-governmental commission. More specifically, we’re very interested in Armenia’s experience in grape production and winemaking. I think Armenia is successful in these spheres and has something to share with Kazakhstan,” Taliban said, adding that Kazakhstan is also interested in Armenia’s experience in the field of latest technologies. “We can also look forward to cooperation in education as well. Several dozens of Kazakh students currently study in Armenia, and there are Armenians interested in studying in Kazakhstan.

We’re also interested in language training programs, especially since scientists have found that the languages of our countries have the same roots,” Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture said.

The fourth session of the commission was held in Astana on June 7, 2012.

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