MOSCOW, March 4. /TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin confirmed that Moscow is ready to develop fraternal relations with Astana.
"I confirm my readiness to work constructively together with you on the entire substantive agenda of our cooperation," he said at a meeting with the new Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov.
Mishustin congratulated Bektenov on his appointment as head of the government.
"It is important for us that you start your first foreign visit with a visit to the Russian Federation, which fully reflects the nature of the special relations between the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan, these relations are fraternal," he said.
Mishustin also conveyed greetings to the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev from Russian President Vladimir Putin and on his own behalf.
"We give priority attention to strengthening good neighborly and allied relations with Kazakhstan," the Russian Prime Minister assured.
He reiterated that relations "are based on the principles of mutual respect, trust, strategic partnership and the historical friendship of peoples." Mishustin called the main task of the prime ministers to ensure that all decisions are made to implement the agreements of the presidents of the two countries.
Mishustin drew attention to the active strengthening of interregional cooperation, recalling that "most of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation maintain direct friendly, business and humanitarian ties with the regions of Kazakhstan."
"Our countries are united by strong cultural and humanitarian ties, branches of Russian higher educational institutions in Kazakhstan are successfully operating, over 600,000 Kazakh students are studying in Russia," Mishustin said. He thanked the leadership of Kazakhstan "for their attentive attitude to the Russian language, which is the language of interethnic communication and helps to establish contacts between people."
"Russia and Kazakhstan are working fruitfully in the Eurasian Economic Union. We stand for deepening integration processes in order to develop our national economies and improve the level of well-being of citizens," the head of the Russian government stressed.