ASTANA, November 27. /TASS/. Kazakhstan has been and remains Russia’s reliable ally and partner, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said, receiving his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, who arrived in Astana with a state visit.
Tokayev noted that the two leaders published their articles in national media ahead of the visit.
"In my article I underscored that Kazakhstan has been and remains a reliable strategic partner of Russia, an ally of Russia in these difficult times," he said.
Tokayev also noted that he scrupulously read Putin’s article, because they both have laid out Moscow’s and Astana’s approaches to the development of cooperation "in great detail, as if in unison." The Kazakh leader also stated his appreciation for his counterpart’s visit.
"This is, of course, a very important event in our interstate relations," he underscored.
Tokayev pointed out that the agenda of Putin’s visit to Astana is vast: on November 28, the Russian president will take part in the CSTO Summit, which will take place in the capital of Kazakhstan.