OREANDA-NEWS. On February 18, 2008 in Abu Dhabi, Karim Massimov met President H. H Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Prime Minister Muhammad bin Rashid al-Maktum; Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi; and Dubai World Chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, reported the Official website http://en.government.kz.

Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Karim Massimov came to the UAE on a working visit.

While in Abu Dhabi, Karim Massimov met President H. H Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Prime Minister Muhammad bin Rashid al-Maktum; Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi; and Dubai World Chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem.

Karim Massimov expressed gratitude to the UAE for support rendered to Kazakhstan within a number of large-scaled investment projects and extended the UAE leader an invitation on behalf of President Nazarbayev to visit Kazakhstan.

The UAE accepted the invitation and pointed to the positive dynamics of trade-and-economic relations between the two countries.

Fruitful cooperation between the Governments and business communities of the two countries facilitated development of relations and joint implementation of investment projects in the realms of transport and communications, construction, energy, and petrochemistry.

February 17, three 3 resulting memoranda were signed in the presence of Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Karim Massimov and Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Presidential Affairs. These were MoU to construct a petrochemistry facility in West Kazakhstan signed between the Kazakh National O&G Company KazMunaiGaz and International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) of Abu Dhabi; MoU to develop bauxite deposits and construct an aluminum plant in Kostanai oblast of Kazakhstan signed between Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Development Co. and Tobol social enterprise of Kazakhstan; and MoU to finance development of a plant manufacturing chemicals and mineral fertilizers signed between the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Trade and IPIC of Abu Dhabi.

“We are proud to sign the important agreement to construct an aluminum plant supplied by local bauxite deposits in Kazakhstan. This is an important vector for us, an important project and important partnership; we hope to implement this is going to be a first–rate project”, said Khaldun Khalifa al-Mubarak, chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Affairs Authority, following the signing ceremony.

Thus, first steps were taken to implement agreements reached in the course of Kazakhstan President’s visit to the UAE late 2007. Implementation of the mentioned projects will facilitate accomplishment of the tasks set by the Kazakh President in his annual address to the nation.

In the course of the talks with Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and Dubai World Chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem the sides reiterated intentions of their nations to implement the agreements reached in the course of N. Nazarbayev’s visit to the UAE in November 2007.

At the meeting the sides discussed prospects of cooperation in the realm of tourism, notably infrastructure development in Astana and creation of resort zones in Kazakhstan.

Besides, the sides welcomed forthcoming creation of the Kazakhstan-UAE Business Council to be established in March 2008 in the course of the Kazakhstan Chamber of Commerce and Industry delegation’s visit to the UAE.