Medvedev, Nazarbayev co-chair regional cooperation forum.

7/9 Tass 139

UST-KAMENOGORSK, September 7 (Itar-Tass) - The Presidents of Russia
and Kazakhstan, Dmitry Medvedev and Nursultan Nazarbayev, are attending a
session of the 7th regional cooperation forum of the two states. The
meeting is taking place on the premises of the Altai technology park, in
the building of the D.Serikbayev East Kazakhstan State Technical
University.
The parties are expected to sign a number of documents, including an
inter-government agreement on the joint use and protection of cross-border
water bodies. The document envisions the establishment of an international
fund of the river Ural.
An official at the Kazakh Ministry of Economic Development and Trade
said that the trend towards a decrease in this river's flow is becoming
more pronounced, which might entail negative consequences for the economy
of the western region of Kazakhstan and the ecology in the lower reaches
of the river and the northern part of the Caspian Sea."
Russia and Kazakhstan are also preparing to sign an agreement on joint
geological surveys of the Imashevskoye cross-border gas condensate
deposit, the first gas field on the territory of the two states they plan
to develop together.
The field is located at the junction of Russia's Astrakhan and
Kazakhstan's Atyrau regions. Its reserves are estimated at 128.7 billion
cubic meters of gas and 20.7 million tons of gas condensate.
Sergei Prikhodko, an aide to the Russian president, said "the
participants in the 7th Forum of Inter-Regional Cooperation between Russia
and Kazakhstan will traditionally discuss regional trade, cooperation in
the fuel and energy sector, transport, agriculture, education, cultural
and humanitarian ties.
He noted that the question of agriculture and grain supplies would not
be raised.
This year's forum, titled Cooperation in the Area of Sustainable
Development and High Technologies, will include an international
exhibition of innovation technologies in the housing and public utilities
sector, an investment business forum, and a number of sectoral workshops.
"From the very beginning, the forum was conceived as a cross-border
function, but many Russian regions - that actively cooperate with
Kazakhstan in trade, economy and culture - joined it later, thus making it
a regional forum," Prikhodko said.
"This forum is one of the most effective ones in terms of resolving
practical issues, customs and border regulations, assistance in the
implementation of transport projects and direct supplies between regions,
and students' exchange programs.
"Each forum yields good results.
"We have not set any specific tasks for the forum, as it is a
functioning working mechanism," Prikhodko said. "As a rule, the forum
brings forward recommendations to the government, executive bodies,
ministries and departments.
"The participants will have to discuss many topics, including
cross-border cooperation between the Emergency Situations Ministries,
which is particularly significant in the light of the recent events.
"Other items on the agenda include cooperation in nature's protection
and renovation of roads and railroads," Prikhodko said.
Taking part in the forum for Russia are Minister of Regional
Development Viktor Basargin, Minister of Natural Resources Yuri Trutnev,
head of the federal border authority Dmitry Bezdelov, officials from the
Ministries of Foreign Affairs, of Transport, of Industry and Trade,
Federal Customs Service, and Federal Migration Service.
The Russian delegation will include governors of 15 Russian regions,
12 of which are bordering on Kazakhstan's seven provinces. These regions
have signed more than 250 cooperation agreements, memorandums and
protocols.
"Recently, regional chambers of commerce in the borderline provinces
of Russia and Kazakhstan have begun to conclude cooperation agreements
between themselves," the presidential aide said, "cross-border cooperation
is regulated by the program of regional cooperation between the two states
in 2008-2011, and a number of intergovernmental agreements."
Seventy-six Russian regions have trade and economic ties with Kazakh
partners. Cross-border trade accounts for 40 percent of bilateral trade
turnover, while regional trade accounts for 70 percent, Prikhodko said.
The sub-commission for regional cooperation under the
intergovernmental economic cooperation commission is responsible for
coordinating work in this field. The sub-commission last met in
Gorno-Altaisk in August 2010.
-0-myz/kud