Moscow appreciates strategic partnership with Astana - Russian ForMin.

ALMATY, May 13 (Itar-Tass) - Moscow highly appreciates strategic
partnership relations with Astana, visiting Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov said on Friday at a meeting with his Kazakh counterpart
Yerzhan Kazykhanov.
According to the Russian minister, the leaders of Russia and
Kazakhstan are giving the lead in all cooperation areas, including within
the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
Kazykhanov congratulated Lavrov with the Russia's win over Canadians
at the hockey worlds' quarterfinals and wished further success to the
Russian national team.
In this respect, Lavrov noted that ice-hockey is one of the spheres
bringing the two states closer together.