Ivanov in Istanbul: Macedonia to boost economic ties with Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan

Istanbul, 8 June 2010 (MIA) - President Gjorge Ivanov, will take part Tuesday in Istanbul at the 3rd Conference of Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) as honorary guest of the country’s chairmanship of the Council of Europe.

The conference will be attended by chiefs of state and government of 20 CICA member states among whom Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich as well as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. President Ivanov in his address will present Macedonia's foreign policy characterised by "openness towards all."

Ivanov on the conference sidelines on Monday met Kazakh and Azerbaijani Presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev and Ilham Aliyev. Meetings focused on boosting economic cooperation. They mutually concluded that little did they know about each other and opportunities for investments. Contacts at all levels to be strengthened and bilateral ties to be created in legal framework, including economic - technical cooperation, agreements on mutual protection of investment and on double taxation avoidance. Nazarbayev and Aliyev invited Macedonian President to visit Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, MIA reports.

Also interest in investments in agriculture and tourism in Macedonia was expressed at the meetings. Nazarbayev opened the opportunity for presentation of Macedonian companies for industrialisation of his country. They also discussed about energy connection of Macedonia through transit gas line from Azerbaijan to Turkey - Greece - Italy. Nazarbayev and Aliyev said that they respect strategic determination of the Republic of Macedonia for full-fledged membership to NATO and EU. Although the Republic of Macedonia established diplomatic relations with Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan in 1994, the opening of diplomatic - consular offices in two countries is not yet realised.

Ivanov on Wednesday will meet Kuwait's Crown Prince, HH Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.