Kazakh President Tokayev Completes Visit to Turkey

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has completed his official visit to Turkey, according to Tengrinews.kz, citing the Akorda presidential press service. Tokayev arrived on 28 October at the invitation of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. On 30 October, Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat and other officials saw him off at Ankara airport.

During the trip, Tokayev held talks with Erdogan and took part in the 13th summit of the Organization of Turkic States. Discussions focused on trade, investment, transport and energy, as well as cooperation within the Turkic association. Tokayev said Turkey is one of Kazakhstan's five largest trade partners and one of its ten largest investors. Erdogan said he intends to raise trade between the two countries to $15 billion.

At the summit, Tokayev said Kazakhstan's trade with OTS member states this year approached $10 billion, up 40 percent from last year. He stressed that the organization should not become a military alliance. The Ankara Declaration was adopted, and the chairmanship of the organization passed from Azerbaijan to Turkey. The leaders also opened the Turkic World Alley in Ankara's Beştepe park.