European Union and Kazakhstan: Strengthening Partnership for the 21st Century

June 21, 2013 - PRLog -- On June 2,  L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University students had the opportunity to listen for a lecture of the Chairman of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso,  the first Chairman of the European Commission visited our country.
Visit of Mr.Barroso to Kazakhstan, and, in particular, to L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University was marked with a 20-year line since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the European Union. Accordingly, the title of his lecture, "The European Union and Kazakhstan: Strengthening Partnership for the 21st Century" reproduced all the significance of this historical date.
European Union is the first trade partner of Kazakhstan, which has share of about half of the total foreign trade of the Republic of Kazakhstan. EU also remains the largest foreign investor in Kazakhstan. In 2012,  EU's imports from Kazakhstan made about 24.4 billion euros, while exports from EU to Kazakhstan - 6.9 billion euros, so commodity  exchange reached 31.3 billion euros, as reported by press service of the EU Representative.
In his lecture, Mr. Barroso noted: "In fact, for centuries, Kazakhstan and Europe were much closer than you might think, looking at the map. Our destinies are intertwined together in the period from the 6thto 16thcentury. When East and West were free to travel and trade along the Silk Road".
Thanking everyone for the warm and friendly welcome, the Chairman of the European Commission highlighted that the Eurasian National University is an outstanding example of Kazakhstan’s success during the independence. "Your university is a real testament of the recognition of your value of investing in the future, research, and development of own citizens".
According to the Chairman, the European Union sees Kazakhstan in the face of an important partner with its vision, traditions and tolerance, a state which is for "open doors" policy. "The Republic of Kazakhstan opens itself to society. Kazakhstan and the EU has planted the seed of cooperation, which, no doubt, will become a powerful oak "- highly stressed in his speech the role of relations between Kazakhstan and the EU Jose Manuel Barroso.