AMMAN - Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's planned two-day visit to Amman, during which several agreements will be signed to take joint ties to the next level, has been rescheduled for November.
The visit, which was slated for September 27-28, is now scheduled to take place on November 2-3, Kazak Ambassador to Jordan Bulat Sarsenbayev told The Jordan Times in an interview on Monday on the occasion of the 14th anniversary of Kazakh Constitution Day, which is celebrated on August 30.
He added that Nazarbayev will attend the signing of several agreements on free trade, avoiding double taxation, waiving visa requirements and air services, allowing both national carriers to use each other's airspace.
Meanwhile, Sarsenbayev said two private sector delegations visited Astana and discussed joint cooperation with their Kazakh counterparts.
"A group of businessmen from Hikma Pharmaceuticals Plc. and the Middle East Pharmaceutical and Chemical Industries and Medical Appliances Company met with the director general of the state-run Samruk-Kazuna/Pharma and discussed a potential joint venture to manufacture medical products in Kazakhstan," Sarsenbayev said, adding that they also examined opportunities for the Jordanian private sector to penetrate the Kazakh market.
He noted that the two sides agreed to apply for registration and licences for the two Jordanian companies' products so that they will be able to bid on medical tenders floated by the Kazakh government.
"We perceive Jordan as a pragmatic, reliable and very active partner. We want to create our own pharmaceutical industry and Jordan can help in this regard," he said, noting that the planned factories will be jointly established by the Kazakh government and the Jordanian private sector.
The second visit, which took place earlier last month, comprised a delegation representing Tyche Tours, the general sales agent for Royal Jordanian, during which the company's director general, Ibrahim Mahadin, met with officials from Kazakh Global Air Company to discuss launching a direct flight between the two countries.
"As a first step, the two sides agreed to operate direct charter flights to carry Kazakh pilgrims to Aqaba, where they will be transported by bus to Saudi Arabia," he said.
Noting that the number of Kazakh tourists in the Kingdom is increasing, the ambassador said he expected more than 2,000 to visit this year compared to around 1,221 in 2008.
He added that Tourism Minister Maha Khatib will visit Astana on October 2 to attend the 18th session of the World Tourism Organisation General Assembly.
Moreover, the envoy said cultural cooperation will get a boost this year under an exchange programme, where 15 students from each country will pursue their MAs and PhDs at the other country's universities.
Jordan and Kazakhstan established diplomatic relations in 1993, but have only begun to cement ties over the past few years.
By Hani Hazaimeh
© Jordan Times 2009
