By empty (7/7/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst)
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev held talks with Kazakh President Nazarbaev in Astana on July 4. Their discussion reportedly focused on economic cooperation. Nazarbaev told a joint news conference after the meeting, \"I am always directing Kazakh businesses toward investing money in your country,\" RFE/RL\'s Kazakh Service reported.
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev held talks with Kazakh President Nazarbaev in Astana on July 4. Their discussion reportedly focused on economic cooperation. Nazarbaev told a joint news conference after the meeting, \"I am always directing Kazakh businesses toward investing money in your country,\" RFE/RL\'s Kazakh Service reported. Bakiev said: \"I have to point out that Kazakh investments in Kyrgyzstan more than doubled during the last year, 2005 [compared with 2004]. There are five Kazakh banks that operate on Kyrgyz territory today.\" Khabar noted that Kazakhstan invested over $160 million in the Kyrgyz economy in 2005. News agency 24.kg reported that Kazakhstan could invest up to $2.5 billion in Kyrgyzstan\'s economy. The two presidents signed a declaration on deepening relations and a number of intergovernmental agreements, 24.kg reported. (RFE/RL)