Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajić met today with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Alexey Volkov to discuss the promotion of bilateral relations and development of economic cooperation between the two countries.

They agreed that a good step forward in strengthening the economic cooperation between Serbia and Kazakhstan would be the signing of an agreement on cooperation in tourism, information and communication technologies and joint participation in third markets. The officials also assessed that it would be useful to hold the first session of the Mixed Committee for Economic Cooperation between the two countries by the end of August.

They agreed that, when it comes to the possibilities for increasing the volume of trade exchange, it is positive that Serbia and Kazakhstan have concluded a free trade agreement, which allows duty-free market for 98% of all products.

Ljajić expressed the interest of Serbia for duty-free export of cars on the market of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, stressing that the Russian side agrees with the possibility of duty-free export of Serbian vehicles in these markets, but that Serbia is still waiting for the positions of the governments of Belarus and Kazakhstan. In this sense, Serbia expects a positive opinion from Belarus and Kazakhstan, said the Deputy Prime Minister.