Kazakhstan Wants To Collaborate With Malaysia In Aerospace Industry

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 (Bernama) -- The Republic of Kazakhstan wants to collaborate with Malaysia to boost their aerospace industries. Kazakhstan Ambassador to Malaysia Beibut B. Atamkulov (right) said the collaboration could also boost technology exchange in multiple fields between the two countries. "Malaysia's first cosmonaut Dr Sheikh Muzaphar Shukor launched to space in Kazakhstan and it has become a landmark in Malaysia's aerospace industry. We are ready to work together, so Malaysia can take the next step. "We are cooperating with many countries in our aerospace programme, like creating new satellite with Russia. We are always looking for new technologies abroad (via technology exchange)," he told a press conference on the development of Kazakhstan-Malaysia relations at the embassy here Tuesday. On Oct 10, 2007, Dr Sheikh Muzaphar was launched to the International Space Station in an agreement between Malaysia and Russia. Atamkulov said Kazakhstan was also ready to collaborate with Malaysia in exploring the possibility of constructing nuclear power plants to generate electricity. "Like Malaysia, we also have oil and gas resources but in the future, these resources will be less. So, we created a programme to explore new alternatives of generating power. Nuclear is one of them," he said. On trade, Atamkulov said the Kazakhstan and Malaysian trade had reached about RM300 million last year. "Rubber products and furniture are the most promising trade between our two countries. In the future, we hope to boost the trade of tropical and seafood products. We are also looking to cooperate with Malaysia in trading more 'halal' food. "We don't have many problems in producing 'halal' food because the majority of people in our country are Muslims and we are looking to comply with Malaysia's 'halal' certificate," he said. Atamkulov said currently, there were about 60 Malaysian companies investing in Kazakhstan, adding that the country had been cooperating with Malaysia in different fields. "Political, economic, education, cultural and tourism are some of the fields we are looking at, to strenghten our relations with Malaysia. We have made many efforts to make this happen. "These include increasing flights between Malaysia and Kazakhstan, increasing our students in Malaysia and many more. We have lots in common, so these common grounds will help strengthen our relations," he said. On Kazakhstan's general election on Jan 15, Atamkulov said, no matter who governed the country, its cooperation policy with Malaysia would not be affected. "Malaysia has become one of the popular countries in the hearts of the Kazakhstan people. So, I believe our relations will not be affected and will become stronger in the future," he said. After the media session, Atamkulov also presented a souvenir to the Training Co-Ordinator of BERNAMA Editorial Department, Editor Mohamad Nasir Yusoff (left). (photoBERNAMA) MALAYSIA