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Slovakia to Receive 5 Million Tons of Kazakh Oil This Year
Tuesday 30 March 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Astana, March 30 (TASR) - Some five million tons of Kazakhstan oil will flow to Slovakia via the Druzhba oil pipeline this year, which is two million tons more than in 2009, Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic said at Kazakh-Slovakian business forum held on Tuesday in Astana.
The Druzhba pipeline isn't necessarily the sole pipeline for Kazakhstan to supply oil to Europe, as the Odessa-Brody pipeline project is currently being considered by the European Commission. "If Kazakhstan becomes the supplier for this pipeline, Slovakia will see more options in diversifying oil supplies and the use of Slovakia's pipeline systems for transit of Kazakh oil – along with gas possibly in the future – to third parties," said Gasparovic.
According to him, the possibilities of co-operation between the two countries go even further. Aside from oil, there is gas and nuclear energy. Also, Slovakia is interested in establishing joint enterprises, running construction businesses, transport or production of passenger train cars and tramcars.
A total of 22 Slovak and 50 Kazakh companies are taking part in the economic forum. "Events like these are important for developing co-operation," said Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the country's sole president since the break-up of the former Soviet Union. He pointed to the accomplishments of his country, which has undergone a wholesale transformation in the past decade – one that has made Kazakhstan highly attractive to foreign investors.
"We've gained 90 percent of direct foreign investments, amounting to $100 billion (€74.17 billion) which went straight into this region," said the Kazakh President, adding that the resources received helped start the two-fold growth of economy.
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