MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRESS STATEMENT
CALLS ON PRESIDENT TONY TAN KENG YAM AND
EMERITUS SENIOR MINISTER GOH CHOK TONG
BY
CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE OF THE PARLIAMENT
OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN
KASSYM-JOMART TOKAYEV
1 APRIL 2016
His Excellency Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, paid separate courtesy calls on President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM) Goh Chok Tong today at the Istana. President Tan reaffirmed the warm relations between Singapore and Kazakhstan, which are underpinned by good personal ties between Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Singapore leaders including the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. He noted that there was scope for broader cooperation and welcomed Kazakhstan’s interest to learn from Singapore’s developmental experience. Chairman Tokayev updated President Tan on Kazakhstan’s economic reform plans and invited Singapore companies to explore opportunities in the country.
ESM Goh and Chairman Tokayev had a useful exchange of views on global issues, including terrorism, developments in Central Asia, as well as how Kazakhstan can play a role in China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative. Chairman Tokayev expressed interest in learning about how Singapore tackled its economic challenges. ESM Goh said that he looked forward to visiting Kazakhstan later this year at the invitation of Prime Minister Karim Massimov.
Chairman Tokayev, accompanied by several Members of Parliament, is making an official visit to Singapore at the invitation of the Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob. He called on and was hosted to lunch by Speaker Halimah yesterday. Chairman Tokayev will be delivering the opening address at the Singapore Forum organised by the S Rajaratnam Endowment on 2 April 2016.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
1 APRIL 2016