Russia's Putin Hails Ex-Kazakh President Nazarbayev's Contribution To Bilateral Relations

Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation with former Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbayev to wish him a happy birthday and acclaim his contribution to the development of Russia-Kazakhstan relations and integration processes in the Eurasian region, the Kremlin said on Monday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th July, 2020) Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation with former Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbayev to wish him a happy birthday and acclaim his contribution to the development of Russia-Kazakhstan relations and integration processes in the Eurasian region, the Kremlin said on Monday.

Nazarbayev turned 80 on Monday. Last March, Nazarbayev announced his resignation from the Kazakh presidency, which he had held uninterrupted since 1991.

"During the telephone conversation, Vladimir Putin warmly congratulated the first President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev on his 80th birthday and wished him good health and unquenchable energy. Vladimir Putin stressed that the first President of the Republic of Kazakhstan is highly regarded in Russia, including for his invaluable contribution to developing the friendly relations between Russia and Kazakhstan," the Kremlin said in a press release.

According to the statement, Putin also sent Nazarbayev a letter with birthday greetings.

"You are held in great respect in Russia as a true friend of our country who made a huge personal contribution to developing the strategic partnership between Russia and Kazakhstan. Your efforts in the field of building mutually beneficial integration across the post-Soviet space that made the Eurasian Economic Union possible cannot be overemphasized," the letter read.

Nazarbayev's role in the development of the bilateral Russian-Kazakh and greater Eurasian regional cooperation was acknowledged also by Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev in his birthday greetings conveyed over the phone.

"During the phone conversation, I congratulated the first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, on his 80th birthday ... Nursultan Nazarbayev, who was at the forefront of Eurasian integration, was always committed to deepening cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia and advocated the development of humanitarian ties between our peoples," Medvedev said on his VK account.

Both Putin and Medvedev, in their greetings, hailed Nazarbayev's achievements in domestic policy, especially with regard to strengthening Kazakhstan's economy and international standing.

In 2010, the Kazakh parliament bestowed upon Nazarbayev the honorary title of leader of the nation, or Elbasy in Kazakh. After stepping down as president, Nazarbayev said he would retain chairmanship in the country's Security Council and leadership of the ruling Nur Otan party as well as remain a member of the Constitutional Council.