From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Thu May 11 2000 - 11:00:26 EDT
KAZAKH PRESIDENT HOPES RUSSIA WILL BUILD EQUAL RELATIONS WITH ALL
COUNTRIES
ASTANA. May 11 (Interfax-Kazakhstan) - Kazakhstan hopes the new
Russian leadership will maintain equal relations with all countries.
"We hope the new Russian leadership, in building equal and
neighborly relations with all countries surrounding Russia, will
acquire close friends and good neighbors to trade and cooperate with,"
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev told a Thursday press conference
in Astana..
Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus, who is in Kazakhstan on a
three-day state visit, also attended the press conference.
Nazarbayev said he and Adamkus had discussed Russia's objection
to the eagerness of the Baltic states, including Lithuania, to join
NATO.
Both Kazakhstan and Lithuania wish to have "very warm and good
relations" with Russia, Nazarbayev said.
NATO today "does not pose threat to Kazakhstan from any side,"
Nazarbayev said. Therefore, every country "is free to provide for its
security in any way it likes and to join any alliances it wishes," the
Kazakh president said.
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