Welcoming British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly in the Kazakh capital Astana, Kazakhstani President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the visit was also significant for further developing British-Kazakh ties.

“Your visit will give a significant impetus to the further strengthening of mutual cooperation between Kazakhstan and the UK,” Tokayev said.

He hailed Kazakh-British cooperation as “very successful, especially in economy,” but also in politics, suggesting “additional efforts to promote this very positive direction.”

Tokayev also conveyed his greetings to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and invited him to visit Kazkhastan “at any convenient time.”

For his part, Cleverly said the UK welcomed political reforms recently carried out in Kazakhstan.

He noted that Astana was Britain’s main trade partner in the region and that London sees good opportunities for joint work aimed at increasing economic cooperation.

The foreign secretary also hailed a tax reform program by the Central Asian country, saying it would “help strengthen mutually beneficial economic relations.”