Vietnam, Kazakhstan to Boost Oil and Gas Cooperation: President Sang

Vietnam and Kazakhstan have agreed to enhance cooperation in energy exploration and production, especially oil and gas, to tap the countries’ huge potential, said State President Truong Tan Sang. The two countries will cooperate on energy projects in Vietnam, Kazakhstan and third countries, Mr. Sang said at the talks with his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana capital on Sep 10 during his two-day visit to Kazakhstan on Sep 10-11. “Vietnam will create more favorable conditions for Kazakhstan businesses to explore and produce oil and gas in the country,” Mr. Sang added, proposing more regular talks between Vietnam’s state-owned oil and gas group Petrovietnam (PVN) and KazMunaiGaz. President Nazarbayev voiced his support for Vietnam’s proposals on energy cooperation, including oil and gas exploration and production both in Kazakhstan and Vietnam. He noted that his country always support Vietnam in territorial disputes in the East Sea. On the occasion, the two countries signed numerous agreements in the oil and gas area and development of the titanium deposit. In July, PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corp., or PVEP, and Kazakhstan’s state oil firm, KazMunaiGaz, agreed to conduct joint energy exploration research in Kazakhstan’s Usturt basin. (Tuoi Tre –Youth Sep 11 p20)