Kazakh, Turkish presidents discuss closer cooperation, upcoming visits

ASTANA. March 24 (Interfax) - Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has spoken with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the phone, the Kazakh presidential press service said.

Erdogan congratulated Tokayev on the successful referendum and the adoption of the new Kazakh constitution and expressed confidence that the new fundamental law will give a strong impetus to Kazakhstan's progressive development and foster its domestic and international potential, the press service said in a statement.

Erdogan said that he attaches great importance to his state visit to Kazakhstan scheduled for May 14 and a meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, which will be held during this visit, as well as the upcoming informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States.

Tokayev agreed with Erdogan's assessment of the paramount importance of the scheduled high-level talks in Astana to boost bilateral strategic partnership, and said he has high hopes for the summit of the leaders of Turkic-speaking countries in Turkestan, it said.

For his part, Erdogan invited Tokayev to attend the Diplomatic Forum in Antalya in April. The invitation was gratefully accepted, the statement added.