Putin arrives in Kazakhstan for state visit

ASTANA. May 27 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Astana for a state visit.

The president's Ilyushin Il-96 aircraft was accompanied by two Kazakhstan Air Force fighter jets.

At the airport Putin was met by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The presidents shook hands and headed towards a governmental terminal.

Putin's three-day trip will include Russian-Kazakhstani highest-level talks and a summit of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.

The official part of the visit will take place on Thursday. But its program will begin on Wednesday evening with an informal one-on-one meeting between Putin and Tokayev.

From the airport the leaders will head to the Kazakh president's Cedar House residence where they will have an informal friendly dinner one on one, during which they are expected to discuss the agenda of the state visit and the Eurasian Economic Union summit.

On Thursday morning, the Independence Palace will host an official meeting ceremony involving the two presidents, with all attendants of such a visit format.

The greeting part will be followed by Russian-Kazakhstani talks which, by tradition, will be conducted in two formats: narrow and enlarged.

The agenda of the talks covers key aspects of a further development of the relations: political, trade, economic, military-technical and cultural and humanitarian areas.