FM: Ukraine crisis no barrier to Russia-Kazakhstan space work

Problems over Ukraine will not affect Russia and Kazakhstan's space industry co-operation nor will there be any changes in the joint project to establish the new Baiterek complex at Kazakhstan’s Baikonur cosmodrome, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Kazakhstan counterpart Yerlan Idrisov said after talks on Thursday.

“Baikonur and space are always among our agenda priorities,” Idrisov said. “We are discussing in detail the implementation of a road map for co-operation.”

“Baiterek is important and should be continued,” he added. “There is a common understanding that the current situation in Ukraine should in no way affect its implementation.”

"Neither Russia nor Kazakhstan plan any changes in the Baiterek project, also in using the Zenit launch vehicle [instead of the previously planned Angara rocket],” Russia's foreign minister said.

Joint space programmes will have priority, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, reviewing a schedule of action up to 2015.
“The document is comprehensive and comprises co-operation in space, use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and military-technical co-operation,” Lavrov added.