Putin congratulates new Kazakh president on taking office

MOSCOW, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Russian president Vladimir Putin congratulated Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on assuming office as Kazakhstan's president, the Kremlin said Wednesday.

"I am confident that by joint efforts we will ensure further escalation of constructive Russian-Kazakhstan cooperation in all areas, as well as partnership cooperation in resolving topical issues on the international agenda," Putin said in a congratulatory telegram to Tokayev.

Earlier in the day, Tokayev was inaugurated as Kazakhstan's interim president following the sudden resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev, who had served as the country's president for nearly three decades.

At a meeting with members of the Russian government, Putin said he hoped that Nazarbayev's successors would continue his policies.

He praised Nazarbayev as one of the initiators of advanced integration between Kazakhstan and Russia and a founder of the Eurasian Economic Community, a project that was developing very successfully thanks to his direct support and participation.

"For our part, we will do everything to support these processes," Putin said.

Nazarbayev, who had served as Kazakhstan's president since the country's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, announced his resignation on Tuesday.

He has named Tokayev, the speaker of the upper house of the Kazakh parliament, as interim president.