The construction of the eastern section of the Kazakhstan-China oil pipeline, the Atasu-Alataw Pass oil pipeline, is expected to begin within this year, said visiting Kazakh President Nursultan Abishevich Nazarbayev in Beijing Tuesday.

Nazarbayev made the remark at a press conference held in the Kazakh embassy to China, saying the Atasu-Alataw Pass oil pipeline, running over 1,000 kilometers, is to be completed by the end of 2005.

China and Kazakhstan signed an agreement in 1997 to build a 3,000-kilometer-long oil pipeline. The western section of the pipeline, running 448 kilometers, is now operational.

Nazarbayev said he held effective talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao on Monday and the two sides reached consensus on issues of common concern. The two countries signed nine documents on such fields as energy, transportation and agriculture.

"The signing of the documents will facilitate comprehensive cooperation between the two countries", said Nazarbayev.

Citing China as Kazakhstan's most important cooperation partner, Nazarbayev said the two countries have set up cooperation mechanisms on politics, economy, science and technology. Kazakhsatn, as a country of significance for China, will conduct comprehensive cooperation with China in security and trade within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, said Nazarbayev.

Following the press conference, Nazarbayev held an inaugural issuance of his Chinese-version book, The Critical Decade. Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan attended the issuance ceremony.

Nazarbayev arrived in Beijing Sunday for a four-day state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2004)