BAIKONUR, June 2 (RIA Novosti) - Russia and Kazakhstan are going to develop tourist activity on the Baikonur space center, says the joint statement of the presidents of Russia and Kazakhstan, Vladimir Putin and Nursultan Nazarbaev. They inked it on Thursday when visiting the space center.
"The unique Baikonur space center has become an attracting object for tourism, including international. Its present potential should be used on a broader scale for spreading the space activities, economic attainments of our states," the statement reads. For that "a joint effort will be made to develop the tourist activities on the Baikonur complex."
"We declare that Russia and Kazakhstan will continue to do everything necessary for the Baikonur space center to remain in the forefront of developing the world cosmonautics, be a symbol of scientific-technical progress and evidence of the many-sided and mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan," the statement continues.
Efficient operation of the Baikonur complex is ensured by Russian-Kazakh agreements on the need to raise the level of environmental safety of space rocketry activities here and prolong the term of its lease by the Russian Federation until 2050.
