MOSCOW

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is paying an official visit to Kazakhstan on Thursday to discuss expansion of bilateral cooperation, and attend the 10th leaders' summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev welcomed Orban at his residence Akorda in the capital Astana, where the two leaders held bilateral talks.

Opening the meeting, Tokayev noted Orban's Turkic origin, saying the Hungarian prime minister "came to the homeland of ancestors."

"Thank you for accepting my invitation and visiting Kazakhstan on an official visit, as well as taking part in the anniversary summit of the Organization of Turkic States. Undoubtedly, this visit will give a new impetus to cooperation between the two countries. I am sure that today's negotiations will be fruitful," he said.

Orban said Hungarians come to Kazakhstan "with great pleasure" because the two nations are connected by "millennial common roots."

"Over the past decade, we have put a lot of effort into developing our cooperation, and good results have been achieved ... Hungary has always been a reliable strategic partner of Kazakhstan, and it will continue to be so," he added.

Orban emphasized that Hungary and Kazakhstan have "great" potential of cooperation, especially in economy.

The OTS summit will be held on Friday under the theme Turk Era.