NOVOSIBIRSK, October 3 (RIA Novosti) - The first half of 2007 saw a 30 % year-on-year turnover increase to $7.7 billion between Kazakhstan and Russia, Kazakhstan Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Kuandyk Bishimbaev said Wednesday.

Speaking after the opening of a Novosibirsk exhibition devoted to commodity producers in border regions, he said the figure grew by 30% in 2006 to $12.8 billion, and had had a 30% increase within the first half of 2007.

The deputy minister of the oil-rich central Asian republic also said that, according to industrial development strategy, finished commodity export increase was primarily targeted at Russian, Middle Asian, and Chinese markets since Kazakhstan could "meet the product requirements set by these markets".

He added that under the strategy for the next year, "The state will assist the exporting enterprises in introducing their products into foreign markets. In this regard, Russia is our number one priority".

Bishimbaev said up to 80% of turnover was due to Russian-Kazakh border enterprises.

He said Kazakhstan and Russia had two-way exchanges of engineering, power industry, agriculture, and steel products, maintaining technological cooperation between enterprises.

Vladimir Nikonov, the deputy governor of Siberia's Novosibirsk Region, said the Kazakhstan exhibition was of great interest for the region's business.

He said Russia and Kazakhstan had "close economic and cultural ties," paving the way for the development of cooperation in all fields.

Kazakhstan and Russia are members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which also comprises the former Soviet republics of Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.