The agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan on the Development of Cooperation for Effective Usage of the Baikonur Space Center was signed on 9 January 2004 in Astana.
The agreement was signed in development of the statutes of the Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan on the Main Principles and Conditions for Usage of the Baikonur Space Center of 28 March 1994.
The agreement will enable the continuation of effective usage of the Baikonur Space Center for fulfillment of national space programmes, programmes of international cooperation and commercial space projects.
Furthermore, the extension of the lease terms of the Baikonur Space Center until 2050 is the basis of development of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan and matches Russian national interests.
A priority area of the Agreement is also the creation at the Baikonur Space Center of the prospective, ecologically safe space rocket complex Baiterek on the base of the Russian space rocket complex Angara. Holding joint work directed to solving the problems of protecting the environment will in many ways make it possible to solve issues connected with space activity on the territory of Kazakhstan.