Russia, Kazakhstan talk on space centre

The foreign ministers of Russia and Kazakhstan, downplaying reports of discord over the Baikonur space center, have announced a new friendship treaty. The treaty would move the bilateral relations to a higher level "in all directions," Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrisov said Friday in Moscow, Chinese news agency Xinhua reported. Idrisov and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov both denied recent Russian media reports suggesting the countries have been at odds over the Baikonur space center that Russia rents from Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan had previously requested Moscow decrease launches of Proton rockets from Baikonur from 17 to 12 in 2013, citing environmental concerns. Lavrov said the media should be careful "not to make a mountain out of mole hill." "I would not talk about any disagreements," he said. "This is a working situation, our presidents understand a necessity to sort out all similar situations."