Lebanon praises Kazakhstan’s role in Syrian talks – Kazakh Foreign Ministry

Lebanon is among the first Arab countries to establish diplomatic relations with Kazakhstan.

“Our countries successfully develop high level political ties, with bilateral meetings between the leadership and business circles of the two countries growing more intensive,” the Kazakh foreign minister said.

Kazakhstan welcomed Lebanon as a new observer at the 13th round of Syrian talks in the Astana format. The Astana process’s role, supported by First Kazakh President – Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev, in settling the conflict is high. Despite the difficulties, the peace talks in the Kazakh capital proved to be useful and effective.

The Kazakh minister thanks the Lebanese side for the support provided to the Kazakh peacekeeping battalion which is part of the Indian contingent in Lebanon.

The Lebanese Ambassador stressed its country’s interest in furthering multilateral relations with Kazakhstan and expressed the readiness to actively collaborate with Kazakhstan to tackle the objectives of the bilateral agenda.

“Our States develop not only bilateral relations, but also successfully cooperate within the regional and international organizations,” the ambassador stated.

He went on to stress the important role of Kazakhstan in various international sites where Nur-Sultan is a mediator.

Giscard El-Khoury pointed that the Astana process is the only viable site to deal with the issues of ordinary Syrians, especially to return refuges back to their country.

Both sides went over the fostering of trade and economic relations as low trade and economic relations were spotted in spite the existing potential between the two States. Nevertheless, it was outlined to scrutinize all the existing opportunities to expand those relations.

Among perspective areas of cooperation is agriculture, with Kazakhstan’s interest in supplying wheat to the Middle East countries, including Lebanon.

Lebanese businesspeople were invited to actively interact in various areas of business, especially in transport and logistics, tourism, hotel and restaurant businesses, the service sector.