EU diplomats welcome potential for cooperation with Kazakhstan under new EU Strategy for Central Asia

Thanking the European delegation for the interest in Kazakhstan, Roman Vasilenko stressed the importance of maintaining regular contacts with EU institutions, in particular with the Working Party as one of the important centers for the formation of the common EU policy regarding Central Asia.

The Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister outlined that Kazakhstan regards the European Union as a reliable political, trade, economic and investment partner, with which the trusting relations have been built. It has been noted that for several years the EU has maintained leadership among Kazakhstan's trade and investment partners, occupying about 50% of the country's total trade and being the source of almost half of the accumulated foreign direct investment in the economy.

He has spoken of the main priorities of Kazakhstan for the development of further bilateral cooperation with the European Union in the lead-up to the forthcoming entry into force of the Kazakhstan-EU Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, as well as multilateral cooperation in the light of the adopted new EU Strategy for Central Asia.

Against this background, the delegation paid special attention to the issue of simplifying the visa regime for citizens of Kazakh on the part of the European Union, eliminating trade barriers to exports of Kazakh agricultural products to the markets of EU countries.

The European diplomats have been updated on about the country's consistent efforts in the light of political and social reforms initiated by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, including the establishment of the Public Trust National Board and the building of a new paradigm of interaction with civil society.

The head of the Working Party, Jutta Edthofer, commended the prospects for strengthening political, trade and economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and European countries.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed to maintain regular contacts in order to uncover the existing potential for cooperation between the EU and Kazakhstan, and between the EU and Central Asia.

As part of a visit to Nur-Sultan and Almaty, the European diplomats will hold bilateral meetings with deputies of the Mazhilis of Parliament, the leadership of the General Prosecutor's Office, the ministries of trade and integration, national economy, and the Commissioner for Human Rights of Kazakhstan. They are also about to visit the Astana International Financial Center and the International Centre for Green Technologies.

For reference: the Council Working Party on Eastern Europe and Central Asia (COEST) links the European Commission and EU Member States, coordinates and directs the work of the EC on all aspects of cooperation with Central Asian countries.

COEST coordinates and amends draft bilateral documents, agendas and content of events, approves and formulates the main positions of the EU, as well as prepares draft conclusions of the EU Council on Foreign Affairs concerning the Central Asian region. COEST consists of diplomats from each of the permanent missions of 28 EU Member States.