Prospects for deepening partnership between Asian and European countries discussed in Madrid
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Mukhtar Tleuberdi, took part in the 14th meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the countries participating in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM Council of Foreign Ministers). The event was also attended by the heads of foreign affairs agencies from 51 countries of Asia and Europe, as well as the EU and ASEAN, Strategy2050.kz informs with reference to the Kazakh foreign ministry.
In his speech at the plenary session devoted to building sustainable interconnectedness between Asia and Europe, the Kazakh foreign minister informed about the main directions of Kazakhstan’s multi-vector foreign policy, dwelling on the efforts undertaken by the Kazakh side in accordance with the priorities of the state policy of the Kazakh President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. It was emphasized that currently infrastructure projects are being successfully implemented within the framework of the Nurly Zhol state program and the Belt and Road initiative.
Particular attention was paid to the topic of the transition to a "green economy" in the context of the successful holding of Expo 2017 and the launch of the International Centre for Green Technologies and investment projects. In order to develop financial and technological networks between Asia and Europe, the Kazakh foreign minister proposed using the Kazakh initiatives, such as the Astana International Financial Centre, Astana Hub International Park of IT startups and Nazarbayev University.
Within the framework of the Ministerial Council, the participants exchanged views on the most pressing issues of international politics, including in the field of nuclear non-proliferation, cybersecurity, the situation in Syria and Afghanistan and climate change.
Following the meeting, a Statement by the ASEM Chair was adopted, in which the foreign ministers of ASEM member countries reaffirmed their intention to further strengthen the interconnectedness and mutually beneficial cooperation between countries in Asia and Europe. The participants noted the initiative of First President of Kazakhstan - Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev “G-Global” as a communication platform to strengthen the interconnectedness between Asia and Europe.
The statement also emphasized the importance of holding the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in Nur-Sultan in June 2020, aimed at bringing tangible results to strengthen the global trading system.
The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) was established on 1 March 1996 in Bangkok (Thailand). Currently, ASEM includes 51 Asian and European States, as well as the EU and the ASEAN Secretariat, with the development of dialogue and cooperation between Asia and Europe as its main goal. Interaction within ASEM is carried out in three areas: politics and security, economics and finance, education and the socio-cultural sphere.
