EU views Kazakhstan as very important partner in Central Asia
ALMATY. June 23 (Interfax) - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kairat Abdrakhmanov and the EU Special Representative for Central Asia, Ambassador Peter Burian have discussed strengthening of ties between Kazakhstan, Central Asia and the EU, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said.
"Burian stressed that Kazakhstan is seen by the European Union as a very important partner in the region," the Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
The parties noted a fast-paced process of ratification of the Agreement on Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU, signed on December 21, 2015 in Astana. In a year and a half since the signing, the document has been ratified by almost half of the 28 EU member states, the report says.
Abdrakhmanov also raised the issue of accelerating the process of negotiations on easing the visa regime for citizens of Kazakhstan.
The parties agreed that with a special focus made on transit and transportation capacities of Central Asia, the region could become an important link in the global economic network.