Priorities of Kazakh foreign policy unchanged - President Nazarbayev
ASTANA. Feb 17 (Interfax) - The priorities of Kazakhstan's foreign policy remain unchanged, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has said.
"In 2015, Kazakhstan will continue its course aimed at vigorously promoting and deepening international ties," he said at a meeting with foreign ambassadors accredited in Kazakhstan in Astana on Tuesday.
These priorities are detailed in the country's foreign policy concept, he said.
The Kazakh-Russian treaty on good neighborly and allied relations in the 21st century, which came into force in December 2014 "demonstrates that bilateral ties have been growing stronger in all spheres of cooperation - political, economic, cultural and humanitarian," the president said.
At the same time, Kazakhstan intends to "further deepen its comprehensive strategic cooperation and good neighborly relations with the People's Republic of China, with which we have a very trustful relationship," he said.
"Great attention will be given to contacts with our neighbors - the states of Central Asia. The nations of our region share a common history, culture and language," Nazarbayev said.
Kazakhstan will also work to promote relations with the European Union, the United States and the Asia-Pacific region in different areas, he said.
"Efforts will continue to develop cooperation with states of the European Union, which is our leading trade, economic and investment partner," Nazarbayev said.
The president also reiterated the importance of further bolstering Kazakhstan's strategic partnership with the U.S.
Relations with the Asia-Pacific region and organizations of this region in the economy, investment and technologies will develop as well, he said.
Kazakhstan, which has close historical and spiritual ties with Middle East states, will continue building a partnership with these countries both in bilateral and regional formats, Nazarbayev said.
Kazakhstan will also contribute to the economic and social development of Afghanistan, he said.
"Our relations with countries of the African continent, Latin America and Caribbean states have been developing consistently as well," he added.