11th meeting of EU-Kazakh Parliamentary Cooperation Committee taking place in Astana

The Cooperation Committee was established under the framework of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with the purpose to create a forum for Members of the Kazakh Parliament and the European Parliament to meet and exchange views. The European Parliament delegation is chaired by Mr Paolo Bartolozzi. The Kazakh delegation of parliamentarians is headed by Mr Sergey Diachenko, Deputy Chairman of the Majilis, the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan said.  
 
The European parliamentarians belong to different political families - the European People's Party (Christian Democrats), the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, the European United Left/Nordic Green Left, the European Freedom and Democracy Group. MPs represent various EU Member-States - Italy, Latvia, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

Together with their colleagues from the Majilis and Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, the European MPs are willing to discuss political, social and economic developments since the previous EU-Kazakhstan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee which was held in Brussels in June 2011. The economic and trade relations, respect of human rights, cooperation in combating terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking in Central Asia, democratization process and constitutional developments, including political pluralism, the role of the legislature and media freedom are among the topics to discuss.

The delegation of European parliamentarians plans to hold several meetings in Astana and Almaty with high-level Kazakh officials and prominent civil activists.  European MPs will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Yerbol Orynbayev,  Minister of Foreign Affairs Yerlan Idrissov, Minister for Environment Protection Nurlan Kapparov. The EP delegation will also pay a visit to Speaker of the Majilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan Nurlan Nigmatulin and  Speaker of the Kazakh Senate Kairat Mami.