Kazakhstan, EU discuss expanded partnership

The Kazakhstani delegation is headed by Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Alexey Volkov, the EU delegation is led by Gunnar Wiegand, head of the European Commission's Unit for Relations with
Russia and Central Asia.

The sides plan to discuss all provisions of the future agreement embracing the problems of political, commercial and economic, legal, financial and humanitarian cooperation.

Mr. Volkov and Mr. Wiegand already touched upon the text of the new agreement on partnership and cooperation between the EU and Kazakhstan in Brussels back in March.

The agreement will ensure bilateral cooperation between the EU and Kazakhstan in the sphere of foreign policy and security, political reforms, internal affairs, justice, economy, environment, energy and transport.

It is worth mentioning, that current EU-Kazakhstan agreement on partnership and cooperation entered into effect in 1999.

During President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev's visit to Brussels in October 2010 Jose Manuel Barroso spoke in favor of expanding cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU. According to the President of the European Commission, the EU was keen to develop relations with Kazakhstan in future.