Kazakhstan progressed in developing its statehood - German Political Director of Foreign Affairs Ministry H.D. Lucas
More than 50 representatives of interested ministries and departments of Germany, Central Asia and Afghanistan, the EU, the OSCE, the UN and other international public and nongovernmental organizations participated in the event. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexey Volkov represented Kazakhstan during the conference.
Federal Minister of German Foreign Affairs Guido Westerwelle started the forum speaking about the significance of the Central Asia region in the world and the priority role of solving water problems within the frames of deepening of regional cooperation.
According to A. Volkov, the Conference progressed to highlight key points of theoretical and practical plan and specify directions of activity. As a result of the forum the joint statement was adopted.
The conference is an integral part of "Water initiative for Central Asia" ("Berlin Process") initiated by the German Government during the 1st Conference on Water Resources in April 2008 in Berlin.
A. Volkov met with German State Minister of Foreign Affairs Cornelia Pieper and EU Special Representative for Central Asia Pierre Morel and discussed actual aspects of bilateral political and trade economic relations between Kazakhstan, German and the EU.
Also, a reception on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relationships between Kazakhstan and German was held. More than 400 policy makers of Germany, deputies of Bundestag and territorial Landtags, leaders of German ministries, and representatives of business, diplomatic corps, mass media, Kazakh Diaspora and student youth participated in the reception.
Kazakh Ambassador to Germany N. Onzhanov noted that Germany is one of the first Western countries that acknowledged Kazakhstan's sovereignty and rendered all-round support in formation of Kazakhstan as an independent state.
In his turn, German Political Director of Foreign Affairs Ministry H.D. Lucas mentioned high level of bilateral relations and emphasized that for the past 20 years Kazakhstan progressed in development of its statehood and contributed to the growth of human well-being and Kazakhstan's authority in the international scene.
Bundestag deputies Manfred Grund, Michael Glos, Phillip Misfelder, Wolfgang Bernzen and Klaus Breil marked Kazakhstan after becoming the independent state had proved itself as a reliable partner which progressed to the status of globally reputable regional power.
The recent visit of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev to Germany will give a powerful impetus to bilateral cooperation and identify new prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation.