ASTANA, March 19 (Itar-Tass) —— Kazakhstan will strengthen cooperation with the European Union and will sign a new agreement to this end shortly, the Foreign Ministry said.
“Kazakhstan intends to strengthen cooperation with the European Union on the way to economic and political development, taking into account the EU’s considerable weight in Kazakhstan’s foreign trade and attracting European investments in our country,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Altai Abibullayev said on Monday, March 19.
Kazakhstan “welcomes the constructive approach of the majority of European MPs who during the recent review of the European Parliament resolution on relations with Kazakhstan noted the importance of maintaining and strengthening partnership based on the principles of equality and mutual respect,” he said.
“Kazakhstan stay on the path chosen from the first days of independence, to movement to more towards developed democracy based on the rule of law, protection of rights and fundamental freedoms of all and everyone,” the spokesman said.
“We are convinced that all-embracing partnership between Kazakhstan will last long and hope to sign a new agreement on broader partnership as soon as possible in order to take our bilateral relations to a qualitative new level,” Abibullayev said.
A draft new agreement on broader partnership and cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union was handed over to Kazakhstani Foreign Ministry officials at a meeting in Brussels several days ago.
Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Volkov said “this is an ambitious document that covers all areas of cooperation between Astana and Brussels”.
The new agreement will “create conditions for business and facilitate ties between EU and Kazakhstani people”. It will also contain specific provisions concerning foreign policy and security, political reforms, interior affairs, justice, economy, environment, energy, transport and many other areas of bilateral cooperation.