Azerbaijan, Baku, June 3 / Trend E. Kosolapova/
European Commission's President Jose Manuel Barroso within his official visit to Kazakhstan discussed the current state of affairs in bilateral relations, as well as regional and international issues with Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev, the EU web-site reported.
"The Presidents confirm their interest in proceeding with negotiating and concluding a new enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the Republic Kazakhstan and the European Union as soon as possible, which would reflect a next, more mature stage of mutual relations. They agree on the need to intensify the negotiation process," the web-site said.
Within the meeting the parties showed the mutual interest in intensifying and widening bilateral cooperation, raising the interaction in all spheres to qualitatively new levels.
The Presidents agreed that the development of relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the European Union so far had shown a promising potential for a more strategic partnership and created a solid basis for further expanding of bilateral relations.
Taking into consideration the very significant trade and economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union, and the continued substantial role of the EU, as Kazakhstan's first trading and investment partner, in the development and diversification of Kazakhstan's economy, the Presidents agreed that the both parties had a mutual interest in developing cooperation in this vital field of our bilateral relations.
The Presidents welcomed the positive results of negotiations on the accession of Kazakhstan to the World Trade Organization. President Barroso expressed his support for membership of Kazakhstan of the WTO which will help dismantle remaining trade barriers and further boost bilateral trade.
Special significance was attached to the creation of new power capacities and development of energy transportation infrastructure, design and development of high-tech technologies in the field of extraction, processing and use of hydrocarbons and uranium raw materials, attraction of investments into the energy sector on mutually advantageous conditions.
President Barroso underlined the importance of Kazakhstan as a reliable energy partner to the European Union, in particular as a supplier of oil, and in this context looks forward to the upcoming launch of the Kashagan field.
He welcomed the good level of cooperation developed in the context of the Memorandum of Understanding on Energy Cooperation signed in 2006 and emphasized the importance of an open investment climate for economic development and expansion of energy resources in the country.
The Republic of Kazakhstan and the European Union share common approaches to most important issues of regional and international security.
"The EU highly values Kazakhstan's contribution to facilitate talks on the Iranian nuclear programme by hosting talks in Almaty," the EU web-site said.
The Presidents agreed on the importance of interaction at bilateral and multilateral levels in the prevention of and fight against terrorism, countering violent extremism, organized crime, illegal drug and weapons trafficking.