Kazakhstan, Astana, July 21 / Trend S.Suleymanov /
Afghanistan's natural resources are valued at $3 trillion, and Kazakhstan's experience developing its own resources should be closely studied, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said yesterday at a meeting in Kabul with OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev.
"Afghanistan is interested in very close cooperation and will continue to support Kazakhstan's efforts at the international level," Karzai said.
He also praised the results of the recent OSCE Foreign Ministerial Council in Almaty, as well as the decision to hold an upcoming OSCE summit in Kazakhstan.
Karzai reaffirmed his country's support for Kazakhstan as the OSCE-chairing country, and accepted Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's invitation to participate in the summit. He also noted that Afghanistan will be a priority issue on the summit agenda.
The Afghan president also thanked Nazarbayev for initiating an educational cooperation program between the two countries. Roughly 200 Afghan students will study in Kazakh universities and schools in 2010. In the course of the entire program, 1,000 Afghans will receive their education. The program is financed by Kazakhstan with expenses estimated at $50 million.