Germany, Berlin / Trend corr V. Sharifov / The European Union considers the fields of investment, education, transport, energy, and fighting against terrorism to be crucial for the active development of cooperation with Central Asia, said Benita Ferrero-Waldner, commissioner of the European Commission on Foreign Relations, to conference participants in Berlin.
"We want to improve the development dynamics in Central Asian countries and to improve their investment climate," she said at the conference, 'Central Asia and Europe: New Economic Partnership for 21st Century,' taking place in Germany this week.
The conference focuses on assistance to economic development, trade, and regional economic integration, and was organized by the German Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the UN European Economic Commission.
"Diversification of pipeline routes is beneficial not only to the EU, but also in advancing Central Asia's access to new markets," she said.
The European Union is actively promoting construction of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline along the bed of the Caspian Sea and Nabucco pipeline. Besides Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan will also export their gas to EU countries.