K.Abdrakhmanov met with the Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary and the Executive Secretary of the UNECE
ASTANA, October 10, 2018 – Minister of Foreign Affairs Kairat Abdrakhmanov held meetings with Minister of Foreign Economic Relations and Foreign Affairs of Hungary Peter Siyarto and Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations – Executive Secretary of the European Economic Commission Olga Algaerova. The distinguished guests arrived in Kazakhstan to attend the Eighth Session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.
Kazakhstan and Hungary became key participants in this important international event, since our country takes over the chairmanship from Hungary for the next 3 years (2019 – 2021).
K. Abdrakhmanov said that the meeting in Astana is the first meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention in the Asian region. “Cross-border cooperation is key to our country and is vital. It requires an integrated and strategic approach, ”said the Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan.
The interlocutors also discussed all the main aspects of interaction between the two countries, both in bilateral and multilateral formats, given that such interaction is in the nature of a strategic partnership. The ministers positively noted the development of trade and economic cooperation, which, according to mutual opinion, has unconditional priority. The Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation, the Business and Strategic Councils are successfully operating, the Hungarian Trade House has been opened in Astana, the necessary contractual framework has been created in the economic sphere, and direct flights between the capitals have been opened. Hungary annually allocates 200 educational grants for Kazakhstani citizens and intends to increase them to 250. The Hungarian government intends to take a number of steps towards deepening ties with the Turkic Council, in which the country became at the summit of this organization last month in Cholpon-Ata.
During the meeting with O. Algayerova, issues of ensuring water, environmental, energy and food security were discussed, and the importance of implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals was noted.
In this context, the Foreign Minister stressed that Kazakhstan is actively working to implement the Convention, based on international law. Kazakhstan attaches great importance to the development of cooperation with the UNECE and highly appreciates its role and contribution to establishing and deepening cooperation in such areas as energy, transport, trade, environmental protection, standards, and the use of “green” technologies. The parties came to an agreement that the deepening and expansion of diverse cooperation in Central Asiaparticular is of particular importance.
Press office
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Republic of Kazakhstan