NATO considers Kazakhstan a key partner in Central Asia

    By E. Kosolapova
    The NATO leadership considers Kazakhstan to be a key regional security partner in Central Asia, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, James Appathurai said at a meeting with the Head of the Kazakh Mission to the NATO, Ambassador Erik Utembayev, Kazinform reported.
    During the meeting, the two parties exchanged their views on Kazakh-NATO relations and regional, international issues of mutual interest.
    In particular, Appathurai and Utembayev discussed the implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan between Kazakhstan and NATO.
    Appathurai praised Kazakhstan's cooperation with NATO, while stressing its important role in Central Asia and stabilizing Afghanistan.
    Moreover, he stressed the stable and dynamic development of the relationship between NATO and Kazakhstan, in particular in the format of the Euro-Atlantic partnership, within the Individual Partnership Action Plan and joint efforts on Afghanistan.
    At the end of their conversation Appathurai expressed NATO's desire to continue cooperating with Kazakhstan within the Individual Partnership Action Plan, Trend said.