Regular meeting of ministers of foreign affairs of the countries of the “European Union – Central Asia” format was held within the framework of Tashkent Conference on Afghanistan “Peace process, security cooperation and regional collaboration”.
During the meeting, ministers of foreign affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Kairat Abdrakhmanov, the Kyrgyz Republic – Erlan Abdyldaev, the Republic of Tajikistan – Sirojiddin Aslov, the Republic of Uzbekistan – Abdulaziz Kamilov, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Vepa Hadjiyev and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini discussed current issues of interregional interaction.
Foreign ministers of the Central Asian countries welcomed the intention of the European side to develop and adopt an updated EU Strategy for Central Asian region, in 2019, as well as expressed readiness of their countries to take an active part in this process.
Prospects of economic development of the region, interregional cooperation in trade and economic, investment and technological, scientific and educational spheres were also discussed during the Ministerial meeting.
Views were exchanged on the European Union’s support for the efforts of the Central Asian countries on ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan, its involvement in regional economic and infrastructural ties.
It was decided to hold the next meeting of ministers of foreign affairs in the second half of this year, in Brussels.
