Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič recently held talks with President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan in the Kazakh capital of Astana.

The Kazakh President said Slovakia was an important EU partner country for Kazakhstan. Mr. Gašparovič stressed that Slovakia was keen to offer investments in the sectors of civil engineering, agriculture, transport and textiles, as well as the manufacture of passenger railroad cars and trams.

Kazakhstan would welcome Slovakia’s cooperation in the construction of underground gas storage facilities. Slovakia promotes EU policy aimed at diversifying energy sources and transmission routes for energy carriers.

Nazarbayev thanked our highest representative for Slovakia’s support to the ambitions of Kazakhstan, which currently holds the OSCE chairmanship, to organize an OSCE summit in Astana.

Mr. Gašparovič said that “Slovakia is greatly interested in seeing that Kazakhstan’s OSCE chairmanship fares well, because your success will be the success of all of Europe.”

Nazarbayev informed our president about the programme entitled “Path to Europe” aimed at bringing this Central Asian country closer to the European structures.

In Kazakhstan, Mr. Gašparovič also met Prime Minister Karim Massimov and delivered a speech at the Slovak-Kazakh economic forum. In addition to investment opportunities, the Slovak President also offered cooperation in the tourism and travel industries, as well as in passing on Slovakia’s experience in healthcare and advanced spa services.

During his visit, Mr. Gašparovič also met with the chairman of the Senate of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and the chairman of the lower house of the Kazakh Parliament, Ural Mukhamedzhanov.