France highly appreciates Kazakhstan's achievements over the years of independence

PARIS. November 18. KAZINFORM /Dimash Syzdykov/ An international colloquium themed "1991-2011: France and Central Asia countries, 20 years since gaining independence" took place at the Luxembourg Palace on November 17 under the aegis of the Senate's "France-Central Asia" friendship group and active support of the five CA embassies.

According to head of the "France-Central Asia" friendship group, Senator Emery de Montesquieu, interest of France in rich, promising and dynamically developing region, first of all, Kazakhstan has heightened. He also highlighted geopolitical and strategic significance of the five countries located on the crossroads of cultural and trade and economic arteries.

All those attending noted the leading position of Kazakhstan in the region and its huge potential and the French partners announced their intention to take an active part in its development.

French Ambassador to Kazakhstan Jean-Charles Berthonnet emphasized Kazakhstan's contribution to the strengthening of the regional and global security, including Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's initiatives to shut down the Semipalatinsk nuclear testing site and abandoning the world's fourth nuclear arsenal. Besides, he noted the democratic reforms underway in Kazakhstan.

Kazakh Ambassador to France Nurlan Danenov winding up the conference briefed on the country's achievements for the 20 years of independence, growing role of Kazakhstan in the international arena in the light of new challenges of the 21^st century.

Members of the "France-Central Asia" friendship group, heads of diplomatic missions, accredited in Paris, French ambassadors to Central Asian countries, reps of Foreign Affairs Economy, Finance and Industry Ministries of France, state bodies, diplomatic corps, business, experts, public figures, journalists and students attended the conference.