Kazakhstan Sec of State pays visit to Norway

ASTANA. March 24. KAZINFORM – Secretary of State of Kazakhstan Kanat Saudabayev is paying a working visit to Norway, President?s Press Service informed Kazinform.

The Secretary of State held meetings with Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store, Vice-Minister of Petroleum and Energy Monica Stubholdt, members of the Committee for International Affairs of the Storting, Committee Chairman Olav Alsecsen and the head of Norwegian delegation to OSCE Parliament Assembly Morten Hoglund. During the talks Mr. Saudabayev and Mr. Store emphasized that the two countries should conduct close coordination of the efforts on international level, especially in such spheres as nonproliferation of WMD, ensuring sustainable development of the Central Asian region, post-conflict rehabilitation of Afghanistan, and forthcoming OSCE chairmanship by Kazakhstan in 2010. Kazakh delegate noted that Kazakhstan studied Norwegian experience of OSCE chairmanship. In September 2008 and in March 2009 Kazakhstan specialists had training at the Foreign Ministry of Norway. It was noted that opening of full-scale Norwegian Embassy in Kazakhstan would ensure lasting political dialogue between the countries. Official opening of the Embassy with participation of Crown Prince of Norway Haakon and Jonas Store is scheduled for June 2009. The diplomats also touched upon the interparliamentary relations and emphasized the importance to keep the high level and dynamics of this partnership.