King of Belgium received Kazakh Ambassador

BRUSSELS. February 10. KAZINFORM /Yerzhan Ospanov/ King of Belgium Albert II received Kazakh Ambassador to Belgium Konstantin Zhigalov on the occasion of the completion of his diplomatic mission in the country, Kazinform reports.

The Head of the State noted that he warmly recalls the meeting with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, held in December 2006 in Brussels. The visit started a new stage of bilateral cooperation that has developed essentially in recent years in political and trade-economic spheres. A visit of Prince Fillip to Kazakhstan in 2011 with a delegation of businessmen will further development of cooperation. K.Zhigalov praised the support provided by Belgium in the preparation of Kazakhstan to the OSCE chairmanship in 2010. He noted that the accomplishment of the diplomat's mission coincides with the period of Belgium?s presidency in the European Union. In this regard Albert II was briefed on the content of ?The Road to Europe? State program that is Astana?s reply for the EU Strategy of New Partnership in Central Asia and coming chairmanship of Kazakhstan in the OSCE. At the end of the meeting the King presented K.Zhigalov high state award ? the Grand Cross of the Crown Order ? for special contribution to the development of bilateral cooperation.