RK Ambassador met Swiss Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Ambassador of Vatican

ASTANA. February 26. KAZINFORM Upon the completion of diplomatic mission, Kazakhstan Ambassador to the Swiss Confederation and to Vatican Amanzhol Zhankuliyev met yesterday with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland Pierre Helg and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps accredited in Switzerland Francisco Kanalini who is also Ambassador of Vatican, Kazinform has learnt from the press service of the Kazakh MFA.

In the course of the meeting P. Helg highlighted leading role of Kazakhstan in Central Asia, its big economic and political potential. ?It has become an important partner for Switzerland?, he said. Annual growth of commodity turnover between the two countries which made USD 2.5 bln in 2008 sets the best pattern of this. The Swiss Diplomat noted that Astana became an important partner for Bern in many directions. Issues of strengthening partnership between Kazakhstan and Vatican were discussed at the meeting with Ambassador of this country to Switzerland Francisco Kanalini. According to him, Head of the Catholic Church Benedict XVI highly appreciated President Nursultan Nazarbayev?s initiative on convocation of the Congress of the World and Traditional Religions? Leaders which had become a bridge of friendship and dialogue among the representatives of different religions and confessions. A. Zhankuliyev told about the main outlines of ?Path to Europe? State Program called to promote further development of cooperation with EU countries.