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Foreign Minister Steinmeier Travels to Central Asia

Arrival: Foreign Minister Steinmeier arrives on the first leg of his tour to Central Asia.

On Monday Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier left for a five-day tour of Central Asia (30 Oct. – 4 Nov.), which will take him to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

The Federal Government is currently working on preparations for Germany's EU Council Presidency in the first six months of 2007. In this connection it plans to focus more strongly on Central Asia in line with the region's growing importance.

In close consultation with the current Finnish Presidency and the European Commission, Minister Steinmeier will therefore be visiting all five countries of Central Asia, the first German foreign minister ever to do so. The insights he brings back will feed into the ongoing discussions within the EU over the prospects for enhanced cooperation with the countries of Central Asia.

The Minister's agenda for his political talks with government representatives includes human rights and rule of law issues as well as intercultural dialogue. He will also be meeting representatives of civil society as well as the political and cultural community.

Minister Steinmeier is accompanied by a business delegation mainly from the energy and infrastructure sectors. For the countries of Central Asia the EU is already their number one trading partner and there is ample scope for further growth.

In Astana (Kazakhstan) a business forum designed to expand economic relations with the region will be held on 31 Oct. German and European companies have the potential to play a major role in helping Central Asian countries to develop and diversify their economies.

November 2, 2006

Government & Politics