Press Release: Ferrero-Waldner to attend EU-Central Asia ministerial Troika 27/28 March

The EU Troika will meet its Central Asian counterparts on 28 March 2007 in Astana, Kazakhstan, to open a new chapter in EU-Central Asia relations. For the first time the EU is meeting the Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kirgizstan all at the same time. On the agenda are items that will be central to the new EU strategy on Central Asia, including economic and trade issues, security, education, democracy, rule of law and human rights, energy and the environment as well as regional issues (Afghanistan and Iran). In tandem with the plenary session, bilateral meetings with all Foreign Ministers will also take place. The EU intends to demonstrate the growing significance of relations with Central Asia by more than doubling assistance to the region in the period 2007-2013, with a total of €750 million.