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Brussels, 29 November 2002

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Since it became independent in 1991, Kazakhstan has received more than ¼  million in technical and other assistance from the EU to promote political and economic reform. Kazakhstan will continue to benefit from EU technical assistance through Tacis under the new EU Strategy for Central Asia, with a budget for 2002- 2006 totalling 250 million for the region as a whole. President Prodi pointed out that the EU is one of the two biggest investors in Kazakhstan, and the world’s biggest importer of Kazakh products (¼  ELOOLRQ LQ 2001). President Prodi noted that Kazakhstan’s impressive economic growth (13,2% in 2001, and 9 % expected for 2002), in large part due to the country’s energy reserves, provides it with an opportunity to achieve important steps forward in its economic, social and political development. President Prodi also commended Kazakhstan for its constructive role in various regional cooperation initiatives as well as in the global fight against terrorism. The EU’s main objective in Central Asia is to promote regional stability by means of poverty reduction and by fostering cooperation between the countries of the region. The two Presidents also assessed the situation in Afghanistan, and agreed that the drugs output remains a matter of great concern to the international community Regarding political developments in Kazakhstan, President Prodi expressed concerns as to Kazakhstan’s commitment to shared values in the field of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, and he referred in that respect to the increasingly difficult conditions for mass media and critical political opposition to operate in Kazakhstan. He noted that the law on political parties and the law on mass media pose restrictions on political activity and press freedom in Kazakhstan. President Nazarbayev invited international observers, such as from the OSCE and the EU, to come to Kazakhstan and assess democratic conditions.