ISTANBUL

The EU on Thursday said that a “peaceful and prosperous” South Caucasus is vital for stronger links between Europe and Central Asia amid a visit by European Council President Antonio Costa to Kazakhstan.

Costa expressed the EU's appreciation for Kazakhstan's "active and constructive" role in regional stability, particularly its support for the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process, according to a statement released by the European Council following his talks with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in the country’s capital, Astana.

“A peaceful and prosperous South Caucasus is vital for stronger links between Europe and Central Asia,” Costa said.

Expressing that the cooperation between the EU and Central Asia is entering a “new phase of deepening our engagement,” Costa noted that he and Tokayev are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the signing of the enhanced partnership and cooperation deal between Astana and Brussels.

He underlined that the deal, for the EU, was the first of its kind with a Central Asian country, further saying that this agreement remains the “solid foundation of our growing cooperation.”

“The EU is the first trade partner for Kazakhstan, and also its first foreign investor. Kazakhstan, as third largest oil and uranium supplier for the European Union, is a key partner for our energy security. Our partnership is delivering concrete results,” he added.

He recalled the launch of negotiations on a visa facilitation agreement between Kazakhstan and the EU earlier this week, adding that Astana is a key regional transport connectivity hub and has “an essential role in ensuring the completion of the Trans-Caspian Corridor.

Tokayev, for his part, described his talks with Costa earlier in the day as productive, further saying they were held in an open and constructive atmosphere.

"Kazakhstan and the European Union enjoy comprehensive cooperation based on trust and mutual understanding. We addressed a wide range of issues and reaffirmed our unwavering commitment to taking our partnership to a qualitatively new level," Tokayev was quoted as saying by a separate statement issued by Kazakhstan's presidential press service, Akorda.

Noting that he and Costa agreed on measures to further expand and diversify trade and investment ties between Kazakhstan and the EU, Tokayev said: "We are confident that together we can transform Kazakhstan into a key transport hub in Eurasia, which will benefit all parties."

"We also discussed opportunities to ensure energy security and stable energy supplies. An agreement was reached to expand cooperation in new areas of energy partnership, such as critical minerals, nuclear energy, petrochemicals, and renewable energy," he added.

Kazakhstan and the EU signed an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement in 2015.