ASTANA, Kazakhstan -

On 14-15 February, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), Miroslav Jenča, visited Astana and held meetings with Minister of Foreign Affairs Erlan Idrissov; Secretary of the Security Council Kairat Kozhamzharov; Assistant to the President Yerzhan Kazykhanov and other officials.

Talks in Astana focused on water/energy issues and the role of Kazakhstan in addressing them as well as on fight against terrorism and extremism, risks emanating from developments in Afghanistan with possible implications for Central Asian countries. Talks also touched upon interaction between UNRCCA and Kazakhstan within concrete activities in the fields of transboundary water management, counter terrorism and fight against illicit drugs. Both sides expressed commitment to continue cooperation.