Russian, Kazakh Leaders Discuss Energy, Nuclear Cooperation

Speaking to a news briefing after the talks, Nazarbaev invited Putin to his Central Asian country this summer to discuss cooperation in developing Kazakhstan's uranium fields.

Nazarbaev said his country is eager to take part in Russian plans to create an international uranium-enrichment center. Kazakhstan is a major uranium producer.

"We will together begin the development of Kazakh uranium fields, the enrichment and production of nuclear fuel," Nazarbaev said. "This is what the Russian president has talked about and what other countries wishing to develop peaceful nuclear technology can also join and use."

Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency are due to visit the proposed site in Siberia on March 20.

The meeting comes amid Russian concern at Kazakhstan's readiness to supply oil to Europe without going through Russia and to tap Caspian Sea reserves without Russian help.

(Interfax, ITAR-TASS)