Kazakh Foreign Minister Starts Turkmen Visit

Kazakh Foreign Minister Qasymzhomart Toqaev (file photo) (AFP) August 30, 2006 -- Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Qasymzhomart Toqaev has arrived in neighboring Turkmenistan for talks with President Saparmurat Niyazov and other officials.

Toqaev was welcomed at Ashgabat airport by his Turkmen counterpart, Rashid Meredov.

After visiting a mosque, he was taken to Niyazov's home village of Kipchak to pay his respects at the grave of the Turkmen leader's parents and brothers.

Earlier this week, on August 28, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said Toqaev's visit to Turkmenistan would focus on energy, transportation, and cultural cooperation.

Both sides are also due to exchange documents ratifying a border treaty signed by Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in 2001.

(Interfax-Kazakhstan, Kazinform)