NUR-SULTAN -- European Council President Donald Tusk has continued his Central Asian tour with a visit to Kazakhstan, where he held talks with interim President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev.
Toqaev said at the May 31 talks that his country will continue its "course toward a comprehensive and constructive partnership with the European Union," according to the Kazakh presidential website.
Tusk called Kazakhstan an "important and stable partner not only in the region, but also on the global level."
Tusk arrived in Kazakhstan's capital, Nur-Sultan, from Tajikistan, where he discussed cooperation with President Emomali Rahmon.
After Kazakhstan, Tusk will wind up his tour with a stop in Uzbekistan.
The European Council earlier said that during his May 29-June 2 Central Asian tour, Tusk would hold talks with Rahmon, Toqaev, former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev, and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev.
The council statement said Tusk's trip is "a further expression of the EU's commitment to stronger partnerships with the region and the individual countries," adding that during his talks, Tusk would focus on regional and bilateral cooperation, climate change, the environment, border management, and regional security.
Tusk's trip to the three former Soviet republics comes two weeks after the European Union launched its new Central Asian strategy.
