The administrative center of the Kazakh capital, Astana (file photo) (epa)
September 1, 2006 -- Central Asian leaders are gathering in the Kazakh capital, Astana, ahead of a regional summit scheduled for September 2.
The informal meeting will bring together the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan for talks expected to focus on economic and other issues.
Kyrgyzstan's national news agency, Kabar, says one of the most important topics on the leaders' agenda will be the creation of an international consortium to manage the region's water resources.
The four presidents today inaugurated Astana's Peace and Concord Palace, where an international conference on world religions is due to take place later this month.
(Interfax-Kazakhstan, press-uz.info, Asia Plus, Kabar)
RFE/RL Central Asia Report
RFE/RL Central Asia Report
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