Kazakhstan, Astana, May 13 / Trend A.Maratov /
Central Asia is an important region for NATO from a strategic point of view, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai said in Astana. He is on a two-day visit to Kazakhstan.
"Central Asia is an important strategic region for the organization. I am very pleased that I was appointed to this position and I am pleased to be in Kazakhstan for this post," he said after a meeting with Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Konstantin Zhigalov.
Appathurai said NATO considers Kazakhstan as an important partner in the region. "A two-year cycle of the project on a partnership is completed and we envisage a continuation of the program for another two years," Appathurai said.
Appathurai said they also discussed the issue of Afghanistan.
NATO will continue to carry out its mission in Afghanistan until 2014, during the transition period. "Subsequently, NATO will maintain its presence in this country, though in another capacity. We will act as a support for the changes that take place there. The most important thing is that we will not leave behind a security vacuum, but will remain there for as long as Afghanistan will not be able to provide its own security," Appathurai said.