Brussels, 27/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - The EU and Kazakhstan opened negotiations on a new partnership agreement on Monday 27 June. This will be more far-reaching and ambitious than the current partnership and cooperation agreement which has been in force since 1999, said Polish Foreign Minister Rados³aw Sikorski on Monday after the EU-Kazakhstan Cooperation Council in Brussels. The meeting was attended by Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Yerbol Orynbayev and chaired by Sikorski, replacing Catherine Ashton. “Kazakhstan is an important player for the EU, particularly in energy …The new agreement will advance relations in all fields”, the Polish ministers told press. (H.B./transl.rt)