18/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner will be in Kazakhstan on 19 and 20 October for talks with President Nursultan Nazarbaev, Foreign Minister Kasymzhomart Tokaev and other leading members of the government. In Almaty, she will also meet leaders of opposition parties, as well as representatives of NGOs. The European Union is seeking to strengthen its partnership with the country and the region as a whole and it is probable that a new strategy for Central Asia will be adopted in 2007. The Commission recognises progress made by Kazakhstan in its move towards democratisation and is willing to support other reforms through a more intensive political dialogue and the sharing of expertise, states a note from the Commission, published on Wednesday. “Given the EU's increasing reliance on energy imports and the necessity to develop multiple sources of supply and transit routes, Kazakhstan's growing export potential in hydrocarbons will make it a key partner in the EU energy market”, the Commission stresses. During her visit, Ms Ferrero-Waldner will also seek to gain Kazakhstan's support for the development of the Trans-Caspian energy transit corridor across the Black Sea and for the Odessa-Brody-Plock pipeline. (hb)