During 28 January - 5 February 2012, Mr. Jullapong Nonsrichai, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, led the Thai delegation in an official visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The Vice Minister met with Mr. Kairat Sarybay, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, who was pleased to learn that Thailand is in the process of opening the Royal Thai Embassy in Astana by the year 2012. The two sides believe that the opening of the Royal Thai Embassy in Astana will help expand relations and cooperation between the two countries. Kazakhstan will upgrade the Head of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Thailand to the Ambassadorial level. Both sides also agreed to intensify bilateral cooperation in various areas, including energy, tourism, trade and investment and to organize the 2nd Meeting of the Second Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation between Thailand and Kazakhstan in Thailand. Both sides also agreed to extend cooperation in regional fora, namely the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
In Uzbekistan, the Vice Minister paid a courtesy call on Mr. Kamilov Khafinovich, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and later met with Mr. Akmal Karim, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade. Both sides agreed to expedite the signing of the Agreement on Cooperation in Tourism and the Agreement on Cooperation in Cultures and Sports, and to expand cooperation in economic areas, such as automobile industry and auto parts, agriculture, energy, infrastructure development, tourism.
The Vice Minister co-chaired the 2nd Political Consultation with Mr. Usmanov Arivbekovich, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC), organize the 2nd Meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation between Thailand and Uzbekistan in Thailand, and discuss the opening of the Royal Thai Embassy in Tashkent.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are major players in the Central Asian region. Thailand established diplomatic relations with the two countries 6 July and 6 May 1992 respectively. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations with the two countries.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th