Lee to visit Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan next week

SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak plans to visit
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan May 10-14 to discuss closer energy cooperation with the
two Central Asian countries, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Monday.

The trip, his first to the region since his inauguration last year, is aimed at
further promoting his government's "New Asia Initiative," Cheong Wa Dae said in a
press statement.
Under the initiative, unveiled during Lee's visit to Jakarta in early March,
Seoul aims to play a central role in representing the interest of Asian nations
in the international arena. South Korea would also conclude free trade agreements
with all Asian countries and establish a green growth belt in the Asian-Pacific
region.
According to the statement, Lee will fly to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan,
on May 10 and hold a summit with Uzbek President Islam Karimov on the following
day to discuss various bilateral cooperation projects, including development of
new gas fields and airport modernization.
Following a three-day visit to Uzbekistan, Lee plans to arrive in Astana, the
capital of Kazakhstan, on May 12, where he will hold a series of meetings with
Kazakh political and business leaders.
On May 13, Lee will hold a summit with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev for
discussions on expanding cooperation in various infrastructure and energy
projects, including the construction of a thermal power plant and a joint
exploration of the Zambil mine on the coast of the Caspian, the Cheong Wa Dae
statement said.
Lee will return home on May 14.
"Lee will further reinforce energy and resource diplomacy with the two Central
Asian countries known to be rich in oil and various mineral resources, including
uranium and iron ore," said a Cheong Wa Dae official.
"Through the upcoming visit, Lee will also seek to strengthen cooperation with
Central Asia on global issues, such as climate change and overcoming of the
economic crisis," said the official.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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