The Secretary-General met today, 19 September 2010, with H.E. Mr. Kanat Saudabayev, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Secretary-General and the Foreign Minister discussed the importance of regional and international partnership in ensuring the stability and long-term development in Kazakhstan. The Secretary-General thanked Kazakhstan for its leadership in this regard as Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation and Europe (OSCE) and expressed support for the forthcoming OSCE Summit in Astana.

The Secretary-General thanked the Foreign Minister for the support rendered by Kazakhstan to the work of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia. The Secretary-General also expressed gratitude to the Foreign Minister for his country's commitment towards improving conditions in Afghanistan and commended Kazakhstan for its leadership in establishing the International Day against Nuclear Tests.