Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman will leave today (11 October 2009) on an official visit to Kazakhstan and Austria.

During his visit to Kazakhstan, FM Liberman will meet with President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Prime Minister Karim Massimov, Secretary of State and Foreign Minister Kanat Bekmurzayevich Saudabayev and Chairman of the Senate Kasymzhomart Tokaev and other officials.

Beginning January 2010, Kazakhstan will hold the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the OCSE. From January 2011, Kazakhstan will hold the chairmanship of the OIC, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, which groups 57 Moslem countries, most of the Moslem countries in the world. During his meetings with the senior Kazakh officials, FM Liberman will discuss means of strengthening cooperation with regard to their chairmanship of these organizations, as well as within the framework of other organizations such as the CICA – the Conference on Interand Confidence Building Measures in Asia that was founded by President Nazarbayev.

During his visit to Vienna, FM Liberman will meet with Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger. The two foreign ministers will discuss bilateral and other issues.  

FM Liberman stated that it is extremely important for Israel to strengthen relations with moderate Moslem states such as Kazakhstan. These countries prove that a genuine dialogue can be established and significant cooperation can be achieved between Israel and Moslem states.

FM Liberman is due to return to Israel on Thursday, 15 October.