Arab League eyes representative office in Astana

A representative office of the Arab League will open in Astana, Tengrinews.kz reports citing Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry. On March 5 Kazakhstan ambassador Berik Aryn met with the Secretary General of the Arab League Nabil Elaraby in Cairo. During the meeting Kazakhstan diplomat passed a message of Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Kazykhanov on accreditation of a permanent representative of Kazakhstan to the Arab League. Aryn confirmed Kazakhstan's interest in enhancement and expansion of the cooperation with Arab countries and the Arab League that plays an important role at the international arena. In this context the diplomat told the Secretary General about the plans to open new diplomatic missions of Kazakhstan in several Arab countries. They also discussed holding of the Economic Forum of Arab and Central Asian Countries + Azerbaijan in Er-Riyadh in the first half of October 2012. The Forum was initiated by Saudi Arabia. The parties also discussed opening of the regional representative office of the Arab League in Central Asia with residency in Astana.