By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak will visit Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan from May 10 to 14 to discuss joint projects to develop energy resources, Cheong Wa Dae announced Monday.
``Lee will visit Uzbekistan from May 10 to 12 and Kazakhstan from May 12 to 14. During the state visits, he will work to bolster substantive cooperation with these two Central Asian countries,'' the office said in a statement.
The trip, his first to the region since his inauguration in February last year, is aimed at further promoting his government's New Asia Initiative.
Under the initiative, unveiled during Lee's visit to Jakarta in early March, Seoul aims to play a central role in representing the interests of Asian nations in the international arena. South Korea also plans to conclude free trade agreements with all Asian countries and establish a green growth belt in the Asia-Pacific region.
President Lee will arrive in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on May 10 and have a meeting with Korean residents.
The following day he will hold a summit with President Islam Karimov to discuss ways to step up economic cooperation, including the development of the Surgil gas reserves and other projects to develop energy resources as well as modernize Navoi Airport.
After the summit, Lee will deliver a speech at a luncheon with business leaders, hold discussions with young people, lay a wreath at the Monument of Independence and attend a dinner hosted by President Karimov.
On May 12, Lee will tour Samarkand, a central city on the Silk Road, before departing for Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, Cheong Wa Dae said.
Upon arrival, Lee plans to hold a meeting with Korean business people accompanying him regarding Korea-Kazakhstan economic cooperation. The next day, he will meet with President Nursultan Nazarbayev for a summit, which will focus on Korea's participation in the joint exploration of the Jambil maritime oil block in the Caspian Sea as well as a joint venture for the construction of a coal-fired power plant in Balkhash.
Lee will also attend a luncheon hosted by President Nazarbayev, deliver a speech at the Korea-Kazakhstan Business Forum, pay tribute to the memorial of Kazakh patriots and meet with Kazakh citizens of Korean ancestry as well as Korean residents, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
``During the visit, 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,'' a Cheong Wa Dae spokesman said. ``Lee will also seek to strengthen cooperation with Central Asia on global issues, such as climate change and overcoming the economic crisis.