S. Korean president heads to Uzbekistan on state visit

By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, May 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak left for
Uzbekistan Sunday as part of his two-nation trip to Central Asia where he is
expected to seek increased support for Seoul's energy security.
The trip will also take Lee to Kazakhstan later in the week for a summit with
Kazak President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Lee's first trip to the region since he was inaugurated early last year also aims
to strengthen Seoul's ties with the countries under its diplomatic campaign
called the "New Asia Initiative," according to Seoul's presidential office Cheong
Wa Dae.
Under the initiative, Seoul aims to play a central role in representing the
interests of Asian nations in the international community. South Korea also plans
to sign free trade agreements with all major economies in the region to help
spearhead efforts to establish a regional network of economic ties.
Lee will hold talks with his Uzbek counterpart Islam Karimov on Monday to discuss
ways to strengthen their bilateral cooperation, Cheong Wa Dae said in an earlier
statement.
"President Lee will seek to reinforce our energy and resource diplomacy with the
countries, which have rich reserves of oil and various other mineral resources,
including uranium," it said.
"He will also seek to strengthen cooperation with Central Asia on global issues,
such as climate change and overcoming of the economic crisis."
During his three-day state visit to Tashkent, the South Korean president will
also hold a series of meetings with business and political leaders of Uzbekistan,
as well as Korean residents there.
He will arrive in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, on Tuesday for talks with
Nazarbayev before heading home Thursday.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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