Abu Dhabi, Feb. 16th, 2006 (WAM) - The United Arab Emiratesand the Republic of Kazakhstan today signed a joint cooperationaction plan in presence of General Sheikh Mohammed bin ZayedAl Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commanderof the UAE Armed Forces and Nursultan A. Nazarbayev, Presidentof Kazakhstan.

The agreement was signed by Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullahbin Zayed Al Nahyan and Karim Masimov, Deputy Prime Ministerof Kazakhstan.

The action plan calls for extending cooperation to cover vitalsector in Kazakhstan and to further strengthen bilateral tiesto the levels aspired by the governments and peoples of the twocountries.

The plan embarks on UAE's capabilities and track record indeveloping ambitious and successful industrial projects in Kazakhstan.

It also involves implementation of vital energy projects suchas industrial plants, exploration and processing of minerals.

Other aspects include ventures in infrastructure and telecomsectors.

The plan provides for setting up a joint venture to developa national centre for heart surgery in the Kazakh city of Astana,as well as funding of a project to build the national scientificcentre for maternity care and a pharmaceutical plant.

In the field of education, the two sides will join hands tobuild a state of the art academic complex to leverage knowledgeindustry in Kazakhstan.

Also on the cards are a media city, mixed-use towers, shoppingmalls and hotels.

The plan urges stronger cooperation between private sectorinstitutions in the two countries and exchange of visits by businessmento explore investment opportunities.

Attending the signing ceremony were Sheikh Tahnoun bin ZayedAl Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Amiri Flight, Dr Hanif HassanAl Qasimi, Minister of Education, Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak,Members of Executive Council and Chairman of Abu Dhabi CivilService Department, senior officials, members of the delegationaccompanying Kazakhstan President and Kazakhstan's AmbassadorAskar Mussinov.

Earlier, a round of talks was held between the two countries.

The UAE side was led by Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed, while Kazakhstan'sside was headed by Karim Masimov.