Poland seeks closer Kazakh energy ties

WARSAW, Poland, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Waldemar Pawlak is to visit Kazakhstan Friday to discuss boosting bilateral trade, including energy.

The Polish News Agency reported Thursday that Pawlak is to meet with Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov.

Pawlak is accompanied by two Konfederacja Pracodawcow Polskich (Confederation of Polish Employers - KPP) deputy presidents, Polskie Gornictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo (Polish Oil and Gas Mining - iPGNiG) CEO Michal Szubski and ArcelorMittal Poland director Miroslaw Motyka. The Polish delegation also includes Kompania Weglowa SA coal company CEO Miroslaw Kugiel and Jastrzebska Spolka Weglowa coal company board Grzegorz Czornik as well as representatives of the pharmaceutical, food and construction sectors as well as research and development units.

The Polish delegation will participate in the Polish-Kazakh economic forum and the Polish-Kazakh intergovernmental commission, which is co-chaired by Pawlak and Kazakh deputy Foreign Minister Rapil Zhoshybayev. A key topic for the Polish representatives will be how to expand Polish investment in Kazakhstan's energy sector, which is negligible. Poland is currently Kazakhstan's 19th largest trading partner.