U.S. eyes strengthen ties with Kazakhstan

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana on Tuesday.

"We have built very good and reliable long-term partnerships in so many strategically important areas like security, energy, trade and investments," Tokayev told Blinken as they met at the imposing presidential palace.

In the morning Blinken also held talks with Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi.

From Kazakhstan, the official will travel to Uzbekistan and then to India. Blinken's visit to the capitals of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is his first to the region as the Biden administration's top diplomat.