HL Deb 11 October 2004 vol 665 c6WA
Lord Kilclooney

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress has been made to relocate the British Embassy in Astana, the new capital of Kazakhstan; and whether it will be a United Kingdom representation or one shared with other European Union nations. [HL4134]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The Government have publicly committed themselves to move their embassy from Almaty to Astana. As a first step, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office opened an embassy liaison office in February 2004. A team from the UK plans to visit Kazakhstan before the end of this year to identify suitable premises for opening an Embassy in Astana. Our existing embassy in Almaty—where we plan to retain a consulate—is co-located with the French and German Embassies. Should suitable opportunities arise in Astana, we will look to co-locate with EU partners again.