KABUL - The Kazakh minister for emergency situations discussed with President Hamid Karzai expansion of economic links between the two countries, the president's office said on Monday.
Since wheat production in Kazakhstan was far more than its consumption, the Kazakh government would export some of the commodity to Afghanistan, Vladimir Karpovich said.
Needing only eight tonnes of wheat a year, Kazakhstan's production this year was more than 25 million tonnes, a statement from the Presidential Palace said.

A railway line with Turkmenistan would be constructed in the winter, paving the ground for the import of fabric and other items into Afghanistan, the statement added.

Flights between Afghanistan and Kazakhstan would be operated as soon as possible, said the Kazakh minister, leading a high-ranking delegation.

He conveyed the Kazakh president's condolences to Karzai over the assassination of High Peace Council chairman Prof. Burhanuddin Rabbani. He called Rabbani's killing a huge loss for Afghanistan.

Karzai noted with satisfaction that trade ties between the two countries had considerably improved over the past 10 years. "We will welcome whatever step is taken for the development of bilateral ties."