Kazakh Foreign Minister Kasymzhomart Tokayev has met with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington to discuss ways to further bolster the two countries\' strategic partnership and preparations for Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev\'s visit to the United States in autumn, the Kazakh embassy in the U.S. said in a press release. The U.S. administration is looking forward to the visit by the Kazakh head of state, the release quotes Rice as saying. Kazakhstan is a strong partner for the United States and plays a leading role in development processes in Central Asia, she said. Tokayev confirmed his country\'s commitment to more actively contributing to regional integration initiatives. He briefed Rice on the volume of Kazakhstan\'s investment in neighboring countries and efforts being made by the Kazakh government to help bring the situation in Afghanistan back to normal. Kazakhstan backed the U.S.-led anti-terrorist coalition in Afghanistan and granted over-flight rights to military and civilian airplanes of the United States and those of its allies, the Kazakh minister said. \"Over the past few months, Kazakhstan has been quite broadly involved in international efforts to assist the authorities of Afghanistan in securing economic progress and ensuring stability in the country,\" Tokayev said. (Interfax-Kazakhstan)