EU foreign ministers backed a German initiative to boost cooperation with energy-rich Central Asia on Monday.

The strategy for closer ties with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan was prompted by worries the European Union was lagging rivals in competition for Central Asian energy supplies.

It was endorsed by foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg and is certain now to get a final stamp of approval from a summit meeting of EU leaders in Brussels this week.

The plan notes the need for the EU to diversify energy supplies and calls for regular contacts between foreign ministers of the two regions to deepen ties.

It also calls for a "results orientated" dialogue on human rights while offering to support educational development and oil and gas exploration with a view to establishing new pipelines.