ASTANA – Kazakh and United States officials confirmed their mutual interest in intensifying cooperation in politics, security, and trade areas and strengthening Enhanced Strategic Partnership dialogue during July 12-13 meetings in Washington, D.C., reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service.
Kazakh and U.S. delegations addressed prospects for bilateral cooperation. Photo credit: Kazakh Foreign Ministry.
At the meetings with U.S. partners, Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Umarov and Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security of the Mazhilis of the Kazakh Parliament Aigul Kuspan addressed approaches to the implementation of Kazakhstan’s initiative to create the International Agency for Biological Safety.
During the talks with Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul and Co-Chairs of «Friends of Kazakhstan» Caucus at the Congress Jimmy Panetta and Robert Aderholt, the parties focused on intensifying the work on establishing permanent normal Kazakh – U.S. trade relations and repealing the Jackson-Vanik amendment, a 1974 provision in U.S. federal law intended to affect U.S. trade relations with countries with non-market economies (originally, countries of the Soviet Union), that restricted emigration rights, and still in effect for numerous countries today. The parties agreed on the importance of developing inter-parliamentary ties.
During the meeting with the leadership of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the sides highlighted the importance of a partnership between the KazAID (Kazakhstan Agency for International Development) and USAID. The parties expressed interest in developing the Trans-Caspian route and energy transition in Kazakhstan.
The delegation also held a number of meetings with representatives of leading U.S. think tanks and non-governmental organizations.
