ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest covers the Azerbaijani-Armenian talks in Almaty, Kazakh-U.S. cooperation, and more.
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Kazakhstan and U.S. strategy
The National Interest published an article on May 1 about the U.S. engagement with the Central Asian region, notably with Kazakhstan, authored by Kamran Bokhari, a Senior Director of Eurasian Security and Prosperity at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy in Washington.
“U.S. efforts to forge closer ties to Central Asia greatly hinge on its relations with Kazakhstan. The country has the largest economy in the region and is already a middle power. Astana is also a rising international player eager to be a partner of the United States and its allies. Two factors will determine how Washington will enhance ties with Astana. First, both sides must find the optimal midpoint between what the Kazakhs seek from the United States and what Washington can deliver on. Second, Kazakhstan must balance existing relations with Russia and China with its efforts to grow closer to the United States. At a time of intensifying great power rivalry, the U.S.-Kazakhstan relationship becomes crucial. While both sides, for their own reasons, will need to navigate the path forward carefully, there are certain key areas in which they can make progress in the short term,” the article reads.
Singaporean Global DTC presents digital platform of Middle Corridor
The Singaporean Global DTC has presented the multimodal platform Digital Trade Corridor and the Tez Customs platform of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, reported Trend on May 2.
According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, event participants learned about the DTC platform’s functionality, particularly the Track & Trace service, which allows shippers and forwarders to track cargo location and customs status online, as well as update information on transport documents along the entire route.
The platform’s technical integration for Track & Trace in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan has already been completed, and work on integration with Georgia is ongoing. Negotiations are also ongoing with the Chinese and European sides.
Kazakhstan Ambassador and Pakistan’s Economic Affairs Minister discuss bilateral ties
WeNews released an article on April 29 about a meeting between Yerzhan Kistafin, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Pakistan, and Ahad Khan Cheema, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, to discuss bilateral relations and matters of mutual interest.
“Cheema warmly welcomed the envoy, emphasizing the longstanding bonds of brotherhood, cultural affinity, and mutual respect shared between the two countries since the establishment of bilateral ties in February 1992,” the article reads.
Minister Cheema underlined the steady increase in bilateral trade volume, highlighting the need for further measures to fully tap into the existing trade potential between the two countries. He stressed the significance of reciprocal visits by business representatives and investors to boost bilateral trade and investment opportunities.
Kazakhstan steps in: Bridging the Armenia-Azerbaijan divide
In what could prove to be a decisive breakthrough in the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the two countries have agreed to talks between their foreign ministers, hosted by Kazakhstan. At their meeting in Almaty, the ministers will be tasked with preparing a peace treaty, aze.media reported on May 2.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has expressed his country’s readiness to assist in facilitating peace treaty negotiations and called for the establishment of a long-term peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“I proceed from the understanding that the upcoming meeting will contribute to the practical implementation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian agreements and will contribute to the soonest establishment of a lasting peace in the South Caucasus”, he said.
