ASTANA – Marco Rubio, a nominee for the United States Secretary of State post, spoke about repealing Cold War-era restrictions on Kazakhstan related to the Jackson-Vanik amendment, which restricted trade with certain countries in 1974, during the hearings in the U.S. Congress on Jan. 15, reported Khabar TV.
Marco Rubio. Photo credit: inform.kz
The amendment initially targeted the Soviet Union states, but later, it was lifted for most countries in the former SU. However, the restrictions still apply to Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan.
“I believe permanent removal requires legislative action,” said Rubio. “I think this is a relic of an era that passed.”
“Kazakhstan, which the Department of Commerce already said, is a market economy. It hosted the WTO [World Trade Organization] ministerial conference just a couple of years ago. They’ve met the conditions [for the removal of the amendment],” he added.
The question came from Senator Steve Daines, who said Central Asia remains a “neglected” region. He noted that Central Asian countries engage in multi-vector diplomacy and are interested in interacting with the U.S.
“We need more friends in Central Asia,” he added, expressing hopes that the dilaogue in a C5+1 format will continue under Donald Trump’s administration.
Rubio, 53, an American Republican politician from Florida, might the first Latino to serve as America’s top diplomat, if confirmed for the post.
