Kazakhstan-U.S. strategic partnership

Secretary Clinton expressed gratitude for Kazakhstan's support for international efforts to stabilize Afghanistan and singled out the constructive role played by Kazakhstan in developing the Northern Distribution Network (NDN) and its assistance to Afghanistan's security forces. She also expressed appreciation for Kazakhstan's global leadership on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, the Kazakh MFA's press service said.

Mrs Clinton described Kazakhstan as an important player in key issues of international security and noted the remarkable progress made by Kazakhstan since the 1990s when she first visited the country. She also praised the work of Minister Idrissov as Ambassador to the US in strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Kazakhstan's relations with the US were also the focus of attention on September 28 at a meeting in New York to review the work underway in the Kazakhstan-U.S. Strategic Partnership Dialogue took Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Umarov led Kazakhstan's delegation, while the U.S. team was headed by Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake.
The review covered a wide range of issues including Afghanistan, non-proliferation and cooperation between Kazakhstan and the US in the trade and economic sphere, on science and technology and on humanitarian issues.
The Strategic Partnership Dialogue was established following an agreement in January this year between then Foreign Minister Yerzhan Kazykhanov and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The inaugural meeting of the Dialogue took place in April.

The U.S. side also expressed gratitude to Kazakhstan for its support on Afghanistan, both in the provision of humanitarian, financial and technical aid to the Afghan government, and through regional initiatives aimed at stabilizing and developing Afghanistan's economy. Particular note was made of Kazakhstan's role in promoting the "New Silk Road" initiative and in developing regional confidence-building measures through the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) as well as its participation in the Istanbul Process on Afghanistan.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the consistent implementation of joint agreements between Kazakhstan and the U.S. and suggested ways to further strengthen the relationship. In particular, it was agreed that joint measures to develop trade and economic cooperation should be intensified, with a focus on attracting US investment and technology into Kazakhstan.

Bilateral trade has grown five times since 2001 from $500 million to $2.5 billion in 2011. U.S. exports to Kazakhstan also continue to grow. Last year they increased 13% to $825 million.

The delegations also agreed to form a joint working group on science and technology, which will meet on a regular basis and implement a bilateral agreement to further cooperation in these areas.

Energy cooperation, including the peaceful use of nuclear energy and alternative energy, will be discussed at the next meeting of the Kazakhstan-U.S. Energy Partnership Commission, scheduled to be held in Washington D.C. on October 15-16. The next meeting of the Strategic Partnership Dialogue will be held in Astana in 2013.