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Kazakh Foreign Minister urges US corporations to cooperate in green technology development

Kazakhstan Materials 9 July 2013 14:22 (UTC +04:00)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrisov arrived in Washington on an official visit
Kazakh Foreign Minister urges US corporations to cooperate in green technology development

Kazakhstan, Astana, July 9 / Trend D.Mukhtarov /

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrisov arrived in Washington on an official visit, the press service of the Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

"The Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan met with the management of the largest US companies operating in Kazakhstan who are interested in developing cooperation with the country," the ministry's report said.

During the joint meeting, Idrisov urged the leading US corporations to support the development of appropriate infrastructure and 'green' technology in Kazakhstan, as well as to participate in the forthcoming Expo-2017 international exhibition.

Idrisov also met with U.S. Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel, national security adviser Susan Rice and her deputy Antony Blinken.

The two sides discussed a wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation, including military and technical cooperation, issues of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, regional and international security and assistance to restore peace in Afghanistan.

Idrisov noted the fruitful work of the defence ministries of Kazakhstan and the United States under the five-year cooperation plan for 2013-2017 and stressed the importance of further cooperation in military education, military and technical cooperation, and cyber security. In order to further deepen cooperation in the defence field, the sides also agreed to explore the possibility of exchange of visits by the defence ministers of the two countries.

Discussing the Afghan issue, the Kazakh Foreign Minister said that Kazakhstan is a reliable regional partner of the United States on stabilising the situation in Afghanistan.

"The contribution of Kazakhstan is well known. We have assisted the development of the Northern Distribution Network, supported the 'New Silk Way' initiative, successfully held the Ministerial Conference of the Istanbul Process, provided humanitarian and technical assistance to Afghanistan, and we provide logistical support to US efforts on transit both to Afghanistan and the opposite direction," he said.

In turn, the U.S. Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel praised the comprehensive strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the United States and expressed gratitude to the leadership of the country for efforts towards Afghanistan's restoration.

"President Obama highly appreciates Kazakhstan and understands the important role of this country," he said.

According to Deputy Adviser on National Security Antony Blinken, the U.S. has established 'deep and extensive relationships' with Kazakhstan and Washington adheres to further strengthening of the bilateral partnership.

At the meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman the supply of certain types of food production in Kazakhstan, cooperation on the implementation of the Framework Agreement on Trade and Investment, as well as the country's entry into the World Trade Organisation were discussed. Idrisov noted that Kazakhstan had done much work to meet all the standards of the World Trade Organisation and hopes for an early accession to this organization.

During the visit, the Kazakh minister of foreign affairs met with U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman, vice president of the World Bank Laura Frigenti, as well as spoke at a round table on 'Current condition and priorities of foreign policy of Kazakhstan' which was organised by the think tank US Atlantic Council.

The Atlantic Council's round table brought together the major political figures and prominent representatives of the expert community of the US. These included White House and Congress representatives, leading media outlets and the heads of think tanks including former U.S. national security advisors Zbigniew Brzezinski and James L. Jones as well as Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Robert Hormats who participated at the meeting with the Kazakhstan Minister of Foreign Affairs.

According to Hormats, the key interests of the two countries are the same and Kazakhstan is not just an emerging economy. This country has also strengthened as a regional power and is the locomotive of economic development of the Central Asian region.

Meetings with the managements of the State Department, the Department of Energy, the Organisation of American States and members of U.S. Congress, as well as interviews with leading US media outlets are planned for the second day of Idrisov's visit.

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