Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev Visits Washington, D.C. for Consultations with U.S. Administration
Source: Embassy of Kazakhstan
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kanat Saudabayev paid his first official visit to the United States on February 2-4, 2010 in his new capacity – the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. The original goal of the visit was to present Kazakhstan’s vision of the OSCE priorities in 2010 and discuss bilateral agenda between Kazakhstan and the United States on the eve of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev visit to the United States in April.
All these topics have been discussed during meetings with National Security Advisor General James Jones, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, and the US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke. Kanat Saudabayev also met with American congressmen, business elites and Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams. The two discussed Peace Corps’ current programs in Kazakhstan and opportunities for Peace Corps and Kazakhstan to expand their partnership.
Recognizing political traditions established in DC, Kanat Saudabayev presented priorities of Kazakhstan’s OSCE Chairmanship at the Helsinki Commission of the US Congress and shared Kazakhstan’s vision of geopolitics in Eurasia at one of the most prominent US think tanks – the Atlantic Council.
Meetings with representatives of Obama Administration
The central meeting of Kanat Saudabayev’s visit to Washington was negotiations with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on February 4. In her remarks before the meeting Hillary Clinton “welcomed the foreign minister from Kazakhstan, a country of great strategic importance with whom the United States has developed a closer and closer relationship”.
“I want to say that today is a special day in our relations. We are beginning our talks right now to discuss the future of our relations and to lay the ground for a meeting between the presidents of the two countries, President Barack Obama and President Nazarbayev, which is supposed to open a new stage in the relations between Kazakhstan and the United States. And I’d like to say a special thank you to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for her leadership, for her kindness, and for her commitment to strengthening the Kazakhstan-United States relationship. And we look forward to working with you in Kazakhstan”, said Kanat Saudabayev in response.
At the meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Kanat Saudabayev stressed the U.S. role in the OSCE as the key to the renewed security dialogue launched in the Organization. “I was encouraged to hear Secretary Clinton’s strong support for the OSCE, in particular for the Organization’s work to renew European security dialogue and the importance of the forum provided by the OSCE within the framework of the Corfu process”, informed Kanat Saudabayev after the meeting.
Highlighting the Corfu process Saudabayev stressed that “all participating States have embraced the process, demonstrating a political will to preserve a co-operative and indivisible security in wider Europe.” He emphasized the importance of holding the OSCE Summit in 2010, which regretfully has not taken place since 1999. “For 35 years the OSCE has brought together Central Asia, the Russian Federation, the United States, Canada and Europe to bridge differences, promote democratic standards and address common security concerns. The Organization remains the natural forum for a discussion on the future of European security.”
Clinton and Saudabayev also discussed the OSCE’s plans for enhanced involvement with Afghanistan, an OSCE Asian Partner for Co-operation as well as forthcoming visit of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to the United States.
The central point at the meeting with the U.S. National Security Advisor General James Jones on February 2 was the enhanced cooperation between Kazakhstan and the United States in stabilizing situation in Afghanistan, which is a major objective of foreign policy conducted by President Barrack Obama.
The Afghan issue, along with the overall situation in Central Asia, was also the focus of the talks between Kanat Saudabayev and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns during the lunch hosted by the Department of State to honor the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, and during the meeting with the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrook.
Events at the Capitol Hill
One of the key public events during Minister Saudabayev visit to the United States was presentation of Kazakhstan’s OSCE priorities at the Helsinki Commission at the Capitol Hill. Speaking at the Commission on the first day of his visit, Saudabayev stressed: “We remember well and we value the fact that the Helsinki Commission was among the first in the US to support our candidacy [to chair the OSCE] and I trust that we share an interest in further strengthening our common Organization in the name of security and co-operation from Vancouver to Vladivostok.”
Minister Saudabayev informed the Commission on plans for enhanced engagement with Afghanistan, an OSCE’s Asian Partner for Co-operation. “Kazakhstan will continue the active work already done by the OSCE to improve the management of the borders between the Central Asian countries and Afghanistan. Such an activity aims at fostering the development of trans-border cooperation and strengthening the potential of Afghanistan’s border and police forces,” Saudabayev said.
In welcoming statements the Co-chairman of the Helsinki Commission Congressman Alcee Hastings, congressmen Eni Faleomavaega and Darrell Issa publicly supported President Nazarbayev`s proposal to convene the OSCE summit as an event that could provide a strong impetus for the world’s largest regional security organization. Moreover, members of US Congress sent a special message to the leaders of two nations – President Barack Obama and President Nursultan Nazarbayev, in which they stressed their support for the OSCE summit.
Dialogue with the U.S. expert and NGO community
On the visit’s second day, Saudabayev addressed representatives of the Administration, the Congress, business community, scholars, and journalists at the Atlantic Council. In his speech there the Foreign Minister highlighted the role of Eurasia in the European and global security as well as presented Astana’s approaches to global and regional problems, including nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, energy and food security, and stabilization of Afghanistan.
Over the dinner hosted by the Atlantic Council Minister Saudabayev exchanged views with the Council Chairman and former US Senator Chuck Hagel, patriarchs of the American foreign policy and former National Security Advisors of the United States Brent Scowcroft and Zbigniew Brzezinski.
Meetings and events during the visit of Kanat Saudabayev to Washington demonstrated a strong interest of the US Government, Congress and public in Kazakhstan’s foreign policy and the country’s role as the OSCE Chair, as well as mutual desire to deepen meaningful cooperation between Astana and Washington on a wide range of issues.
