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SCON 86 IS

Congratulating the people and Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the twelfth anniversary of the independence of Kazakhstan and praising the longstanding and growing friendship between the United States and Kazakhstan.

November 25, 2003

Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself and Mr. BURNS) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

Congratulating the people and Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the twelfth anniversary of the independence of Kazakhstan and praising the longstanding and growing friendship between the United States and Kazakhstan.

Whereas, on December 16, 2003, the people of the Republic of Kazakhstan will celebrate 12 years of independence, and on December 25, 2003, the United States and Kazakhstan will mark the 12th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries;

Whereas Kazakhstan in a short period of time has managed to shed totalitarian shackles and become a dynamically developing civil society in which public and private institutions are strong, effective democratic mechanisms and the rule of law are established, and basic human rights are respected;

Whereas Kazakhstan, an open country where citizens of more than 100 ethnic groups enjoy equal rights and opportunities, made a significant contribution to promoting global peace and harmony by hosting in September 2003 the Congress of the World and Traditional Religions, which brought together leaders of world religions seeking to bridge religious differences;

Whereas the Government of Kazakhstan has toughened legislation and taken other concrete steps to prevent human trafficking and end this cruel form of human mistreatment;

Whereas Kazakhstan is confidently moving toward integration with the world economic system by establishing the conditions for developing a true market economy;

Whereas the United States Government, recognizing the economic progress of Kazakhstan, granted to Kazakhstan `market economy status', the first such designation of any country in the Commonwealth of Independent States;

Whereas United States businesses actively participate in the development of one of the world's largest energy resources in Kazakhstan and consider the country to be an alternative and reliable source of energy;

Whereas the application to Kazakhstan of chapter 1 of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 (commonly referred to as the `Jackson-Vanik amendment') prevents Kazakhstan from achieving permanent normal trade relations status with the United States;

Whereas an independent and democratic Kazakhstan is the cornerstone of peace, stability, and prosperity in the vitally important region of Central Asia;

Whereas Kazakhstan voluntarily disarmed its nuclear arsenal, the world's fourth largest, and joined the Treaty on Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, with Annexes, Protocols, and Memorandum of Understanding, signed at Moscow on July 31, 1991 (START Treaty), and in so doing provided an example of a responsible national approach to nonproliferation;

Whereas the people of Kazakhstan, under the leadership of Nursultan Nazarbayev, are providing unconditional and firm support in the ongoing allied campaign in Afghanistan by allowing coalition forces to use the air space of Kazakhstan and the largest airport in Almaty, Kazakhstan;

Whereas Kazakhstan is taking an active part in rehabilitating Iraq and is the only country in the region of Central Asia to send a military contingent of combat engineers who in a few months have neutralized more than 300,000 explosive devices in Iraq, thereby saving thousands of lives;

Whereas, within the framework of growing military cooperation, the United States and Kazakhstan signed an Article 98 Agreement relating to the International Criminal Court;

Whereas the increasing significance of Kazakhstan to United States foreign policy has resulted in the creation of the United States-Kazakhstan Interparliamentary Friendship Group, which is designed to strengthen relations of strategic partnership between the two countries; and

Whereas Kazakhstan is an important friend and strategic ally of the United States: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That Congress--

(1) congratulates the people and Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the 12th anniversary of the independence of Kazakhstan and the establishment of diplomatic relations with the United States;

(2) welcomes and supports political and economic transformations achieved by Kazakhstan during its years of independence;

(3) expresses gratitude for the leadership of Kazakhstan in establishing interreligious dialogue to promote peace and harmony in the world;

(4) commends Kazakhstan on toughening measures to stop human trafficking;

(5) recognizes the need to terminate application to Kazakhstan of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 (commonly known as the `Jackson-Vanik Amendment') and extend normal trade relations status to Kazakhstan;

(6) expresses gratitude for the support and assistance of the people of Kazakhstan in the antiterrorist campaign of the United States and coalition countries and for their support for the reconstruction of Iraq;

(7) applauds the wise decision of the leadership of Kazakhstan to renounce the deployment of the nuclear weapons inherited by the country and make the world a safer place;

(8) calls upon the President to actively popularize the example set by Kazakhstan in renouncing the deployment of its nuclear weapons with respect to United States negotiations with countries that are trying to acquire, develop, or deploy nuclear weapons; and

(9) urges further strengthening of strategically important relations between Kazakhstan and the United States on all other issues of importance between the two countries.

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