[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 329 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 329

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 19, 2003

 Mr. Towns (for himself and Mr. Faleomavaega) submitted the following 
     concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
 International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and 
 Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
   each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Congratulating the people and Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan 
   on the twelfth anniversary of the independence of Kazakhstan and 
praising 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, being an open country where citizens of more than 100 ethnic 
        groups enjoy equal rights and opportunities, in September 2003 hosted 
        the Congress of the World and Traditional Religions which brought 
        together leaders of world religions seeking to bridge religious 
        differences, thus making a significant contribution to promoting global 
        peace and harmony;
Whereas the Government of Kazakhstan toughened legislation and took concrete 
        steps to prevent human trafficking and in so doing has established 
        strong barriers to end this cruel form of human mistreatment;
Whereas Kazakhstan is confidently moving toward integration with the world 
        economic system by establishing all 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 business actively participates in the development of one 
        of the world's largest energy resources in Kazakhstan and considers this 
        country to be an alternative and reliable source of energy;
Whereas the application of chapter 1 of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 
        (commonly referred to as the ``Jackson-Vanik amendment'') to Kazakhstan 
        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 the world's fourth largest nuclear 
        arsenal and joined the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), and thus 
        became 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 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 House of Representatives (the Senate 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 inter religious 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 the application of 
        chapter 1 of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 (the ``Jackson-
        Vanik amendment'') and provide permanent 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 as well as support for 
        the reconstruction of Iraq;
            (7) applauds the wise decision of Kazakhstan's leadership 
        to renounce the deployment of its inherited nuclear weapons and 
        make the world a safer place;
            (8) calls upon the President to actively popularize 
        Kazakhstan's example to renounce the deployment of its nuclear 
        weapons with respect to negotiations with other 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.
                                 <all>