[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16238]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



      ARTICLE BY FORMER SEC. BILL RICHARDSON REGARDING KAZAKHSTAN

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                           HON. JULIA CARSON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 2, 2001

  Ms. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, an article published in The 
Washington Times of Monday, July 30, 2001, by Mr. Bill Richardson, has 
especially impressed me. While world attention focuses on major 
nations, Mr. Richardson reminds us of the strategic importance of a 
lesser-known, but truly significant nation, Kazakhstan.
  We remember Bill Richardson as a former member of this body; as our 
nation's Ambassador to the United Nations; and, as Secretary of Energy, 
all excellent credentials for his incisive assessment and powerful 
reminder of the critical geopolitical importance of Kazakhstan, bounded 
by Russia, China and Iran, and the enormous store of energy it holds 
for the world.
  I commend the article and urge that my colleagues give it their 
attention.

               [The Washington Times, Published 7/30/01]

                          Crazy for Kazakhstan

                          (By Bill Richardson)

       As secretary of energy and ambassador to the United Nations 
     during the Clinton administration, I traveled three times to 
     Kazakhstan to underscore the importance of this key Central 
     Asian country to U.S. interests. Of all the countries rising 
     from the ashes of the Soviet Union, few offer the promise of 
     Kazakhstan. In terms of both economic potential and political 
     stability, Kazakhstan is critical to the long-term success of 
     the Central Asian nations. The Bush administration should 
     continue our policy of engaging Kazakhstan to ensure that 
     this key country moves towards the Western orbit and adopts 
     continued market and political reforms.
       From its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 to the 
     present, Kazak leaders have made the difficult and 
     controversial decisions necessary to bring their country into 
     the 21st century. In May 1992, President Nursultan Nazarbayev 
     announced that Kazakhstan would unilaterally disarm all of 
     its nuclear weapons. In the aftermath of the Soviet Union's 
     collapse, Kazakhstan was left with the fourth-largest nuclear 
     arsenal in the world, a tempting target for terrorists and 
     other extremists. Mr. Nazarbayev's courageous decision to 
     disarm in the face of opposition from Islamic nationalists 
     and potential regional instability was one of the fundamental 
     building blocks that have allowed Kazakhstan to emerge as a 
     strong, stable nation and a leader in Central Asia. Then 
     President George Bush hailed the decision as ``a momentous 
     stride toward peace and stability.''
       Since that time, Central Asia has become an increasingly 
     complex region. Russia is reemerging from its post-Soviet 
     economic crises and is actively looking for both economic 
     opportunities in Central Asia as well as to secure its 
     political influence over the region. China is rapidly 
     expanding its economic power and political influence in the 
     region. Iran, despite recent progress made by moderate 
     elements in the government, is still a state sponsor of 
     terrorism and is actively working to develop weapons of mass 
     destruction. Many of the other former Soviet republics have 
     become havens for religious extremists, terrorists, drug 
     cartels and transit points for smugglers of all kind.
       In the center of this conflict and instability Kazakhstan 
     has begun to prosper by working to build a modern economy, 
     developing its vast natural resources and providing a base of 
     stability in a very uncertain part of the world. With the 
     discovery of the massive Kashagan oil field in the Kazak 
     portion of the Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan is polseci to become a 
     major supplier of petroleum to the Western world and a 
     competitor to Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries 
     (OPEC). It is critical that we continue to facilitate western 
     companies' investment in Kazakhstan and the establishment of 
     secure, east-west pipeline routes for Kazak oil. This is the 
     only way for Kazakhstan to loosen 'its dependence on Russia 
     for transit rights for its oil and gas and secure additional, 
     much needed, oil for the world market.
       American policy in the region must be based on the complex 
     geopolitics of Central Asia and provide the support required 
     to enable these countries to reach their economic potential. 
     We must continue to give top priority to the development of 
     Kazakhstan's oil and gas industries and to the establishment 
     of east-west transportation corridors for Caspian oil and 
     gas. We must also remain committed to real support for local 
     political leadership, fostering rule of law and economic 
     reforms and to helping mitigate and solve the lingering 
     ethnic and nationalistic conflicts in the region. Only 
     through meaningful and substantial cooperation with 
     Kazakhstan, will we be able to realize these goals.
       There are many challenges ahead for Kazakhstan, but there 
     are enormous opportunities for economic and political 
     progress. Mr. Nazarbayev has taken advantage of Kazakhstan's 
     stability to begin transforming its economy from the old 
     Soviet form--giant, state-owned industries and collective 
     grain farms--into a modem, market-based economy. We have much 
     at stake in this development. Will Kazakhstan become a true 
     market-oriented democracy, or will it slip into economic 
     stagnation and ethnic violence like so many of its neighbors? 
     The stability of Central Asia and the Caucasus depends on how 
     Kazakhstan chooses to move forward. The United States must do 
     its part to enhance U.S.-Kazakhstan cooperation and encourage 
     prosperity and stability for the entire region.

     

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