    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [December 21, 2001]
    [Pages 1541-1542]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1541]]

    Joint Statement by President George W. Bush and President Nursultan
    Nazarbayev on the New Kazakhstan-
    American Relationship
    December 21, 2001

        We declare our commitment to strengthen the long-term, strategic
    partnership and cooperation between our nations, seeking to advance a
    shared vision of a peaceful, prosperous and sovereign Kazakhstan in the
    21st Century that is increasingly integrated into the global economy and
    the community of democratic nations. To this end, we will advance our
    cooperation on counterterrorism and non-proliferation, democratic
    political and free-market economic reform, and market-based investment
    and development of energy resources.
        These goals further reflect our recognition that the threats of
    terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction endanger the
    security not only of the United States and Kazakhstan, but of the world
    at large. We therefore seek to develop our security cooperation to
    address these challenges and foster cooperation among Kazakhstan, its
    Central Asian neighbors, the United States, and our European friends,
    partners, and allies. In pursuit of these objectives, we are determined
    to deepen cooperation bilaterally and within NATO's Partnership for
    Peace.
        We reiterate our intent to cooperate in the war against terrorism to
    its conclusion and within the framework of the international coalition.
    We underscore our support for a broad-based Afghan government at peace
    internally and with its neighbors. We also pledge our readiness to
    cooperate in Afghanistan's reconstruction.
        Recognizing that Kazakhstan was the first country to renounce its
    nuclear-weapons status voluntarily, we reaffirm our mutual commitment to
    the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Both sides agree
    on the need for urgent attention to improving the physical protection
    and accounting of all nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons
    materials in all possessor states, and to preventing illicit trafficking
    in these materials. We pledge to expand our cooperation on these matters
    under the United States-Kazakhstan Cooperative Threat Reduction
    Agreement.
        In the spirit of partnership, Kazakhstan and the United States
    intend to strengthen joint activity in ensuring security and stability
    in Central Asia. We agree that the expansion of trade and economic ties
    among the states of Central Asia, and deepening of regional integration
    in important areas, such as the environment, water resources, and
    transportation systems are a basis for regional security. The United
    States will consider enhancing assistance programs to Kazakhstan to
    strengthen border security and to increase the defensive capabilities of
    the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
        We recognize that free market economies and the rule of law provide
    the most effective means to advance the welfare of our citizens and the
    stability of our societies. The United States and Kazakhstan pledge to
    advance our bilateral economic, trade, and investment relations,
    including through expanded contacts between the business communities of
    our countries. We will strive to further develop an attractive,
    transparent and predictable investment climate. Achieving this goal
    requires removal of legislative and administrative barriers to
    investment, strengthening respect for contracts and the rule of law,
    reducing corruption, and enhancing Kazakhstan's strong record on
    economic reform.
        We also intend to cooperate to advance Kazakhstan's integration in
    the global economy by supporting Kazakhstan's accession to the World
    Trade Organization on the basis of standard and agreed criteria, and its
    graduation from the Jackson-Vanik Amendment.

    [[Page 1542]]

        We affirm our desire to strengthen our energy partnership to
    diversify export options for Kazakhstan's oil and gas and to diversify
    global energy supplies. We share the view that a key element of this
    effort is development of multiple pipelines that will ensure delivery of
    Caspian energy to world markets, unfettered by monopolies or constrained
    by geographic chokepoints. We welcome the recent opening of the Caspian
    Pipeline Consortium (CPC) Pipeline and underscore our support for
    development of the Aktau-Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil export route on
    commercial terms. We will also work together to protect the rights of
    foreign investors and to abide by decisions of courts, particularly of
    international courts of arbitration.
        Recognizing that democracy is a cornerstone of long-term stability,
    we reaffirm our desire to strengthen democratic institutions and
    processes, such as independent media, local government, pluralism, and
    free and fair elections. We also reiterate our mutual commitments to
    advance the rule of law and promote freedom of religion and other
    universal human rights as promoted by the United Nations and the
    Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, of which we are
    both members. Finally, we pledge to enhance understanding between the
    citizens of our two countries by promoting people-to-people exchanges,
    initiatives of non-governmental organizations, and contacts between
    business people.

    Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this joint statement.