14 December 2001
Text: Assistant Secretary of State Jones on U.S. Policy in Central Asia
(Dec. 13 testimony to Senate subcommittee) (3010)
U.S. policy in Central Asia must include a commitment to "deeper, more
sustained, and better-coordinated engagement on the full range of
issues upon which we agree and disagree" -- including security
cooperation, energy and political and economic reform -- Assistant
Secretary of State Elizabeth Jones told the new Senate Subcommittee on
Central Asia and the Caucasus December 13.
Jones, who heads the State Department's Bureau of European and
Eurasian Affairs, provided an historical overview of Central Asia,
described the U.S. "vision" for the region, and reported on Secretary
of State Colin Powell's recent visit there.
She said the United States is engaging with Central Asia "seriously
and for the long term." The fact that the Senate created a special
subcommittee for Central Asian affairs "testifies to the importance
that the United States now accords to this part of the world."
Jones said the United States hopes to see a stable, peaceful and
prosperous region where individual countries "markedly accelerate
their economic reforms and democratic credentials, respect human
rights, and develop vibrant civil societies." This vision of Central
Asia, she said, sees an increasing integration into the global economy
"via an east-west corridor of cooperation stretching from China and
Afghanistan across the Caucasus to the Mediterranean."
U.S. support will require resources tailored to each of the five
countries in the region, Jones said: "Uzbekistan has asked for
guidance and support in its dealings with the International Monetary
Fund and other international financial organizations. Kazakhstan needs
more foreign investment and support for local private-sector
development. Turkmenistan may need support for the development of
grass roots organizations. Kyrgyzstan needs help with its debt burden.
Tajikistan, the poorest state in the region and still recovering from
civil war and drought, will need a broad range of humanitarian,
economic, and political assistance."
"We are ready to explore new areas of assistance for all five states,
but only in exchange for demonstrated, concrete steps toward reform,"
Jones told the subcommittee.
Jones called Secretary Powell's recent trip to Central Asia a "rousing
success," although inclement weather prevented him from stopping in
the Kyrgyz Republic -- he was only able to speak with Kyrgyz President
Askar Akayev by telephone.
She said the primary purpose of the trip was to express U.S.
appreciation for the support provided by the Central Asian countries
in the international anti-terrorism campaign. Powell also explored the
"full range of cooperation" including the development of genuine
pluralism and democracy, rule of law, humanitarian relief, Caspian
energy, human rights, and economic reform.
"The stakes are undeniably high in Central Asia," Jones said. "In what
only a decade ago was the Soviet Union, the United States now has
thousands of U.S. military personnel working alongside their Central
Asian counterparts. We rely on these governments for the security and
well-being of our troops, and for vital intelligence that has helped
us to conduct such an effective military campaign in Afghanistan."
She described a range of U.S.-supported programs designed to promote
human rights, democracy, and economic development in Central Asia, and
said these programs "are every bit as important as our security
assistance in dealing with the long-term root causes of terrorism."
Following is the text of Jones' statement to the Senate subcommittee,
as prepared for delivery:
(begin text)
U.S.-CENTRAL ASIAN COOPERATION
A. Elizabeth Jones, Assistant Secretary of State for European and
Eurasian Affairs
Subcommittee on Central Asia and the Caucasus
Foreign Relations Committee
U.S. Senate
December 13, 2001
Mr. Chairman, distinguished members of the Subcommittee, it is a
distinct honor and privilege to be the first Administration official
to testify before this new Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee. The very fact that it was created testifies to
the importance that the United States now accords to this part of the
world. I want to report to you about Secretary Powell's visit to
Central Asia over this past weekend, and discuss with you the general
issues of our rapidly evolving cooperation with the five frontline
states. But first, I would like to give you a bit of context for what
makes this important part of the world unique.
Background
The five countries of Central Asia emerged only a decade ago from the
debris of the Soviet Union. While their ambitions are Western they
have far more in common with their Asian neighbors than with
traditional Europe. To the West, Central Asia for centuries has been
one of the most inaccessible and least understood parts of the world.
In the Middle Ages, great Islamic theologians, philosophers,
scientists, and artists were born, flourished, and were buried in
Central Asia, mostly in modern-day Uzbekistan. Their scholarship
deeply influenced the Renaissance in Europe.
By the late 19th century, however, these squabbling and despotic
warlords became vulnerable to colonization by the Russian Empire. At
the turn of the 20th century, the Soviet Empire clamped this region in
the vise of Stalinism. I do not excuse the current problems and
irritants in Central Asia. But when we become impatient, we need to
remember the Region's 20th-century history. Major transitions in the
basic nature of these regimes may require generational change. We need
to be patient and continue to push for reform where it is possible.
We have a vision for this region - that it become stable, peaceful,
and prosperous. We have a vision that the individual countries will
markedly accelerate their economic reforms and democratic credentials,
respect human rights, and develop vibrant civil societies. We have a
vision that the countries of this region are increasingly integrated
into the global economy via an east-west corridor of cooperation
stretching from China and Afghanistan across the Caucasus to the
Mediterranean. We share this vision with the well-educated, ambitious,
hard-working people of these new countries. We are engaging --
seriously and for the long term -- with Central Asia.
The Secretary's Visit
Our readiness to engage more intensively was the message that
Secretary Powell carried to the region last weekend. Of course, a
primary purpose of his visit was to express American appreciation for
the Central Asian countries' ongoing critical support for Operation
Enduring Freedom. While concentrating on the war effort, however, he
explored the full range of cooperation, including the development of
genuine pluralism and democracy, rule of law, humanitarian relief,
Caspian energy, human rights and economic reform.
The Secretary began in Uzbekistan, the most populous Central Asian
state. In his meetings with President Karimov, Foreign Minister
Kamilov and Defense Minister Gulamov, the Secretary discussed
Uzbekistan's role in the war on terrorism, the political future of
Afghanistan, and the continued importance of human rights and economic
reform. During the Secretary's visit, President Karimov took the
important step of announcing the opening of the Friendship Bridge
between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan that we expect will soon serve as a
critical corridor for humanitarian relief supplies. The Secretary also
took the time to meet with an Uzbek NGO emphasizing the importance he
places on the development of civil society. I will follow up on the
Secretary's visit with a trip to Tashkent early next year to co-chair
the U.S.-Uzbekistan Joint Security Cooperation Consultations. These
discussions are intended to define in greater detail the contours of
our new and intensified relationship.
The Secretary's second stop was to be the Kyrgyz Republic, but nature
intervened. Heavy snowfall in Bishkek prevented the Secretary's plane
from landing. He did have a long telephone call with President Akayev
in which they discussed further counterterrorism cooperation and
progress on Kyrgyz efforts to promote further democratic reform.
Facing daunting obstacles, the Kyrgyz leadership early on embraced
democratic and economic reforms. After backsliding, the country is
returning to the road to reform.
The Secretary's final stop in Central Asia was Kazakhstan, the state
with the largest territory and the most economic potential in the
region. Stable, multi-ethnic, and nuclear-free, Kazakhstan is likely
to become one of the top five oil producers in the world by 2010. The
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development judged it the leading
economic reformer of the former Soviet Union. U.S. investment exceeds
$5 billion [$5,000 million], and is growing.
The Secretary's talks with President Nazarbayev and Foreign Minister
Idrisov focused on the need for further competition and transparency
in energy development, deeper development of democracy and respect for
human rights, and Kazakhstan's potential role in Afghan
reconstruction. The Secretary also discussed with President Nazarbayev
his visit to Washington later this month.
While in Astana, he met with members of the American Chamber of
Commerce to reinforce the message that we are working with Central
Asian governments to make sure that the region is a profitable place
for U.S. business and investment.
Our New Vision for Central Asia
Secretary Powell's visit to the region was a rousing success. He
received a gratifying level of support and cooperation from our
Central Asian partners. This is yet another sign of how the world has
changed after September 11. And it underlines that our foreign policy
must evolve to keep pace with this change. The stakes are undeniably
high in Central Asia. In what only a decade ago was the Soviet Union,
the United States now has thousands of U.S. military personnel working
alongside their Central Asian counterparts. We rely on these
governments for the security and well-being of our troops, and for
vital intelligence that has helped us to conduct such an effective
military campaign in Afghanistan.
The frontline states of the region provide a critical humanitarian
corridor for food and emergency supplies that may save the lives of
millions of people living in northern Afghanistan this winter. We will
want the rising tide of reconstruction in Afghanistan to lift the
Central Asian boats, too. We would like to see post-war reconstruction
supplies and materials purchased, to the extent possible, in
neighboring countries to buoy their economies.
Our country is now linked with this region in ways we could never have
imagined before September 11. Our policy in Central Asia must include
a commitment to deeper, more sustained, and better-coordinated
engagement on the full range of issues upon which we agree and
disagree. These include security cooperation, energy, and internal
strengthening of these countries through political and economic
reform. President Bush has invited both the presidents of Kazakhstan
and Uzbekistan to Washington in the coming months as the centerpiece
of this intensified engagement.
We have told the leaders of these countries that America will not
forget in the future those who stand by us now. After this conflict is
over, we will not abandon Central Asia. We are committed to providing
the resources, the high-level attention, and the multinational
coordination to support reform opportunities. We want to stand by the
Central Asian countries in their struggle to reform their societies in
the same way they have stood by us in the war on terrorism. This is
not only a new relationship, but a long-term relationship.
This will require resources that must be tailored to each country.
Uzbekistan has asked for guidance and support in its dealings with the
International Monetary Fund and other international financial
organizations. Kazakhstan needs more foreign investment and support
for local private-sector development. Turkmenistan may need support
for the development of grass roots organizations. Kyrgyzstan needs
help with its debt burden. Tajikistan, the poorest state in the region
and still recovering from civil war and drought, will need a broad
range of humanitarian, economic, and political assistance. In all five
countries, we need to expand our ongoing support for democratic
political institutions, local non-governmental organizations, and
independent media. We are ready to explore new areas of assistance for
all five states, but only in exchange for demonstrated, concrete steps
toward reform.
Promoting reform in Central Asia has not been easy. Today we are
concentrating much of our assistance on programs that seek to educate
and inspire the next generation of leaders in the region. You know
these initiatives well. They include the high school-level FLEX
program, Freedom Support Act program at the university level, and the
graduate-level Muskie program. Further, the IREX exchange program
targets young professionals, and the Peace Corps has a broad range of
programs for the next generation. These programs look to the future by
concentrating on the successor generations, and they are an integral
part of our long-term commitment to Central Asia.
Promoting Longer-Term U.S. Interests
In addition to wanting these countries to become stable and
prosperous, we have three significant U.S. national interests in the
region: preventing the spread of terrorism, providing tools for
political and economic reform and institution of the rule of law, and
ensuring the security and transparent development of Caspian energy
reserves.
The terrorist threat emanating from Afghanistan reinforces our view
that underdevelopment and repressive, anti-democratic regimes provide
conditions that terrorists and other extremists exploit. We have been
working on counterterrorism with states in the region, but we must do
more in parallel with our emphasis on respect for human rights. Since
the announcement of the Central Asian Border Security Initiative in
April 2000, the USG has committed $70 million for customs and
border-guard training, anti-terrorism assistance, and communication,
observation and detection equipment. These programs have been
well-received. They have developed the basis for cooperation upon
which we have built our current joint efforts in Operation Enduring
Freedom. But I want to emphasize that our many efforts at promoting
human rights, democracy and economic development are every bit as
important as our security assistance in dealing with the long-term
root causes of terrorism.
An inextricable component of a more secure and prosperous Central Asia
is an investment and legal climate that will both fuel local economic
development and protect the interests of U.S. traders and investors.
Property rights, privatization, due process, rule of law, currency
convertibility, bank and tax reform all contribute to the security of
investments and individuals in Central Asia -- the foundation of a
stable economy and just society. We are investing heavily in efforts
to promote this kind of reform throughout the region.
Development of the vast Caspian energy reserves and their reliable
export to global markets will in large part determine the ability of
Central Asia to achieve economic independence and improve the standard
of living of its citizens. Ensuring this autonomy for the Caspian
states, as well as diversifying global energy supplies and creating
opportunities for U.S. expertise and investment, make the development
of Caspian energy an important U.S. interest as well. Our policy in
this area has focused on enabling these states to develop multiple and
reliable transport corridors for delivery of these resources to global
markets.
Currently these hydrocarbon resources reach the West via pipelines
that transit Russia. We seek to broaden export options for the
countries of Central Asia and the companies operating there. Our
objective is therefore anti-monopoly but not anti-Russian. We have
supported and facilitated the efforts of Turkey, Azerbaijan and
Georgia to reach agreement with private companies to build pipelines
from the Caspian Sea across the Caucasus to Turkey. I am proud to say
that construction of the landmark Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline
will begin this summer and will bring oil to world markets in 2005.
The Shah Deniz gas pipeline, paralleling BTC, is also on track. I am
also pleased that the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, or CPC Pipeline, is
also now officially operating. This pipeline, which links Kazakhstan
to global markets via Russia, underscores the desire to work in
partnership with the former Soviet nations, developing Caspian energy
A New Partnership with Russia
One of the most remarkable developments of the last three months has
been our extraordinary cooperation with Russia in a region that was
formerly part of the Soviet Union and that Russia naturally regards as
its own backyard.
On October 19, we conducted our first-ever United States-Russia
consultations on Central Asia. We were both pleasantly surprised and
gratified by the convergence of interests in this region. We both
desire long-term stability and prosperity in Central Asia, where we
both have important interests. And we have pledged transparency and
collaboration. Secretary Powell's conversations in Central Asia and
Moscow over the past few days were part of this new effort, and
demonstrate [that] there need be no tension between our support for
the sovereignty and independence of the Central Asian states and our
desire for broader and deeper cooperation with Russia.
Presidents Bush and Putin are leading our countries to a new level of
cooperation in many spheres, including in Central Asia. President
Putin has shown noteworthy leadership in the way he has actively
coordinated with Central Asian leaders to encourage their cooperation
with the United States in the battle against terrorism. This supports
what we have long said: that Central Asia is not a zero-sum game. We
have no desire to replay the nineteenth century "Great Game" in the
twenty-first. We have offered support to efforts by Russia, Kazakhstan
and Azerbaijan to foster a new Caspian Sea delimitation scheme, as
long as these efforts do not hinder the future transport of energy
resources. Our shared interests with Russia -- indeed, with the other
regional powers of China, Turkey and even Iran -- are greater than our
areas of competition.
A Partnership with the Congress
The role of the Congress, and in particular this Subcommittee of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will be vital as we invigorate our
relations with Central Asia. As the former United States Ambassador to
Kazakhstan, I have seen first-hand that the leaders in this region
really do want an active dialogue with the United States and
especially with members of Congress. I would certainly welcome more
members of Congress visiting Central Asia, but particularly members of
this Subcommittee. The Administration values your input and
suggestions as we move forward with this region. It is for that reason
that I am particularly grateful for your invitation to share
perspectives today.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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