DATE=12/20/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S - KAZAKHSTAN (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-257343
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-S Vice President Al Gore and Kazakhstan
President Nursultan Nazarbayev have presided in
Washington over the sixth annual session of the U-S -
Kazakh joint commission. The public portion of the
meeting included criticism by Mr. Gore of Kazakhstan's
sale of Soviet-era MIG-21 fighter aircraft to North
Korea, earlier this year. V-O-A's David Gollust
reports from the White House.
TEXT: The discovery late last summer that Kazakhstan
had sold North Korea 40 of the 1960's-vintage fighter
planes put a chill in relations between the United
States and Kazakhstan, by far the largest of the
Central Asian countries that became independent with
the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The aircraft transfer, and also U-S doubts about the
fairness of elections held in Kazakhstan over the past
year, had put the joint commission meeting in at least
temporary jeopardy. But Vice President Gore directed
that planning for the session to go forward last
month, after Mr. Nazarbayev ordered a series of
arrests in the MIG case along with reform of his
government's arms-export system.
Mr. Gore held a private meeting with President
Nazarbayev in advance of the final commission session.
And with reporters present for the opening of the
plenary at his ceremonial office, Mr. Gore said he had
had a "candid" discussion on the problem issues with
the Kazakh leader:
/// GORE ACT ///
We talked about the transfer sale of MIG-21
aircraft from Kazakhstan to North Korea, which
was a serious violation of Kazakhstan's
policies. I have also raised with you our
concerns about the elections for president and
parliament in Kazakhstan this year. Fortunately,
you have taken action to investigate and punish
those involved in the arms transfer and have
pledged to tighten export controls.
/// END ACT ///
President Nazarbayev, for his part, said his
government is reforming its election laws to conform
with recommendations by the O-S-C-E -- the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe --
and is battling corruption.
He said the Kazakh economy has managed to score modest
but steady growth despite the recession afflicting
neighboring Russia. But he appealed for greater
bilateral U-S aid and investment -- in line with
Kazakhstan's size and influence, and beyond what he
said has been a "stereotyped group approach" by the
Administration to the former Soviet republics.
The Kazakh leader expressed his government's concern
over separatism and religious extremism in the Central
Asian region and said Kazakhstan supports
international action against Afghanistan's dominant
Taleban movement, which he said is supporting
terrorism.
He also stressed his support for U-S efforts to
promote a pipeline to carry Kazakh and other Caspian-
basin oil to market through Turkey, even though, he
says, a route through Iran would be economically more
feasible.
The U-S and Kazakh delegations signed three commercial
agreements and nine inter-agency accords to cooperate
in anti-terrorism and nuclear-non-proliferation
efforts, among others. President Nazarbayev will hold
a meeting with President Clinton here on Tuesday.
(Signed)
NEB/DAG/TVM/WTW
20-Dec-1999 16:28 PM EDT (20-Dec-1999 2128 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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