Foreign media on Kazakhstan: European Parliament resolution, Tokayev’s visit to Italy, oil exports to Germany
From the recent hearing in the European Parliament on the European Union’s Central Asia strategy, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to Italy and Kazakh oil exports to Germany, Kazinform News Agency presents a review of foreign media coverage about Kazakhstan this week.
Euractiv: Kazakhstan and EU should seek new opportunities for a stronger partnership
Brussels-based Euractiv published an opinion piece by Kazakh political expert Aidos Sarym on January 18. He analyses the recently adopted European Parliament resolution on Central Asia.
“The resolution, a planned document of the European Parliament, reflects the assessment of members of the European Parliament of implementing the new EU Strategy for Central Asia. To this end, the legislators have repeatedly visited Kazakhstan and other countries in the region. The opinions of official representatives and the civil sector in Central Asia were taken into account while drafting the document,” writes Sarym.
According to him, the resolution “differs in tone” compared to similar documents from past years.
“This document marks the first instance where Central Asia is recognized as a region that has successfully formed its regional identity, with independent positions on certain issues of contemporary international and regional relations and unified regional opportunities in trade, investment, business and innovation,” he wrote.
Il Sole 24 Ore: Italia al terzo posto per interscambio commerciale con Kazakhstan, dopo Russia e Cina
Il Sole 24 Ore, the Italian financial newspaper, published an article on January 18 discussing President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's visit to Italy.
“Italy is increasingly turning its attention to Kazakhstan, a country among the world's leading producers of raw materials,” reads the agency.
The article noted agreements signed at the investment roundtable between the two countries.
It also cites Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani, who said that “between Italy and Kazakhstan, there is significant untapped potential, not only in the crucial sectors of oil and gas.”
“He added that there is a ‘strong friendship’ and a partnership ‘full of potential’ between the two countries,” reads the article.
Agenzia Nova: Il presidente kazakho Tokayev a Roma per dare impulso a una relazione in forte crescita tra Italia e Asia centrale
Italy’s Agenzia Nova published an article on January 18 focusing on the visit of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Italy.
“President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, is in Rome for an important two-day visit aimed at strengthening the growing cooperation between Italy and Central Asia,” reads the article.
For Tokayev, this marks his first visit to Italy since assuming the presidency of Kazakhstan in 2019.
The article quotes Italian researcher Fabrizio Vielmini, who noted that for Kazakhstan, Italy holds special significance not just because it is the major consumer of its oil.
“Just as Kazakhstan is a hybrid country in the Central Asian region, acting as a bridge between different cultures, Italy – notes the expert – is a hybrid in the European continent, at the center of the Mediterranean,” reads the article.
Voice of America: US Ambassador to Kazakhstan Outlines US Engagement in Central Asia
Voice of America reported on January 14 from a roundtable in Washington D.C. discussing the United States' engagement in Central Asia.
U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan Daniel Rosenblum said the main goal of U.S. policy for Central Asia is to ensure that Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan “stand on their own, be fully sovereign and independent countries that can make their own choices about who to associate with, who to trade with, who to have relations with — without undue external pressure.”
“Rosenblum pointed to the so-called C5+1 group, including the United States and the five republics, underlining its value in acting as a group, integrating with one another, cooperating — that makes each of them stronger individually. A second focus for Washington is border security and counterterrorism, a third is boosting trade and investment, and a fourth is promoting human rights and the rule of law, he said,” reads the article.
Caspian News: Kazakhstan Supplies One Million Tonne Oil to Germany in 2023
Caspian News reported on January 16 that KazTransOil supplied nearly one million tons of oil to Germany in 2023.
Between January and December 2023, the volume of transportation of Kazakh oil to Germany reached 993,000 tons.
“The accomplishment aligns with the diversification efforts of Kazakhstan's oil export routes, as the oil is transported through the extensive Druzhba pipeline, passing through Russia, Belarus, and Poland before reaching its destination in Germany,” reads the article.
KazTransOil plans to transport an additional 100,000 tons of oil to Germany in January and up to 1.2 million tons in 2024.
