Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio comments on repeal of Jackson-Vanik label on Kazakhstan
U.S. Senator Steve Daines secured significant foreign policy commitments from Secretary of State Nominee, Senator Marco Rubio, during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, January 15, reports a Kazinform News Agency correspondent.
The discussion focused on addressing Iran’s illegal oil sales, strengthening ties with Central Asia, and collaborating with Mexico to dismantle drug cartels.
Highlighting the strategic importance of Central Asia, Daines referenced his recent visits to the region, including Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, where he witnessed the geopolitical challenges posed by neighboring countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, Russia, and China. He emphasized the need to repeal the Jackson-Vanik label on Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and extend permanent normal trade relations to help the region grow.
“One of the first goals of the caucus that Senator Gary Peters and I created for Central Asia is to repeal the Jackson-Vanik label on the region and extend permanent normal trade relations with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan,” Daines explained. “This is a part of the world that is often neglected, but has such strategic importance.”
In response, Rubio agreed on the need for legislative action to remove the outdated designation:
“Yeah, and I believe the permanent removal will require legislative action. I think this is a relic of an era that’s past. There are some that argue we should use it as leverage for human rights concessions or to get them to align more strongly with us instead of Russia. But in some cases, it’s an absurd relic of the past. We will work with you on this ’cause I think it’s important.”
Daines also proposed the idea of a U.S.-Central Asia summit to strengthen partnerships in the region following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“That C5+1, which is Central Asian countries plus the United States, could be a strategic platform. I hope we can work with President Trump to think about hosting some kind of summit there. Very strategic. After the withdrawal from Afghanistan, we need more friends in Central Asia,” Daines stated.
The exchange highlighted a shared bipartisan commitment to addressing global challenges and advancing U.S. interests abroad, with Rubio pledging to prioritize these efforts if confirmed as Secretary of State.
Earlier, it was reported that the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, received the United States Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Daniel Rosenblum, to mark the conclusion of the ambassador’s diplomatic mission.
