Congratulating the people and Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the twelfth anniversary of the independence of Kazakhstan and praising longstanding and growing friendship between the United States and Kazakhstan.

        [Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 329 Introduced in House (IH)]

108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 329

Congratulating the people and Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan
on the twelfth anniversary of the independence of Kazakhstan and
praising longstanding and growing friendship between the United States
and Kazakhstan.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 19, 2003

Mr. Towns (for himself and Mr. Faleomavaega) submitted the following
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and
Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Congratulating the people and Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan
on the twelfth anniversary of the independence of Kazakhstan and
praising longstanding and growing friendship between the United States
and Kazakhstan.

Whereas on December 16, 2003, the people of the Republic of Kazakhstan will
celebrate 12 years of independence and on December 25, 2003, the United
States and Kazakhstan will mark the 12th anniversary of diplomatic
relations between the two countries;
Whereas Kazakhstan in a short period of time has managed to shed totalitarian
shackles and become a dynamically developing civil society in which
public and private institutions are strong, effective democratic
mechanisms and the rule of law are established, and basic human rights
are respected;
Whereas Kazakhstan, being an open country where citizens of more than 100 ethnic
groups enjoy equal rights and opportunities, in September 2003 hosted
the Congress of the World and Traditional Religions which brought
together leaders of world religions seeking to bridge religious
differences, thus making a significant contribution to promoting global
peace and harmony;
Whereas the Government of Kazakhstan toughened legislation and took concrete
steps to prevent human trafficking and in so doing has established
strong barriers to end this cruel form of human mistreatment;
Whereas Kazakhstan is confidently moving toward integration with the world
economic system by establishing all conditions for developing a true
market economy;
Whereas the United States Government, recognizing the economic progress of
Kazakhstan, granted to Kazakhstan ``market economy status'', the first
such designation of any country in the Commonwealth of Independent
States;
Whereas United States business actively participates in the development of one
of the world's largest energy resources in Kazakhstan and considers this
country to be an alternative and reliable source of energy;
Whereas the application of chapter 1 of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974
(commonly referred to as the ``Jackson-Vanik amendment'') to Kazakhstan
prevents Kazakhstan from achieving permanent normal trade relations
status with the United States;
Whereas an independent and democratic Kazakhstan is the cornerstone of peace,
stability, and prosperity in the vitally important region of Central
Asia;
Whereas Kazakhstan voluntarily disarmed the world's fourth largest nuclear
arsenal and joined the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), and thus
became an example of a responsible national approach to
nonproliferation;
Whereas the people of Kazakhstan under the leadership of Nursultan Nazarbayev
are providing unconditional and firm support in the ongoing allied
campaign in Afghanistan by allowing coalition forces to use the air
space of Kazakhstan and the largest airport in Almaty, Kazakhstan;
Whereas Kazakhstan is taking an active part in rehabilitating Iraq and is the
only country in the region of Central Asia to send a military contingent
of combat engineers who in a few months have neutralized more than
300,000 explosive devices in Iraq, thereby saving thousands of lives;
Whereas within the framework of growing military cooperation the United States
and Kazakhstan signed an Article 98 Agreement relating to the
International Criminal Court;
Whereas the increasing significance of Kazakhstan to United States foreign
policy has resulted in the creation of the United States-Kazakhstan
Interparliamentary Friendship Group designed to strengthen relations of
strategic partnership between the two countries; and
Whereas Kazakhstan is an important friend and strategic ally of the United
States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) congratulates the people and Government of the Republic
of Kazakhstan on the 12th anniversary of the independence of
Kazakhstan and the establishment of diplomatic relations with
the United States;
(2) welcomes and supports political and economic
transformations achieved by Kazakhstan during its years of
independence;
(3) expresses gratitude for the leadership of Kazakhstan in
establishing inter religious dialogue to promote peace and
harmony in the world;
(4) commends Kazakhstan on toughening measures to stop
human trafficking;
(5) recognizes the need to terminate the application of
chapter 1 of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 (the ``Jackson-
Vanik amendment'') and provide permanent normal trade relations
status to Kazakhstan;
(6) expresses gratitude for the support and assistance of
the people of Kazakhstan in the antiterrorist campaign of the
United States and coalition countries as well as support for
the reconstruction of Iraq;
(7) applauds the wise decision of Kazakhstan's leadership
to renounce the deployment of its inherited nuclear weapons and
make the world a safer place;
(8) calls upon the President to actively popularize
Kazakhstan's example to renounce the deployment of its nuclear
weapons with respect to negotiations with other countries that
are trying to acquire, develop, or deploy nuclear weapons; and
(9) urges further strengthening of strategically important
relations between Kazakhstan and the United States on all other
issues of importance between the two countries.
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