U.S. hails Kazakhstan’s foreign, economic policy
The U.S. appreciates Kazakhstan's multivector foreign and
economic policy, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
for South and Central Asian Affairs, Richard Hoagland, told
reporters October 27 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Hoagland said the stance of the US is the same for all countries,
producing oil and gas, adding that the U.S. wants to have a
predictable energy market.
He was responding to a request by reporters to comment on a recent
statement by the Ministry Energy Kazakhstan. Earlier, the Ministry
said that due to the sanctions against Russia, it is studying
optional routes for oil exports that will be alternative to the
route running to Russia.
In particular, the Kazakh Ministry said China is the most
potentially large market for Kazakhstan's oil. Another alternative
is the option involving Iran, and the third is the export through
Azerbaijan.
Hoagland said he can't predict what kind of projects will be
proposed in the future, but the U.S. will be definitely ready to
work with Kazakhstan, which is considered as a reliable partner by
the U.S..
He went on to note that the U.S. is pleased that Kazakhstan has a
significant role in the global energy market.
Hoagland said that today other ways of producing the energy are
actively developing, except for the hydrocarbons, adding that the
matter rests in renewable sources and nuclear power.
He noted that Kazakhstan today plays an important role in their
development.
Hoagland said he met with Energy Minister of Kazakhstan Vladimir
Shkolnik and mulled the mentioned issues.
He said the topic of the upcoming EXPO in Astana will be the energy
of future, adding that the US government, for its part, is
encouraging the US companies to support the event.
Hoagland noted that this is an example of the fact that Kazakhstan
is taking a leading role on the world energy stage.