US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken yesterday visited Astana, Kazakhstan, where he met with senior high-ranking Kazakh state officials and participated in a C5+1 Ministerial Meeting with representatives of each of the five Central Asian states, to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Central Asian countries, and to collaborate with the region on solutions to shared global challenges.
Euronews says that upon arrival in Astana, Washington's top diplomat said no country can ignore the threats posed by Russian aggression, not only to their territory but to the international rules-based order and the global economy.
The C5+1 Ministerial Meeting reportedly focused on enhancing economic, energy and environmental, and security cooperation among the United States, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Tajik MFA information department says the parties exchanged views on the topical issues of international and regional agenda, including the situation in Afghanistan, fight against terrorism and extremism, as well as other security threats and challenges, and emphasized the need for strengthening cooperation between the countries of the region.
"We are watching compliance with sanctions very closely and we're having an ongoing discussion with number of countries, including our C5 partners, on the economic spillover effects," Blinken said at a news conference after a meeting with officials of the five Central Asian states in the Kazakh capital Astana, according to Reuters.
He reportedly noted that Washington is issuing licenses to give companies time to wind down relationships with Russian firms that have been sanctioned in a Western effort to pressure Moscow to end the war.
Reuters says the US Secretary of State announced 25 million US dollars of new funding to support economic growth, including with new trade routes, and helping business find new export markets, on top of $25 million the Biden administration has already committed to the region.
Recall, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan were among just 32 countries that abstained from voting on the UN resolution that called for an immediate end to Russia's war and the removal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory.
Turkmenistan, recognized as a neutral country, did not vote at all.
The first C5+1 ministerial meeting took place in Samarqand (Uzbekistan) in November 2015. The six foreign ministers agreed to focus on three sectors of common interest – security, economics, and environmental challenges.
Since the inception of the C5+1 dialogue, the Central Asian countries have reportedly been increasingly interested in regional approaches and view the C5+1 as a catalyst for common action.
In 2022, the C5+1 launched a Secretariat to facilitate the processes for identifying and advancing shared priorities, coordinating communications between participating governments, and planning high-level ministerials and other engagements.
