Situation in Ukraine - US Assistant Secretary of State speaks to Kazakhstan students

U.S. Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal has lectured at Eurasian National University in Astana, Tengrinews reports.

"We believe that the only way to resolve this crisis is through diplomacy and easing of military tensions. We will continue working with the UN, European partners, OSCE and Russia in finding a peaceful way that lies within the framework of the international law," Biswal said.

She noted that the United States and the international community supported Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and were therefore ready to assist the Ukrainian people in building a stable and democratic country.

"We believe that the Ukrainian people, so as the other nations in the region, should not be made to choose between friendly relations with Russia and expansion of ties with the rest of the world," the Assistant Secretary added. She also cited President Obama as saying that the Ukrainians should be able to build good relations with the US, Russia, and Europe and determine their own fate, and added that she wished the same for Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and all the U.S. partners worldwide.

Before the lecture Nisha Biswal had a meeting with Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Yerlan Idrissov. The two exchanged their views on international and regional security, including the situation in Ukraine.

The other important point of the talks was cooperation in trade and investment. This was especially relevant since the volume of American investments had amounted to more than $25 billion since 1993. With 300 joint ventures in the key sectors of the economy, the trade turnover between Kazakhstan and the United States in 2013 totaled at 2.75 billion, 9 percent higher than in the previous year. Idrissov reiterated Nursultan Nazarbayev’s interest in active participation of U.S. companies in the industrial-innovative development of Kazakhstan. He also called on U.S. companies to participate in the EXPO-2017 that will be held in Astana. 

Reporting by Altynai Zhumzhumina