The United States congressmen second the Kazakh president’s initiative on holding the OSCE summit in Astana. A corresponding statement was made at a meeting with the Kazakh secretary of state, minister for foreign affairs and incumbent OSCE chairman-in-office Kanat Saudabayev in Washington, D.C. Members of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, the main structure in charge of the OSCE in the United States have handed over a letter to the president Nursultan Nazarbayev though the head of the Kazakh delegation. According to congressmen, the future summit will boost the organization’s activity.

Benjamin Cardin, chairman, U.S. Helsinki Commission
“I met the president when I was in Astana in 2008. He is a strong leader, a very determined individual, he is well-known internationally and we know that he wants the best for the people of Kazakhstan and we want to work with him together.”

Daniel Poneman, United States Deputy Secretary of Energy
“The relationship between the United States and Kazakhstan is strong. I’ve been watching this relationship for many many years and to be honest I don’t think I’ve ever seen it stronger.”

The action program of Kazakhstan as the OSCE chairman was presented at both the House of Representatives and the White house as well as at a press-conference with local journalists. Americans are concerned most about such issues as the Afghanistan problem, racism, anti-Semitism, human trafficking and environmental security.

Yerlan Idrisov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to USA
“Their attitude is unbiased, kind and business-oriented. The leadership of the U.S. Helsinki Commission approves of the idea of calling the OSCE summit which is a very important political support on behalf of the USA. So, there is naturally, great work on the OSCE agenda to be done.”

It has been mentioned several times at the meetings in the USA that the fact that Kazakhstan closed the second largest nuclear test site and the fourth powerful nuclear arsenal in the world, is being highly appreciated by the country.