KAZAKHSTAN: U.S.-KAZAKHSTAN JOINT ENERGY PARTNERSHIP

UNCLAS ASTANA 001813

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EEB/ESC
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON ENRG EPET MNUC KNNP KPAO KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: U.S.-KAZAKHSTAN JOINT ENERGY PARTNERSHIP
MEETING JOINT STATEMENT


1. (U) On October 7-8, the United States and Kazakhstan held the
sixth meeting of the U.S.-Kazakhstan Energy Partnership. Four
working groups -- nuclear security and nuclear power, oil and gas,
renewable energy and energy efficiency, and electric power -- took
place. After chairing a plenary session, U.S. Deputy Secretary of
Energy Daniel Poneman and Kazakhstan's Minister of Energy and
Mineral Resources Sauat Mynbayev signed a joint statement, which is
reproduced below, and a joint action plan (septel). On October 8,
shortly before signing, the statement was released to the local
press.


2. (U) Begin text:

The Sixth United States-Kazakhstan Energy Partnership Meeting Joint
Statement:

Today's sixth meeting of the U.S.-Kazakhstan Energy Partnership
reflects the commitments of President Nazarbayev and President Obama
to our bilateral relationship by reaffirming our long and successful
history of cooperation in the energy sector. At the Energy
Partnership meeting, co-chaired by United States Deputy Secretary of
Energy Daniel Poneman and the Republic of Kazakhstan's Minister of
Energy and Mineral Resources Sauat Mynbayev, the participants agreed
to build upon our past achievements and work together on energy
efficiency, clean energy technologies, diversification of energy
sources, promotion of regional electric- power trade, and also
improvement of the regulatory environment to facilitate investment
in these areas. The participants pledged to continue their
countries' commitment to nuclear nonproliferation and to the safe
and secure use of nuclear energy.

As a result of the meeting today, the co-chairs agree to a Joint
Action Plan that outlines cooperation in the following four areas:
Nuclear Security and Nuclear Power; Oil and Gas; Renewable Energy
and Energy Efficiency; and Electric Power.

In the area of nuclear security and nuclear power, the United States
and Kazakhstan intend to advance cooperation to combat the threat of
nuclear weapons proliferation, secure vulnerable nuclear material,
minimize the use of highly enriched uranium, prevent nuclear
smuggling, strengthen nuclear export control regimes, and observe
international security guarantee regimes. We also see important
opportunities to work together on civil nuclear energy issues. In
particular, we will share expertise between our national
laboratories and scientific organizations that will facilitate
development of Kazakhstan's commercial nuclear technology.

In the oil and gas sector, our Energy Partnership aims to develop
further cooperation between International and Kazakhstan companies
in the exploration, development, and transportation of Kazakhstan's
hydrocarbon resources. We agreed to promote common efforts to
expand global energy supplies and support Kazakhstan's efforts to
seek alternative routes to deliver energy resources to the
international market. In energy efficiency and renewable energy, we
intend to work together to enhance energy efficiency in the
industrial sector; conduct wind energy resource mapping; and develop
strategies to stimulate use of renewable energy. Finally, in the
electric power sector, we plan to expand our cooperation to improve
regional electric-power trade and domestic power transmission
reliability.

SIGNED at Astana, in duplicate, on October 8, 2009, in the English
and Russian languages by U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel
Poneman and the Republic of Kazakhstan's Minister of Energy and
Mineral Resources Sauat Mynbayev.

HOAGLAND