U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry held talks with Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrisov in Washington on September 22.
Kerry reaffirmed the importance of the strategic partnership between the United States and Kazakhstan.
According to U.S. officials, Kerry and Idrisov discussed ways the two countries could better work together on resolving regional and global problems.
Kerry also raised the importance of international coalition efforts to degrade and defeat Islamic State militants and discussed with Idrisov ways to enhance and expand counterterrorism cooperation.
Kerry also thanked Idrisov for Kazakhstan’s longstanding support for the security, political, and economic transitions in Afghanistan.
Idrisov highlighted Kazakhstan’s leadership in realizing the New Silk Road vision for regional economic cooperation.
Idrisov said Kazakhstan's efforts to build trade and energy links across Central and South Asia underscored how the region could benefit from being “land-linked” instead of “land-locked.”