The US may consider repealing the Jackson-Vanik amendment for Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries. This was announced by Marco Rubio, nominee for the position of US Secretary of State, during the hearings in Capitol Hill on January 15th he said.
According to another senator, Steve Daines, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have applied several times for the repeal of this amendment. He emphasized the necessity of providing these countries with permanent normal trade relations, which will allow them to develop using new tools.
In response, Marco Rubio called the Jackson-Vanik amendment a "relic of the past" and stated that using this mechanism to exert pressure on Central Asian states was unjustifiable.
Marco Rubio added that the repeal of the amendment could only be achieved through relevant legislative changes and expressed hope for collaboration with other senators in this direction.
Steve Daines, in turn, highlighted Central Asia as a region with great potential that deserves more attention. After the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, he noted the strategic importance of the region and expressed hope for a C5+1 format summit involving Central Asian states and the US.
It is reminded that the Jackson-Vanik amendment, adopted in 1974, restricted trade relations with states violating human rights. It was named in honor of its initiators, congressmen Henry Jackson and Charles Vanik.
