![The EU and Kazakhstan: Is the pursuit of energy and security cooperation compatible with promotion of human rights and democratic reforms?](/api/image/getbookcoverimage?id=document_cover-page-image_828104.jpg)
The EU and Kazakhstan: Is the pursuit of energy and security cooperation compatible with promotion of human rights and democratic reforms?
Kazakhstan’s continuing socio-economic and political stability, a formal commitment to political reforms and an avowed pro-Western orientation make it the European Union’s most reliable partner in the Central Asian region. Kazakhstan’s expanding economic and security partnership with Europe is part of its ‘multi-vectoral’ foreign policy geared at balancing its ties with Russia, China, the Western states and the Muslim world. Kazakhstan has skilfully utilised its geostrategic location as a corridor between Asia and Europe and the country’s rising profile as the leading oil exporter to Europe after Russia (almost 80% of EU imports from Kazakhstan consist of fuel) to carve out a special niche for itself within the European market.
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