Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was unable to provide a timeline for repealing the Jackson–Vanik Amendment in relation to Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries. He said the decision falls under the authority of the US Congress and that the issue should therefore be addressed with American lawmakers.
Rubio said he would like to secure the repeal of the amendment’s application to countries in the region. However, the US Department of State is not authorised to make such a decision independently, and efforts to advance the issue in Congress have so far been unsuccessful.
The Jackson–Vanik Amendment was adopted in the United States in 1974. It restricted trade relations with countries that impeded free emigration. Among other measures, it imposed restrictions on the granting of normal trade relations status, government-backed lending and certain forms of financial assistance.
Repealing the amendment’s application to Uzbekistan could remove one of the legal barriers affecting the country’s trade and economic relations with the United States.
