Embassy News
U.S. Speaker Discusses Contemporary U.S. Foreign Policy and 2008 Presidential Campaign
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| Ambassador Derek Shearer has a discussion with students of International Relations of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University at the Center for American and Democratic Studies on October 19, 2007. |
From October 13-20, 2007, U.S. Embassy Astana and Branch Office Almaty hosted the visit of Ambassador Derek Shearer, former Ambassador to Finland and Chevalier Professor of Diplomacy and World Affairs at Occidental College in Los Angeles. Ambassador Shearer spoke to large and enthusiastic groups of students of international relations at universities in Almaty, Astana, and Karaganda. His topics were "Globalization and the U.S. War on Terror - U.S. Foreign Policy After 9/11" and the 2008 U.S. presidential election. The students asked a variety of tough and thoughtful questions regarding U.S. foreign policy during the Bush administration and about the current U.S. presidential campaign. Ambassador Shearer's events for alumni and students were so popular and lively, that they were "standing room only."
As a result of this program, Kazakhstani university students, alumni of U.S. exchange programs, and Kazakhstani government officials and think tank scholars were able to hear the views of a formerly high-ranking U.S. official and professor of international affairs on the post 9/11 foreign policy, and other topics of interest to Kazakhstani audiences. This trip helped to forge better understanding of contemporary U.S. foreign policy objectives and goals, and exposed these audiences to a unique perspective, showing that the United States has a multitude of voices in its foreign policy formulation and political life.