Kazakh companies seek to avoid secondary sanctions, but the country will continue to cooperate closely with Russia. This was stated by Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Russia, Dauren Abayev, at a press conference in TASS news agency.
According to him, about ten companies in the country have fallen under such sanctions, but these are isolated cases.
“Kazakh companies, naturally, do not want to be under sanctions, as any restrictions have a negative impact on their activities,” Abayev emphasized.
Nevertheless, he noted that strategic partnership and allied relations remain between Kazakhstan and Russia, and the growth of trade turnover confirms the continuation of cooperation.
Earlier in August, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin said in an interview with Bloomberg that the republic would not blindly follow sanctions against Russia but would take into account international restrictions. He emphasized that Kazakhstan will not allow a ban on trade for its companies, but the country cannot completely ignore the sanctions because of the risk of economic isolation.
Kazakhstan’s Minister of National Economy Nurlan Baibazarov commented in early November on Kazakhstan companies being placed on the UK sanctions lists, saying that these violations are not systemic. He said the sanctions were mainly one-day firms, and the republic continues to comply with international restrictions.
