President of Kazakhstan H E Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (right) at the Qatar Economic Form.
Doha: President of the Republic of Kazakhstan H E Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has said that the negotiations process must be continued to resolve Russian-Ukrainian crisis.
He was talking in a session “In Conversation with President Tokayev” at Qatar Economic Forum – Powered by Bloomberg yesterday. The President said that Kazakhstan enjoys close relationship with Russia as well as with Ukraine.
“We are very much concerned about what is taking place in Ukraine but at the same time we believe that the negotiations process must be continued and Kazakhstan as close friend of both states will be able to provide our own opportunities, our own chances to bring together both conflicting states.”
To a question about what needed to end war (in Ukraine), the President of Kazakhstan replied: “I think first of all goodwill of both the states but at the same time support of the international community.”
He noted that unfortunately international community is split and the Security Council is in a ‘bad situation’. “We remember the United Nations in the times of the Cold War many years ago; during the Cold War, the UN was much more united than now.”
The President said that he was very much concerned about what would be happening with the UN in the future “but I am a strong believer in multilateralism.”
He asked the international community to exert positive influence on both states to end the crisis. “We have excellent relations with Russia in so many areas. The matter of fact (is) both Kazakhstan and Russia are (in) alliance. We are staying together in important organisations like Collective Security Treaty Organisation. We have concerns over impact of the whole situation and we too feel some negative effects in regard to our economy that is why we insist on having active international cooperation so that we can find a way how to get out of the crisis.”
To another question, the President of Kazakhstan said that Kazakh oil is still in demand in international market. “We are grateful to companies, states but at the same time we have to think how to diversify our routes… we want to diversify our international trade routes. The other day I was in Tehran where we signed very important agreement on how can we organise trade through train in our part of the world.”
Responding a question, he said that proposed visit of US President Biden to Saudi Arabia will be an event of great importance. “It will have a decided impact on the oil market.”
He also expressed his country’s desire to establish a strong relationship with the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
