Kazakhstan denies accusations of flooding Russian regions

ASTANA. April 10 (Interfax) - The statement by Russian presidential envoy in the Ural Federal District Vladimir Yakushev on the causes of the flooding of Russian regions and uncoordinated actions by Astana and Moscow to fight the flood is incorrect, the Kazakh Water Resources and Irrigation Ministry said.

"As to the statement by Vladimir Yakushev. The water in the Tobol River comes from Russia. And accordingly, decisions to dump water are made based on flows coming on the Russian side. Therefore, it is incorrect to say that Kazakhstan is influencing the floods in Russia. It's untrue," the ministry said in a statement released on Wednesday.

"The Kazakh side has informed the Russian side about decisions to dump water in the Tobol River since April 2. The sides exchange information as the dumps increase or decrease round the clock. And any uncoordinated actions are out of the question," the ministry said. "The Kazakh side is ready to continue cooperation, information exchange in the spirit of good-neighborly partnership with the Russian side," the report said.

According to media reports, Yakushev said "the Kazakhstan factor" needs to be taken into account in the situation with the floods in the Kurgan and Tyumen regions. He said he believes Kazakhstan should have dumped water in a more coordinated manner so that Russia could prevent floods in the Kurgan and Tyumen regions.