22 Jan 2018 11:03

Kazakhstan does not doubt Minsk deal on Ukraine - Foreign Ministry

ASTANA. Jan 22 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan supports the Minsk Agreements on Ukraine and does not doubt the importance of the Minsk negotiating platform, Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Yerzhan Ashikbayev told a press briefing in Astana on Monday.

"Kazakhstan has unwaveringly backed the so-called Minsk Agreements on the Ukraine settlement process. [...] The Republic of Kazakhstan does not doubt the importance of the Minsk platform," Ashikbayev said.

"We have always underscored our readiness to give comprehensive support to the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. Minsk has proven itself as a reliable [negotiating] platform," he said.

As to the Donbas settlement process, Ashikbayev said that was the conflicting sides' business but, just like in the Syria settlement's case, Astana was ready to help if requested.

"First and foremost, this is the conflicting sides' business. We are not interfering in this process. However, Kazakhstan is always ready to give full support to the search for solutions," he said, adding that in the case of the Syria settlement process "we received a request and granted it."

"Of course, it is up to the conflicting sides whether to make this request or not," Ashikbayev said.