Kazakhstan not joining Russia sanctions, but won't allow itself to be used to bypass them - FM

TOKYO. Dec 26 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan has not joined the sanctions on Russia, but at the same time, it will not allow itself to be used for circumventing these sanctions, Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi said in an interview with NHK.

"Kazakhstan is not participating in the sanctions against Russia; however, it is abiding by the principle of not allowing any companies to use itself to circumvent the sanctions," he said.

Kazakhstan and Russia have close economic ties, and the sanctions on Russia are having a negative effect on the Kazakh economy, he said.

Speaking of the situation in and around Ukraine, Tileuberdi pointed out that Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has been regularly in touch with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. At the same time, Tokayev has urged the two leaders to sit at the negotiating table and settle disagreements through a dialogue, he said.