Idea Of Russian-Kazakh-Uzbek Gas Union Needs Expert Evaluation - Kazakh Foreign Ministry

ASTANA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th November, 2022) The idea of a gas union between Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan needs to be thoroughly studied by experts before its implementation, Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko said on Wednesday.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Kazakh counterpart, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, discussed the creation of a "tripartite gas union" between Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan at a meeting in Moscow, which would be aimed at coordination of decisions regarding exports of Russian gas.

"It is still too early to discuss the substance (of the union), as it is just some idea. You have probably heard comments of the head of the state (Tokayev) that this idea needs to be thoroughly studied, it is now just an idea.

There are many ideas in diplomacy, which is why they need to be considered by experts before any state decision is taken," Vassilenko told reporters.

The deputy foreign minister also noted that Kazakhstan would not allow the use of its territory to avoid sanctions and any new foreign policy initiative needed to be assessed in terms of their possible impact on the country's economy and risk of sanctions.

At the same time, the diplomat added that Kazakhstan's government did not support sanctions as an instrument of resolving issues in the world arena.