The Ministry of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan has proposed to close the country’s trade mission in the Russian Federation. A relevant document was put up for public discussion and posted on the website for open discussion of draft laws.
"The Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan decrees to liquidate the state institution ‘the Trade Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Russian Federation’ of the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan," the document reads. Its public discussion will continue until February 15.
The Ministry of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan is instructed to take measures ensuing from this decree in collaboration with the State Property and Privatization Committee of the Kazakh Ministry of Finance.
Russia’s lenta.ru says the grounds for the decision include the order of the Prime Minister of the Republic dated January 24, 2023 No. 12-11 / B-70, the contents of which are not disclosed.
Russia’s lower chamber (State Duma) of parliament has already commented on Kazakhstan’s proposal to close the trade mission in Russia. The Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee for CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, Konstantin Zatulin, suggested that such a move is most likely due to Astana’s desire to maintain ties with the West and not fall under sanctions.
Recall, Interfax reported on January 9 that Kazakhstan denounces the agreement with Russia on measures to ensure mutual convertibility and stabilization of the Russian roble and the Kazakh national currency, the tenge “due to irrelevance. The agreement on the provision of mutual convertibility and stabilization of exchange rates of the Russian ruble and the Kazakh tenge was signed in Moscow on January 20, 1995.
