Kazakhstan has closed its trade representation in Russia. This is what emerges from the government decree of February 22, published on the website of regulatory legal acts of Kazakhstan.
As the press center of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Trade and Integration previously stated, this decision is due to “optimization of the work of government agencies.”
The ministry stressed that the measure will not affect the development of bilateral economic cooperation, given that Russia remains Kazakhstan's main trade and economic partner.
Recall, the Kazakh authorities announced the decision to close its trade representation in Russia in early February. A relevant document was put up for public discussion and posted on the website for open discussion of draft laws. Its public discussion continued until February 15.
Russia’s lower chamber (State Duma) of parliament has 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 in early February that such a move is most likely due to Astana’s desire to maintain ties with the West and not fall under sanctions.
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.
