Kazakhstan lifts ban from Russian fuel imports

Tengrinews file photo

Kazakhstan has lifted restrictions from import of oil products from Russia, Tengrinews reports referring to the Kazakhstan Minister of Oil and Gas Uzakbai Karabalin.

Last December Russia and Kazakhstan prolonged their agreement on trade and economic cooperation in the field of oil and oil products' imports for one year. The document provides for duty-free supplies of oil products from Russia to Kazakhstan to meet the country’s domestic needs.

The restriction was introduced this spring after large amounts of fuel were imported in Q1 to prevent fuel shortages in Kazakhstan, the Minister said on Wednesday.

"I am pleased to announced that our ministry and the ministry of transport have signed a decree lifting the ban from import of oil products from Russia to Kazakhstan. Now everyone willing to import (fuel) from Russia is welcome to do so. As you remember we introduced the ban in spring, and only KazMunaiGas state-run company was exempt from it," Karabalin said.

"A lot (of fuel) was imported in Q1, and to make the supply steady and even throughout the year and use the shipments from Russia to compensate for the shortages at our domestic market, we had to introduce this restriction. Now that six months have passed (...) we can open the import back up," the Minister said.

Kazakhstan is now waiting for a response from Russia for the decree to come into force.

Reporting by Asemgul Kasenova, writing by Assel Satubaldina, editing by Tatyana Kuzmina

Kazakhstan has lifted restrictions from import of oil products from Russia, Tengrinews reports referring to the Kazakhstan Minister of Oil and Gas Uzakbai Karabalin.

Last December Russia and Kazakhstan prolonged their agreement on trade and economic cooperation in the field of oil and oil products' imports for one year. The document provides for duty-free supplies of oil products from Russia to Kazakhstan to meet the country’s domestic needs.

The restriction was introduced this spring after large amounts of fuel were imported in Q1 to prevent fuel shortages in Kazakhstan, the Minister said on Wednesday.

"I am pleased to announced that our ministry and the ministry of transport have signed a decree lifting the ban from import of oil products from Russia to Kazakhstan. Now everyone willing to import (fuel) from Russia is welcome to do so. As you remember we introduced the ban in spring, and only KazMunaiGas state-run company was exempt from it," Karabalin said.

"A lot (of fuel) was imported in Q1, and to make the supply steady and even throughout the year and use the shipments from Russia to compensate for the shortages at our domestic market, we had to introduce this restriction. Now that six months have passed (...) we can open the import back up," the Minister said.

Kazakhstan is now waiting for a response from Russia for the decree to come into force.

Reporting by Asemgul Kasenova, writing by Assel Satubaldina, editing by Tatyana Kuzmina

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