ASTANA, March 18 (Reuters) - Britain will help
Kazakhstan develop export routes bypassing Russia, British
Foreign Minister James Cleverly said on a visit to the Central
Asian nation on Saturday, where he also signed a memorandum on
supplies of critical minerals.
Cleverly said London valued the position of Astana - which
has traditionally been closely allied with Moscow - on the
Ukrainian conflict. Kazakhstan has refused to support Russia's
invasion or recognise its annexation of Ukrainian territories.
"The UK greatly appreciates Kazakhstan's consistent and
principled position in supporting Ukraine's territorial
integrity and your desire to bring about resolution to the war
in line with the UN charter," he told a briefing.
Cleverly, who met Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and
a number of other senior officials, said he discussed the
disruptions in Kazakh oil exports - most of which go through
Russia - and discussed ways to support the development of
alternative routes such as the so-called Middle Corridor.
That route crosses the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and
Turkey, and requires significant investment in order to boost
its capacity, although Kazakhstan has already started diverting
some crude shipments towards it.
Cleverly and Kazakh diplomats said they have signed a
memorandum on critical minerals such as rare earth metals, but
provided no details about it.
The landlocked former Soviet nation of 20 million accounts
for almost a half of the world's uranium output and has large
deposits of rare earth minerals which the West has traditionally
sourced from China or Russia.
Kazakhstan, which has the longest land border with Russia of
any former Soviet state, called in Russian troops to help put
down street demonstrations weeks before Russia's invasion of
Ukraine last year. But since the invasion Tokayev has been
careful to keep his distance from Moscow and keep relations open
with the West.
(Reporting by Tamara Vaal
Writing by Olzhas Auyezov
Editing by Peter Graff)
Messaging: olzhas.auyezov.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
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