KAZAKHSTAN NOT READY TO SPOIL RELATIONS WITH AZERBAIJAN AND TURKEY FOR ARMENIA’S SAKE

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.12.2008 13:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia has nothing to offer Kazakhstan except for
brandy and stone working machines, transportation of which is rather
problematic over the blockade, a Kazakh expert said.

The commodity turnover between Kazakhstan and Armenia, made $5,7
million during January-June 2008 against $199 million between
Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan and $47,8 million between Kazakhstan
and Georgia, Marat Shibutov, member of the Association of Frontier
Cooperation, told PanARMENIAN.Net.

"Kazakhstan can facilitate the Karabakh process. For example, it
doesn’t participate in Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku project. It can
also exert pressure on Azerbaijan. But what for? What can Armenia
offer Kazakhstan except for purchase of uranium for the ANPP? But
it’s not hard to find customers of uranium. So, Armenia is beyond
Kazakhstan’s interests at the moment," he said.

Kazakhstan is not ready to spoil relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey
for Armenia’s sake, according to him.

"The only resource Kazakhstan needs in Armenia is the NPP. If
Azerbaijan holds talks with KazMunayGas, Armenia could negotiate
with Kazatomprom. Serious business can start with a clever move,"
Shibutov said.

"As to Nabucco, Turkmenistan’s gas resources are not
measureless. Construction of Kazakhstan-China pipeline has already
begun. So, Azerbaijan may fail to derive profit from gas transit."