Since 1991 the US investments into the Kazakhstan economy totaled $30 billion. Oil and gas industry was the main field of investments, John Ordway, US Temporary Charge D’Affairs in Kazakhstan said in his interview to KazTAG news agency.
Asked if the sanctions imposed on Russia could affect Kazakhstan somehow, Ordway said that the US would not like the sanctions to have a negative impact on Russia’s neighbors, in particular Kazakhstan.
“The biggest risk for Kazakhstan is that the Russian economy does not grow or even insignificantly declines and this acceleration of this process will affect Kazakhstan, which economically tied with Russia. But if one looks at the current policy of Kazakhstan aimed at diversification and attraction of investments, this is exactly what should be done not only in connection with the sanctions, but also in general to reduce dependence of the economy,” said John Ordway.
He explained that uncertainty concerning successor of President Nazarbayev will not affect the US readiness to cooperate with Kazakhstan.
He expressed an opinion that the US will not be concerned over deepening of integration with Russia only in case of preservation of the current balance of relationships and Kazakhstan’s openness for the US investments and cooperation with Europe and China.
In 2014 the packet of the documents for Kazakhstan’s joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) will be ready and the US hopes that after the joining Kazakhstan will create attractive conditions for operation of the US companies and banks.
