No threat to Kazakh investments

Georgia’s withdrawal from the CIS will not damage Kazakh investments in Georgia. By withdrawing from the CIS Georgia is not planning to revise any bilateral agreements with any CIS countries except Russia.

The CIS countries, in spite of Russian pressure, have not so far taken any anti-Georgian steps. Moreover, on August 18 an official representative of the Kazakhstan Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Kazakh investments are not under the threat in Georgia in spite of its withdrawal from the CIS, and neither would this action affect any diplomatic or other relations, including the visa regime.

Kazakh President Nazarbaev has made rather controversial remarks concerning recent conflict. He supported Russia’s actions in Georgia and mentioned that Moscow was defending South Ossetiia’s peaceful population. He has also expressed his surprise that the West ignored Georgia’s attack on Tskhinvali. However Kazakhstan is not in a hurry to recognize the independence of the breakaway republics though it is under permanent Russian pressure. Kazakhstan is in a difficult situation - on the one hand it has to resist Russia’s attempts to stop it transporting its energy via Georgia, but on the other it risks damaging other business interests by taking an anti-Russian line.