President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, addressed allegations that Kyrgyzstan had aided Russia or its proxies in circumventing international sanctions imposed due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, 24.kg reported on August 9. The comments came in response to a letter from U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Senator Menendez's letter expressed concerns about Kyrgyzstan's role in facilitating sanctions evasion and urged President Japarov to take corrective measures amidst concerns of democratic decline. Japarov denied the accusations, asserting that Kyrgyzstan's assistance was not significant enough to impact Russia or China's trade routes, given their extensive border and transport options. He mentioned a recent incident where a shipment of drones from a Kyrgyz company was detained in Kazakhstan, leading to a temporary export ban on drones and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Regarding the senator's letter, President Japarov considered it a pressure tactic to sway Kyrgyzstan's foreign policy. He affirmed Kyrgyzstan's commitment to an independent, multi-vector foreign policy, emphasising equal relations with all countries. Japarov reiterated Kyrgyzstan's neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine issue and highlighted that maintaining or altering their position wouldn't influence the situation's outcome.
"As for the senator’s letter, I receive letters from many politicians. I regard this as a common excuse to put pressure on Kyrgyzstan and win us over to their side. We will not allow this. We are an independent country. We will continue to have equal relations with all countries. We will pursue a multi-vector foreign policy," Sadyr Japarov informed.
The report also detailed recent developments, such as the inclusion of four Kyrgyz companies in the U.S. government sanctions list for alleged cooperation with Russia and the potential imposition of sanctions on Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyz authorities responded by vowing to prevent sanctioned goods from crossing their borders and initiating an investigation into private companies involved in re-exporting banned technologies.
President Japarov's statements emphasised Kyrgyzstan's sovereignty, its independent foreign policy, and its adherence to neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while refuting allegations of significant involvement in sanctions evasion.
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