ASTANA – Kazakhstan does not take sides in the escalating Middle East conflict and calls for disputes to be resolved exclusively through diplomatic means, Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Bakayev said at a March 3 government briefing.
Photo credit: Foreign Ministry
“Kazakhstan advocates resolving any military conflict at the negotiating table, in accordance with international law and the UN Charter,” Bakayev said, stressing that Kazakhstan’s position of non-interference in the affairs of other states remains unchanged.
He emphasized that Kazakhstan is not aligning itself with any party to the conflict.
“We are not taking sides – neither with Iran nor with the countries that were attacked. Our goal is to prevent such conflicts, and if they arise, they must be settled through diplomacy,” he said.
Asked whether Kazakhstan is ready to provide a platform for negotiations, Bakayev noted that the country has prior experience in hosting peace talks.
Kazakhstan previously facilitated negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program in Almaty and hosted more than 20 rounds of talks on Syria, bringing representatives of the Syrian government and opposition to the negotiating table.
“If the parties request it, we will carefully consider providing such a platform. At this stage, no such requests have been received,” he said.
Evacuation of citizens underway
Bakayev announced that 467 Kazakh citizens would be repatriated on March 3 via the Sultanate of Oman. The first group traveled by bus from Dubai to Oman, from where they are scheduled to fly to Kazakhstan.
Another 343 citizens are set to be evacuated from Jeddah on March 4. This route is being organized from Qatar to Saudi Arabia, with citizens transported by bus from Qatar to Riyadh, then onward to Jeddah, and flown home from there.
The evacuation lists primarily include women with minor children, citizens over the age of 60, and individuals with medical conditions.
Kazakh nationals in Iran are expected to be evacuated by land through Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan.
FlyDubai flights have already transported 306 passengers from Dubai to Almaty and Astana.
