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Kazakhstan negotiating increase in oil supplies to China by 2.5 mln tons with Russia

Kazakh Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said that the process of signing final documents on the issue will take time

ASTANA, June 17. /TASS/. The Kazakh authorities are negotiating a potential increase in supplies of Russian oil to China via the republic by 2.5 mln tons with Moscow, Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said.

"Negotiations are underway now. The Russian side is asking additionally for [an increase in supplies to China to] 2.5 mln tons," he told reporters when asked about boosting deliveries of Russian oil to China via Kazakhstan.

The process of signing final documents on the issue will take time, the minister added. "As soon as the parties reach a mutual agreement, we will sign it. This will require amendments to the intergovernmental agreement and its subsequent ratification in the parliament. I think that the process will take some time," he said.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told reporters in May that Moscow was ready to increase oil supplies to China via Kazakhstan by 2.5 mln tons.

Earlier, the Russian government approved a draft protocol on amendments to the intergovernmental agreement with China, which provides for the possibility of increasing Russian oil supplies to China by 2.5 mln tons.