BISHKEK, August 29. /TASS/. Kyrgyzstan is not going to violate the anti-Russian sanctions imposed by a number of Western countries, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev said on Tuesday.

"I can confirm unequivocally that we have never violated the sanctions and will not violate them. We will stick to the agreements we have with our Western partners. No one can prohibit bilateral trade - with China, Russia or any other CIS country. As a member of the Kyrgyz government, I can say officially that we have never violated the sanctions," he said in an interview with Deutsche Welle (DW, recognized as a foreign media agent in Russia).

He refuted allegations that his country’s trade with Russia and other CIS countries has increased several-fold recently. "We do have certain growth, but as for me, I have never heard about 240%. We have our statistics and we believe that trade with Russia and other CIS countries is about the same as in previous years," he explained.

According to Kulubaev, the Kyrgyz side periodically communicates with the United States about the anti-Russian sanctions. "We have constant consultations with representatives of the European Union. Mr. [US National Security Adviser Jake] Sullivan visited Kyrgyzstan and we held detailed consultations about sanctions with him. We also received an official from the US Department of the Treasury to discuss these matters. And, naturally, we take our colleagues' warnings about possible sanctions in case we violate agreements very seriously," he stressed.

The minister recalled that his country is located in the very heart of Central Asia. "And all the trade routes from China to Europe and back, from China to Central Asia run across Kyrgyzstan. That is why it is very difficult to control the entire spectrum. Nevertheless, our government is keeping a close eye on such things," he said.

The top Kyrgyz diplomat stressed that his country is in favor of settling the situation around Ukraine through talks. "Today, the world is somewhat divided into friends and foes. And when we are asked: ‘Whom are you with?’ Naturally, it is difficult for us to be either with Russia or with Ukraine. Because they are two brotherly nations, Slavs, who are fighting with each other. So, we favor a peaceful resolution of the conflict, where the sides sit down at the negotiating table," he added.