ALMATY, Kazakhstan (Dow Jones)--Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov Monday ordered Kazakh oil exports through Batumi, a Georgian Black Sea port, to be stopped and said the oil should be redirected to the local market because of the conflict between Russia and Georgia, according to the government.
Masimov told state oil and gas company KazMunaiGas and Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry officials to work on using oil for domestic needs instead of exporting to foreign markets through Batumi, the government said on its Web site.
Serik Burkitbayev, KazMunaiGas chief executive, said that the Batumi port hadn't been targeted in the conflict and that all tankers and ships had been moved out of the port, the government said.
The port in Batumi is owned by KazMunaiGas and can ship about 15 million metric tons of oil.