EXCLUSIVE-Kazakhstan says oil output levels decided by national interest, not OPEC+

By Tamara Vaal

ASTANA, April 23 (Reuters) - Kazakhstan will prioritise national interests over those of the OPEC+ group when deciding on oil production levels, the country's newly appointed Energy Minister Erlan Akkenzhenov told Reuters ratcheting up the standoff with the group.

Several other members of the OPEC+ group, including top producer Saudi Arabia, have been angered by Kazakhstan's rising output, three OPEC+ sources told Reuters last month.

The minister also said the country was not able to reduce oil production at its three large oil-producing projects, as they are controlled by foreign majors.

"To act in accordance with national interests. This is a broad formulation, but it completely covers the entire situation that we have now. Act only in accordance with national interests," the minister said.