The Kazakh government will not interfere in the New York trial of a U.S. businessman accused of offering bribes for oil contracts, Radio Free Europe says. Kazakh Foreign Minister Qasymzhomart Toqaev told the network the case is focused on James Giffen, not Kazakhstan. Giffen is accused of paying more than $78 million in bribes to Kazakh officials -- including President Nursultan Nazarbaev -- in return for lucrative oil contracts. Nazarbaev has denied he gained personally from the transfers. Toqaev\'s promise contradicts previous government actions. Between 2000 and 2003, the Kazakh government mounted vigorous efforts to suppress the investigation. The Kazakhs filed numerous motions in Swiss courts trying to prevent Swiss banking officials from providing bank records to the U.S. Justice Department. During pretrial hearings last week, Giffen\'s attorneys argued the case should be dismissed on grounds that the actions took place in Kazakhstan -- not in the United States. The judge is expected to rule soon. (UPI)