In January of that year, Kazakhstan banned imports of meat from Russia and set a prohibitive customs duty (200%) for six months on meat imported from Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic because the devaluation of those countries’ currencies sharply reduced the cost of their meat. On 25 June 1999, after devaluing its own currency, Kazakhstan withdrew these restrictions. A six-month ban on food and grain imports from Russia was also in pace in 1999 to protect domestic market from low-cost Russian exports. The countries may unilaterally impose a temporary non-tariff measure if it, among other specified cases, is aimed at the “protection of life and health of citizens, environment, life and health of animals and plants”.