We discussed about Kazakhstan
Thank you very much Mr Ambassador

– Mr Kauzlarich , what do you think that about the last recent events which happening in the Kazakhstan?

-The rapidity of the collapse of a sovereign, independent Kazakhstan is remarkable. The inability of an autocratic regime to handle these protests without calling on CSTO shows how vulnerable corruption made the Kazakh leadership. It was the reverse of the recent collapse of Afghanistan when the US pulled out. Apparently the Afghan regime could not survive without a US military presence. So the Kazakh regime cannot survive without a Russian military presence.

-What is the reason for the increase in protests in a short period of time and the president’s invited the CSTO to the Kazakhstan ?

-I don’t understand internal Kazakh circumstances well-enough to explain this, but the extent of the popular discontent with the autocratic kleptocracy surprised everyone. Despite the Kazakh security services size and penetration of all aspects of Kazakh society, they could not control what was happening. The only way the regime could survive was appealing to Russia (via the CSTO) for support. Tokayev may survive. The future of an independent Kazakhstan is in doubt.

-How do you think the protests in Kazakhstan and Belarus differ?

-The situations that lead to popular unresent in the two countries are different. What is the same is the response of Lukashenka and Tokayev when faced with popular unrest — resort to extreme violence, arrest thousands of their citizens, and call on Moscow to ensure the corrupt leadership remains in power.

-After the intervention of the Collective Security Treaty Organization to Kazakhstan, do you think the West and NATO can intervene in the events here?

-The US and the West should respond to developments in Kazakhstan the same way they have to developments in Belarus — apply economic sanctions on the leadership for the massive violations of the human rights of the citizens of Kazakhstan.
By Leyla Shah