The European Union on Thursday, January 6, called on the Russian Federation to respect the sovereignty and independence of Kazakhstan against the backdrop of sending Russian airborne troops to the republic to suppress mass protests. Also, the European Commission called on all parties to show restraint.
“The violence must end. We also call for restraint and a peaceful settlement of the situation by all parties. It is obvious that the EU is ready and willing to support dialogue in the country,” said the EU spokesman, quoted by Reuters.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell noted the need to be wary of the presence of foreign troops in Kazakhstan. He also called on the parties to exercise restraint.
CSTO Mission in Kazakhstan
On January 6, the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) began the transfer of military contingent to Kazakhstan, the secretariat of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) said. From Russia, airborne units were included in the CSTO peacekeeping forces. The tasks of the forces sent to Kazakhstan will be “the protection of state and military facilities, assistance to the forces of law and order,” the organization said. The exact number of units is not named.
In addition to Russia, other members of the organization sent their armed forces to Kazakhstan: Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The advanced subdivisions of the CSTO contingent have already begun “to fulfill the assigned tasks” in Kazakhstan, the organization’s secretariat informed.
Gas Price Protests
The rallies that began in western Kazakhstan to lower prices for liquefied gas escalated into massive protests throughout the country. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev accepted the resignation of the government led by Askar Mamin. A state of emergency (state of emergency) has been introduced throughout the country. A tense situation remains in a number of cities. On January 5, the president appealed to the CSTO for help, calling the protesters “terrorists.”
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