The situation on the eve of the snap Presidential elections in Kazakhstan to be held on April 3rd can’t be called trivial. Voters are being attracted with various curious statements. A disgraced ex-son-in-law of the President Nursultan Nazarbayev attempts to gain the most attention. Sometime influential Rakhat Shorazov-Aliyev undertook another informational attack from Vienna, where he hides from justice. Snap elections for him became a surprise, having broken the plans to ballot for the post of the Head of the state in 2012. He expressly tries to destabilize the situation around Kazakhstan and inside of it. After the announcement of the date of the snap Presidential elections, Rakhat Aliyev extraordinarily commented on the last state visit of Nazarbayev to China.
Mister Aliyev has decided to play on worries that probably experience all the neighbors of the People’s Republic of China, who are afraid of the hegemony of Tianxia and migration from the most densely populated country. He states that Astana has signed a secret treaty with Beijing, according to which it gives a million hectares of fertile lends for 99-years rent. This is a symbolic payment for security, if Tunisian, Egyptian and Libyan events take place in Kazakhstan.
The fact that despite their simultaneity, they were incited with absolutely various reasons, is simply not known to the “competent” ex-ambassador of Kazakhstan to Austria.
The statement about Chinese threat is just curious. First of all, about secrecy. Secret can be the treaty which has no visible realization. It’s simply impossible not to notice Chinese people cultivating million of hectares within Kazakhstan steppe. Secondly, about the land. In 2009 this subject was widely speculated on, and Nazarbayev put a period to this issue, having authorized the law-enforcement agencies to bring to account people disseminating gossips that destabilize situation.
However this hasn’t influenced the way of thinking of Rakhat Aliyev. Obviously, in order to add some freshness of imagination to provocative gossips he stated that “with the first signs of people disturbances 200 thousand of Chinese peace-keeping soldiers will enter Kazakhstan”. They have already developed the plans of their transportation to the airports of Astana, Shymkent and Karaganda. China, as per version of the disgraced ex-son-in-law of the President of Kazakhstan, will introduce troops already in case of the hint on a conflict.
Any sensible person realizes that interference into domestic affairs of neighbor-states is the same as challenging the whole international community. Neither the USA nor Russia benefit from the enhancement of the People’s Republic of China at the cost of Kazakhstan. Also it’s not profitable for China to provoke the international community into which it is integrated economically. The Tianxia depends on the outlet market of its goods, as well as the importing states depend on China.
The introduction of peacekeeping troops is a unique case within international practice. Talking about political nuances, the destabilizing elements mainly are the runaway oligarchs, withdrawn from the power for various sins, who unexpectedly have become the apologists of “democracy” and independence defenders. The same Aliyev writes about Chinization of Kazakhstan the following: “Look around! All oil and gas pipelines laying within our land in Chinese direction already belong to China!”
So what? The number of investors, working in oil-gas sector of Kazakhstan, includes not only Chinese but also Russian, German, American and many other companies. And regarding gas and oil pipelines, which China has built actively lately, then this fact corresponds with the policy of Kazakhstan in the context of diversification of energy carriers ways. But if one investors – as China – are not welcomed in certain political circles, then other circles defend them “till the last bullet”.
In relation tothe oncoming snap Presidential elections the opponents of Nazarbayev have intensified their activity. Having significant financial resources and controlled Mass Media they do their utmost to destabilize the situation in Kazakhstan, to undermine the image of the power-i- office. But even in this case, the experts think, they can hardly be called the center of Kazakh opposition abroad. There are no signs of mass support of them in the country.
It’s worth to remind, that in December 2008 the Resolution of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan of 2008 convicted Rakhat Aliyev guilty in a number of crimes, which included illegal gaining and disclosure of state secrets and actions aimed at violent seizure of power.
Still nothing is known about the destiny of two managers of “Nur Bank” and the death of the journalist Anastasia Novikova is still uncovered. These crimes are related by the experts to Rakhat Aliyev. Nobody seriously care of the destiny of the earlier powerful official.
Translated by EuroDialogueXXI from tut.by
30.03.2011
