Nazarbaev May Intervene in Kyrgyz Political Struggle
Thursday, 26 April, 2007
Nazarbaev May Intervene in Kyrgyz Political Struggle
Thursday, 26 April, 2007
The most noteworthy of the agreements concerns the creation of a “Supreme Interstate Council” and a “Council of Foreign Ministers of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakstan”, institutions which some local and Russian media have seen as a first step towards unification.
However, Emil Juraev, deputy director of the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, says the most significant aspect of Nazarbaev’s visit is the possibility that he might play a mediatory role in Kyrgyzstan’s domestic political conflict.
“Nazarbaev will most probably ask all the leaders in Kyrgyzstan to cooperate with one another, show mutual understanding, and most importantly, [work for] stability,” said Juraev.
The Kazak president could play an important role by calling on all sides to engage in talks for the sake of general political stability in the region, and fruitful cooperation with Kazakstan in particular, Juraev added.
Political scientist Marat Kazakpaev said Nazarbaev could make political dialogue and stability in a precondition for future Kazak investment in Kyrgyzstan.
During Kyrgyz prime minister Almaz Atambaev’s visit to Kazakstan on April 18, the Kazaks made it clear that far more investment could be available if circumstances changed.
Tamerlan Ibraimov, director of the Centre for Political and Legal Studies, said Nazarbaev’s recent statements indicate that he is against strengthening the role of parliament in Kyrgyzstan.
“Nazarbaev is somewhat fearful that Kyrgyzstan will move towards more of a parliamentary system or one with [a balance of power between] prime minister and president, since the constitutional reforms he is trying to carry out in his own country will not give parliament more power,” he said.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
