On Sept. 28, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was in Germany for bilateral consultations with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Tokayev also participated in a Berlin-structured summit with Central Asia’s five heads of point out. This followed the “C5+1” summit with U.S. President Joe Biden the 7 days ahead of as very well as Tokayev’s conference with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in link with his address to the UN Typical Assembly in New York.
Adhering to his pivotal diplomatic talks with Scholz in Germany, President Tokayev designed this community assertion: “Kazakhstan has unambiguously stated that it will comply with the sanctions regime. In addition, the region does not have any concerns regarding territorial promises from the Russian Federation.”
This unequivocal declaration underscored Kazakhstan’s ongoing dedication to international norms. Western journalists gave this new pronouncement particularly significant prominence, but they neglected to report on Tokayev’s other critical remarks.
In certain, the Western media unsuccessful to point out that Tokayev named the sanctions confrontation in between the West and Russia “counterproductive” in phrases of stopping more erosion of international relations and deterioration of the world-wide scenario in normal. “Kazakhstan is not ‘anti-Russia’,” he clarified “we firmly adhere to a program of complete co-procedure with Russia.”
President Tokayev said Kazakhstan is “united” with Russia “by the longest border in the world” and has very long-standing bilateral co-operation “in a variety of fields, which includes trade and humanitarian ties.” In this context, highlighting Kazakhstan’s confidence in its diplomatic ties and capability to enforce agreements, he emphasised the absence of any territorial considerations with regards to Russia.
Kazakhstan has a very long and advanced geopolitical history with its northern neighbour stretching again to its early sixteenth-century existence as the Kazakh Khanate. Soon after rising from the disintegration of the Soviet Union as a sovereign and independent modern day state, Kazakhstan grew to become keen on establishing its distinct identification on the worldwide stage. Tokayev’s statements replicate the attainment of this diplomatic maturity.
President Tokayev is himself an internationally revered diplomat. His credentials as a previous key minister, among several other large-stage posts that he has held above the many years, are impeccable. As this sort of, his phrases carry weight. But they are not just words and phrases. As President Tokayev produced apparent, his federal government displays a devotion to intercontinental norms and maintains “contacts with the applicable organisations pertaining to compliance with the sanctions regime.”
Kazakhstan’s diplomatic stance aligns seamlessly with the broader worldwide community’s collective response to Moscow’s actions in Ukraine. Whilst numerous nations have rallied to impose sanctions on Russia, there have been concerns about likely circumvention, especially through nations that have close ties with Russia.
Kazakhstan’s apparent place dispels any these kinds of apprehensions in this regard, putting it alongside the nations that prioritise upholding world peace and stability. The not long ago adopted eleventh bundle of sanctions of the European Union (EU) aims to protect against re-exports of delicate merchandise to Russia by third nations around the world. Kazakhstan’s determination to the sanctions routine aligns with this EU directive as well, even more emphasising the country’s optimistic orientation with worldwide expectations.
Throughout his engagements in Berlin, President Tokayev persistently reiterated Kazakhstan’s independent foreign-policy stance. Regardless of whether addressing concerns about the intricate nuances of circumventing sanctions, or emphasising the robustness of territorial agreements with Russia, his information was very clear: Kazakhstan values its worldwide partnerships and, whilst ensuring that its very own passions are revered, will also act in the ideal pursuits of sustaining international peace and balance.
Astana’s determination not to realize Moscow’s profession of the jap and southern regions of Ukraine further underscores its independent international policy placement. It demonstrates that notwithstanding shut professional, financial and fiscal ties with Russia, Kazakhstan even now prioritises its very own sovereignty and independence when it will come to getting key choices.
Kazakhstan’s determination to global norms, synergised with its impartial overseas coverage, sets an example for other nations equally in the region and exterior. The country’s even handed and well balanced technique, guided by President Tokayev’s yrs of foreign policy expertise, emerges as a blueprint for diplomatic success in Central Asia and further than. This is especially legitimate supplied that Western nations are recalibrating their approaches in Central Asia to find a additional pronounced function, together with to stability out Russian and Chinese influence.
In July 2023, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs said that the authorities was performing anything achievable to stay clear of currently being subjected to secondary sanctions. The state banned the supply of military products to Russia, and launched certification for dual-use products. According to President Tokayev, Kazakhstan does not have items topic to sanctions limitations and, therefore, does not trade them. Kazakhstan “does not take part in the so-termed parallel imports to Russia,” he reiterated.
As President Tokayev himself clarified, Kazakhstan is unambiguous when it arrives to sanctions compliance but is nevertheless confident about its relations with Russia. The country’s dedication to peace, balance and worldwide norms will surely guidebook its route forward in the intricate matrix of twenty-very first century geopolitics.
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The sights and viewpoints expressed in this post are those of the author.
The author is a Physician of Political Science and Intercontinental Relations and a freelance political analyst.
