Kazakhstan calls Ukraine not to continue confrontation

On March 27 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution Territorial integrity of Ukraine by a vote of 100 in favour, 11 against and 58 abstentions.

Kazakhstan was among the nations that abstained from the voting. Kairat Abdrakhmanov, Kazakhstan’s permanent representative in the UN, said that his country was home to Kazakhs, Russians, Ukrainians, Tatars, Germans, Poles, Koreans and others who lived in peace and harmony. The Government of Kazakhstan was interested in a sovereign, stable and independent Ukraine, he said, adding that its economic recovery was a prerequisite for resolving the situation. It was important to heed the voice of reason and explore all ways to resolve the situation peacefully, he said, adding that he had abstained from the vote.

In return Ukraine sent a diplomatic note to Kazakhstan, expressing concerns over the statements made by President Nazarbayev during a briefing at the global nuclear security summit in The Hague.

At that briefing Nazarbayev said that Ukrainian political leadership has been swaying from one side to other between the European Union and Russia. The people and the country found themselves divided into two parts, which eventually led to an unconstitutional takeover.

He called Ukraine to return to a legal terrain and elect a legitimate president, parliament and a legitimate government, and then, with this in place, hold peaceful negotiations and jointly find a way out of the situation.

The Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry replyed with a note saying that the statements of the Kazakhstan president contradicted the fundamental principles of the international law and repudiated the partnership ties between the two nations, and were unacceptable for Ukraine.

Commenting on the diplomatic uproar on March 29 the official representative of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Foriegn Affairs Zhanbolat Ussenov said, "We were perplexed by the diplomatic note that we received from the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. Obviously it’s sending was driven by overt emotions, rather than common sense." 

"Kazakhstan holds a balanced and realistic position on the Ukrainian crisis. Our country’s president has repeatedly called, including during the global nuclear security summit in The Hague, to surmount the Ukrainian crisis through peaceful negotiations of all the sides. Hold nation-wide and truly representative democratic elections and promote the economic recovery of the country.
We don’t see any reasons for Ukraine to be displeased with these statements" concluded, adding that Kazakhstan was not planning to answer hte Note in written.

After a meeting in the Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry later the same day Ukraine’s temporary charge d'affaires in Kazakhstan Yuriy Lazebnik gave a press-conference. He said that Kazakhstan "expressed its position that in essence comes down to not continuing the confrontation on this issue". "Both Ukrainian and Kazakhstan diplomats intend to solve all the problems, including the sensitive ones that arise between our countries, through normal diplomatic means. Both sides are set on this," he promised.

By Tatyana Kuzmina