Kazakh Foreign Ministry summons Kyrgyz charge d'affaires over president Atambayev’s comments
During the meeting, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Galymzhan Koishybayev handed Toktomushev a note that states Kazakhstan's "surprise and disagreement in connection with the statement of President of Kyrgyzstan on February 17th 2017", on air of Euronews.
The document states that official Bishkek has never, up to the present moment, in any negotiations raised issues of "blockade and loss of life". According to the Kazakh side, it clearly indicates its opportunism in the current situation.
In reality, Kyrgyz leadership has repeatedly emphasized the role of Kazakhstan in the settlement of the crisis situation in neighboring country in the spring of 2010. As many international organizations did.
Astana's official position on the issue was described in the Foreign Ministy's statement from May 19th, 2010, in which, inter alia, it was emphasized that "From the first day of the tragic events in Kyrgyzstan in April, Kazakhstan was providing assistance and support to the brotherly people both bilaterally and as the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. Humanitarian aid was provided and international cargo and passenger transportation were not stopped, as well as the cross-border movement of students and school children."
As OSCE CIO, Kazakhstan immediately appointed Zhanybek Karibzhanov, Deputy Chairman of the Mazhilis at the time and Chairman of Kazakh-Kyrgyz parliamentary group on cooperation as the OSCE special envoy to Bishkek. In close coordination with the UN and EU envoys, he played a significant role in establishing of an appropriate political dialogue and easing tensions in the country: as you know, a referendum was successfully organized and subsequently the country held democratic elections, establishing stability and order.
In addition, Kazakhstan appointed Special Envoy of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Kyrgyz Republic, which held a series of meetings with the leadership of the Provisional Government of Kyrgyzstan to discuss ways out of the crisis.
At the same time, in a promptly manner Kazakhstan sent aid to the neighboring country, providing fuel and seeds in order to support sowing in the country. In total Kazakhstan provided $11.6 million worth of humanitarian aid to Kyrgyzstan.
As the result of measures taken by Kazakh leadership further escalation and loss of life were prevented.
In conclusion, the Kazakh side has expressed its commitment to the spirit of traditionally brotherly relations of the two nations and to the Treaty on Allied Relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic.
As it was reported earlier, Kyrgyz president Almazbek Atambayev, in the course of his interview with Euronews when asked if he thinks that EAEU reflects the interests of Russia in the first place, said: "We need to trade; we need to work with our neighbors. In case we don't join the EAEU, the country would face an economic blockade. In 2010, a 1.5 months blockade by Kazakhstan, have even caused loss of life. It happened and blockades are bad."