Astana. January 10. KazTAG – The US embassy called on the initiators of referendum on prolongation of Kazakhstani president’s term not to violate Constitution of Kazakhstan. ThemissiondisseminatedthepressreleaseonFriday.
“With all due respect, we would like to ask that those who might have special and personal interests regarding the current “referendum issue” not take any short-term steps that would violate the constitution of Kazakhstan and, more importantly, that would undercut the historic legacy of Nursultan Abishevich”, reads the document.
According to the diplomatic mission’s address, the embassy understands “that today President Nursultan Nazarbayev has vetoed legislation that would, in effect, have cancelled the constitutionally-mandated 2012 presidential election. We are grateful that the President of Kazakhstan has played his role as a statesman and as the protector of the constitution, and that he has made clear his view to all of those who respect him as Leader of the Nation and who also believe in the sanctity of the Constitution of the Kazakhstani nation”.
At the same time, the embassy understands that “Kazakhstan’s parliament could possibly over-ride President Nazarbayev’s veto, if they can assemble an 80% majority”.
“The American Embassy does not wish to – and cannot! – interfere in the internal political affairs of Kazakhstan. But we do want to remind that this current “referendum issue” also has profound international implications, especially because of Kazakhstan’s internationally historic and successful 2010 chairmanship of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the personal role that President Nazarbayev played to achieve the final declaration of that summit that reaffirmed the Helsinki Document of 1975”, reads the release.
“It was, in fact, the Helsinki Document of 1975 that eventually led to the independence of the Kazakhstani people and the establishment of the independent nation of Kazakhstan”.
“Kazakhstan, under the leadership of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, has proclaimed its adherence to “The Path to Europe.” It was the first post-Soviet Union nation ever to lead the OSCE. It has just assumed the chairmanship, as a moderate Muslim-majority nation, of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Kazakhstan is increasingly confidently moving onto the world stage, which we firmly support”.