President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in a telephone conversation with his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed support for the people and the leadership of Kazakhstan in the desire for stability and prosperity in the country, the press service of the Uzbek leader reported on Thursday.
"A telephone conversation was held between the presidents of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. In the course of the conversation, the heads of state exchanged views on developments in Kazakhstan, measures being taken to stabilize the situation and restore peace and tranquility in the republic as soon as possible. The leader of Uzbekistan once again reaffirmed the unwavering support of the brotherly people and leadership of Kazakhstan in their desire to ensure stability and well-being in the country," reads a statement posted on the President's website.
The protests in Kazakhstan began on January 2 in the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau in the Mangistau region (south-west of the country), where people rallied against high prices for liquefied gas. Two days later, riots broke out in Almaty (southeast) and other cities across the country, where clashes with police occurred. There were fatalities. Tokayev imposed a two-week state of emergency throughout the country and the government was dismissed. Speaking at a Security Council meeting, he described those involved in the riots as terrorists and said he appealed for help to his CSTO partners. The CSTO Collective Security Council decided to send peacekeepers to Kazakhstan to stabilize the situation.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS