Brussels. January 6th. INTERFAX - EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrel expressed "great concern" about the developments in Kazakhstan and spoke skeptically about the CSTO peacekeeping assistance.
"External military assistance brings back memories of situations to be avoided," he tweeted on Thursday.
The head of EU diplomacy also stressed the need to guarantee "the rights and security of the civilian population."
"The EU is ready to support the solution of this crisis," Borrel assured.
The situation in Kazakhstan worsened on January 2, when rallies against a sharp increase in prices for liquefied gas began in Zhanaozen (a city in the Mangystau region, in the west of the country). Then they escalated into mass protests across the country with economic and political demands. On January 4 and 5, protesters clashed with security forces in Almaty. There are dead and injured. On the morning of January 5, the President of Kazakhstan dismissed the government. A state of emergency has been introduced in the country.
On Wednesday, the President of Kazakhstan said that he appealed to the leaders of the CSTO countries for help in overcoming the terrorist threat in the country.
