Tokayev: CSTO peacekeepers to withdraw from Kazakhstan in 10 days
YEREVAN, January 11. /ARKA/. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said today that the withdrawal of the CSTO peacekeeping contingent from the country will begin in two days.
"In general, the acute phase of the counter-terrorist operation has been completed. The situation in all regions is stable. In this regard, I declare that the main mission of the CSTO peacekeeping forces has been successfully completed. The gradual withdrawal of the CSTO joint peacekeeping contingent will begin in two days. The withdrawal process will not take more than 10 days," Tokayev said in his speech at the Majilis (lower house of parliament) on Tuesday, TASS reported.
According to Tokayev, the social cohesion of the country had been systematically undermined, and the National Security Committee had failed to see the threat.
"The unity of our society has been systematically undermined, including through protest actions, according to professionally developed scenarios. The preparation of specific executors of radical measures was carried out secretly. The National Security Committee, as an authorized body, was unable and unwilling to give a clear assessment of this subversive work and did not discern a critical threat to national security," Tokayev said.
Tokayev also said that coup d’etat attempts failed. ‘We’ve defended Almaty and other regional centers together, as a single nation. They will be restored as soon as possible," he said. He noted that not all law enforcement agencies stayed loyal to their duty.
"In a number of cities, heads of National Security Committee departments left their premises, leaving weapons and classified documents behind, despite having sufficient combat arsenal," the president said.
He said also that Kazakhstan must reform its national security scheme.
‘We will have to reorganize the operation of our armed forces, law enforcement, national security agencies, foreign intelligence. All of them must work in coordination in the name of one goal: most efficient protection of our citizens, our constitutional order, and sovereignty under threat of any nature and scale," Tokayev told lawmakers.
According to Tokayev, Kazakhstan will establish new National Guard units in the regions and reinforce the existing ones. The police Special Forces staff will be expanded. Besides, the border security service guidelines will be reviewed. -0-
