Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Tuesday that a contingent of Russia-led forces would begin leaving the troubled Central Asian country in two days, with the pullout to take no more than 10 days.
"The main mission of the CSTO peacekeeping forces has been successfully completed," Tokayev said, referring to troops of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
"In two days a phased withdrawal of the CSTO united peacekeeping contingent will begin. The withdrawal process of the contingent will take no more than 10 days," he said, addressing the government and parliament in a videoconference call broadcast live.
Tokayev said that coup attempts in Kazakhstan have failed. "The attempts at coup d’etat, attempts at the territorial integrity of the country have failed. We’ve defended Almaty and other regional centers together, as a single nation. They will be restored as soon as possible," the head of state said.
He noted that not all law enforcement agencies stayed loyal to their duty. "In a number of cities, heads of National Security Committee department heads left their occupation buildings, leaving weapons and classified documents there, despite having sufficient combat arsenal," the president said.
Tokayev said Kazakhstan must reform its national security scheme. "I would like to particularly emphasize such strategic goal as cardinal re-organization of the entire system of national security. We will have to-organize 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," Tokayed told lawmakers.
According to Tokayev, Kazakhstan will establish new National Guard units in the region and reinforce the existing ones. The police Special Forces staff will be expanded. Besides, the border security service guidelines will be reviewed.
The CSTO mission of more than 2,000 troops was despatched at the peak of the crisis last week, after armed clashes between government opponents and security forces and a looting spree rendered parts of the largest city Almaty almost unrecognizable.
