FROM THE EDITORIAL STAFF: In our opinion, Akezhan Kazhegeldin’s trial to justify his advocate’s secession proves that the leader of RPPK being a politician tries to present the incident in his interview to a Moscow newspaper in the light profitable for him. He affirms that Voronov was in a difficult situation and could not do anything else.
However, one of the party’s members thinks in a different way. Nurbolat Masanov does not exclude Voronov’s betrayal, as he is troubled by strange coincidences (Voronov went for the Russian capital in the morning on the same day, when Kazhegeldin was arrested, and in the beginning of August Voronov had moved his family to Moscow).
Opinions of the leader of the Republican Party and other members of the party are obviously different. We mat notice that RPPK is often inaccurate. Let’s remind the party conference held in August, when candidates’ lists for one-mandate districts were published. In these lists six candidates out of 20 ones had no data, except their family names. (THE GLOBE, # 62 (380), 20.08.99). This was absolutely unclear and aroused questions.
Against the background of Kazhegeldin’s statements, the opinion of Masanov seems to be more convincing. We prefer to consider the latter’s opinion more reliable.
THE GLOBE asked the Bar of the city, to which, according to the Bar accountant, the former advocate of Kazhegeldin belongs, to comment the information. But we failed to learn any advocate’s opinion. THE GLOBE is still trying to get the comments.
Of the deputy of the Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan K. K. Tokaev
ASTANA, Sept 12, 1999
Recently foreign mass media publish information, which misinterprets the internal policy of Kazakhstan. In particular, this is regarding the incident with the supply of obsolete aircrafts MIG-21 to North Korea. The Kazakhstan party has repeatedly give mass media explanations regarding this issue, as well as through diplomatic channels. Kazakhstan, as many other states having common weapons, is interested in increase of the weapons export to the foreign markets. Before the above-mentioned incident, the export control system prohibited the supplies of weapons to the so-called ‘problematic’ countries. But due to the criminal and irresponsible actions of a group of persons, this export control system was broken.
I would like to assure you officially once again that neither the President nor the government knew anything about the supply of the aircrafts to the above-mentioned country. The Kazakhstan authorities are sincerely sorry that this happened.
At the present time the Committee on National Security is actively investigating this incident. The first results prove that the group of persons passing around the official contract, supplied a lot of aircrafts to North Korea. Under this contract, the group received a great cash amount in US dollars. It is planned to complete soon the investigation of the incident. All persons who took part in this illegal transaction, will be answerable in accordance with the Kazakhstan legislation.
In connection with this incident the President entitled the government to strengthen the export control for ammunitions, military techniques and double-purpose products. The present export control system will be changed.
Foreign mass media are also discussing different rumours and versions regarding the recent arrest in Moscow of the former Prime Minister A. Kazhegeldin.
In connection with this I am authorised to announce that in this case this was not only a legal action, which has nothing in common either with Mr. Kazhegeldin’s political activity, or the pre-election campaign to the Parliament of Kazakhstan.
Mr. Kazhegeldin was arrested due to the investigation conducted by the law-reinforcement organisations of Kazakhstan. At the present time the Belgian police also investigates A. Kazhegeldin’s activity. (see the comments by N. Masanov – THE GLOBE).
All measures regarding Mr. Kazhegeldin’s arrest were taken in accordance with the Kazakhstan legislation, which had been worked out under an active support of western juridical experts. Nobody has the right to infringe the Kazakhstan legislation and make exceptions for anybody.
As far as the next Parliamentary election is concerned, to gain the status of a candidate to deputies, A. Kazhegeldin had to appeal to the court against the administrative punishment for his disrespect of the court. But he did not do this within two month from the date of the announcement of the election.
Hence, we have a question:
Did he really wish to be elected to the Parliament? By the way, A.M. Kazhegeldin was arrested in Moscow on September 10, 1999, i.e. when the registration of all candidates to deputies had been completed.
The Republic of Kazakhstan is going to construct a democratic legal state. To achieve this aim we have done a lot, especially at the eve of the Parliamentary election. Working in a tight co-operation with OSCE and a number of interested states, the Kazakhstan party supplemented the national election legislation. This supplementation absolutely complies with the commonly accepted international standards. Thus, the process of democratisation of the Kazakhstan public life has become irreversible.
Strengthening democracy in our country, we count on understanding by foreign states and a constructive co-operation with them. We consider applying to different pretexts, as well as to artificial problems to press and interfere into the internal affairs of Kazakhstan, inadmissible. We are ready for both a frank exchange of opinions and for a fruitful dialogue with all interested states and international organisations for the sake of democratic values to be introduced in Kazakhstan.
ALMATY, Sept 13
(THE GLOBE)
“The announcement of the press-service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of RK regarding Kazhegeldin’s arrest on September 10 in Sheremetyevo airport, is a pure insinuation,” a member of RPPK announced on Thursday in Almaty in his exclusive interview to THE GLOBE.
Nurbolat Masanov considers that the Belgian investigation organisations are not interested in Mr. Kazhegeldin’s corruption activity, as this activity were to be conducted in the territory of Kazakhstan.
“It is absolutely unclear, what the Belgian investigation organisations have to do with the actions made in the Kazakhstan territory,” he said.
According to Nurbolat Masanov, the announcement sates that from 1996 the Belgian investigation bodies have been investigating the criminal case on the fact of corruption activity of Akezhan Kazhegeldin, a citizen of Kazakhstan. Further he quoted an extract from the announcement by MFA of RK: “The law-reinforcement organisations of RK checked the above-mentioned information according to the inquiry of the Belgian party.” Mr. Masanov believes that everything complies with the single aim of the announcement, which is to delude the Kazakhstan society.
“In fact, neither Interlope nor Belgium have nothing to do with the arrest. For example, it would be easier for the Interpole Central Bureau to arrest Kazhegeldin in one of the European countries, than in Moscow. Have they to wait for a year to arrest Akezhan Kazhegeldin by the Interpole’s demand in order to arrest him later in Moscow?” Mr. Masanov asked.
During the interview the member of RPPK said about the real events:
“According to the order given by the Kazakhstan Office of Public Prosecutor, officers of the Russian MIA arrested Kazhegeldin. When Kazhegeldin’s advocates demanded to show them the order signed by the Russian Office of Public Prosecutor, there was no order. Of course, there are some definite agreements inside the CIS, which makes such actions possible, but, there should be either at least some confirmations or permissions given by the Russian Office of Public Prosecutor. To my mind, Kazhegeldin’s advocates stake on this namely.”
In addition, Nurbolat Masanov said that in three days the Russian side is either to deliver Mr. Kazhegeldin up or to reject the delivery.
“We will wait for announcements by western countries and clarify their reaction,” he resumed.
ALMATY, Sept 13 (THE GLOBE)
From the editorial staff: We remind readers, that on the last Friday at 9 p.m. one of the leaders of the Kazakhstan opposition, the chairman of the Republican People’s Party of Kazakhstan (RPPK) Akezhan Kazhegeldin was arrested in the Moscow Sheremetyevo airport.
According to the oral announcement of the Russian force structures arrested him, the basis for the arrest was the inquiry of the CNS of Kazakhstan regarding the accusations of non-paid taxes and purchase of a real estate in Belgium.
The RPPK leader spent under the arrest 6 hours in the airport building, after that he had an attack of stenocardia. He was transported to the Central Kremlin hospital. According to the last information, the state of Kazhegeldin has not stabilised. On the next day, on September 11 the protest action was held before the Russian Embassy. The action was organised by members of RPPK in reply to the arrest of the party’s chairman. According to the information of the RPPK headquarter, representatives of other opposition forces of Kazakhstan and some journalists took part in the protest action.
Eight persons were subject to an administrative arrest for the participation in the unsanctioned meeting.
Two of the arrested persons, as well as the acting chairman of the Almaty party’s subsidiary who joined them later, announced the timeless hunger strike. For the time being these people are in the headquarter of RPPK.
Arkady DUBNOV
MOSCOW, Sept 10
(Vermya MN)
- Was the announcement of the head of your pre-election headquarter unexpected for you?
- I expected something like that, though rather from anybody else.
- Is it easy for you to refute accusations mentioned in Voronov’s announcement?
- The announcement was written in a language, which is not characteristic for Vitaly Ivanovich. For more than a year ideological functionaries of the regime are talking in this language. Now this language is heard from one of the members of my party. The point is different. For the total period none of the functionaries representing regime could either refute any our proposal regarding the change of the political system or explain why we live so badly. That is why these people trying to discredit us, used their usual approach” “Look, who are people pretending to power…”
- What was your conversation with Mr. Voronov?
- I talked to him late in the night when he made his announcement. His telephones did not answer for a long time, and I was very anxious that he was isolated. But I managed to find him. I reminded him one of our conversations. Vitaly, I said, do you remember how we agreed: if you have any claims to me. First of all you will say me and leave me as my advocate. Then you are free to make any announcements. We agreed with all party’s activists that the party was not established ‘for me’. I repeatedly expressed my will to be a common member of the party, as I cannot be present in the country and my name may cause many difficulties. However, comrades persuaded me that that was very important… My last conversation with activists was in July in London. I asked, Vitaly, why didn’t you call me immediately when you decided to make an announcement? “I could not,” he replied. I asked him again: “You could not or did not want?” He finally confirmed: “I could not.”
- You see, he is not a scoundrel. Such decisions cannot be a result of the moral evolution happened for a single night. In the evening he went to bed being completely decisive to struggle for my registration. I was advised by OSCE and other organisations to appeal again to the Supreme Court against the court decision, though a year ago the Supreme Court had rejected my appeal against the regional court’s decision on prohibition for my participation in the election. I did everything required; I passed through certification and submitted the certificate on the condition of my psychical health. Voronov did this as my advocate. Can you imagine: something happened during the night. In the morning he gets up and writes this announcement… I suppose, he was in a difficult situation and could not do anything else.
- Do you want to say that he feared for his life?
- I have no direct proofs, but I know that a month ago Voronov was threatened. He informed the Kazakhstan special services about that. Once he joined serious political struggle, joined me, he faced a lot of personal problems: he lost almost all his clients, he was impeded to work. He could do nothing in the courts, as all projects defended by him were unsuccessful. He became an unsuccessful advocate, and this troubled Vitaly.
- How did Mr. Voronov react to the announcement made two days ago that your arrest was sanctioned?
- He knows that this arrest will never happen. They do not have any real cases against me; these cases are shelved only in their tables. If today a revolution happened, first of all they would burn these cases, to protect their authors.
- Do you think that rumours about sanctions on your arrest are connected with Voronov’s announcement sounded on the following day?
- I have no proofs. Though everything might have happen: both the country and the governing clan are not controlled. Possibly, one group does not know what others are doing.
The last events connected with the Republican People’s Party of Kazakhstan (RPPK) aroused a serious resonance in the society. We propose you the analytical material of the journalist of the Kazakh Service of Radio “Liberty” devoted to Kazhegeldin’s arrest and the secession of his advocate Voronov. The journalist presents his evaluation of the happened events.
Sultankhan AKKULY-ULY
ASTANA, Sept 12
(Kazakh Service of Radio “Liberty”)
The last events happened in the political arena are connected with the coming election. For example, the arrest of one of the leaders of the opposition Akezhan Kazhegeldin in the Moscow airport and the secession of his personal advocate Vitaly Voronov from RPPK. These two events showed that the authorities use all available methods.
This may be stated in the appeal presented by Nazarbaev on September 1, when he was giving instructions. Speaking in the Parliament the President called the society not to support those false politicians, who, in his opinion, were eager to come to power, but not to help people.
“Our electors have to be vigilant and they should not adopt to power people who wish to become a people’s avenger or an elusive avenger, and to satisfy his ambitions. These politicians may break a stability in our multi-national state, which we deservedly proud of,” the head of the state announced.
Probably, the authorities interpreted this appeal as an order. But the government while fulfilling this order was very rude. Kazhegeldin’s arrest and the secession of his advocate, who suddenly began to see clearly and understood what is what, cannot be evaluated otherwise.
Now let’s try to explain the reason for such a tactics of the government. We may affirm that before Kazhegeldin came to power, there was no real opposition, which could opposite the authorities headed by Nazarbaev, in Kazakhstan. This was evident, when during the preterm presidential election Kazhegeldin became especially active as the strongest opposition. This was the time when the opposition forces were significantly strengthened.
Besides, Kazhegeldin is being supported by both European and American authorised organisations, as he attracted their especial attention to social and political situation in Kazakhstan. In the result, changes to the law on election and the Civil Code were made under the pressure by official Washington and OSCE. Being abroad, Kazhegeldin took an active part in the political life of the country. Thus, he became the main enemy of the present authorities, to be more accurate, of the authorities headed by Nazarbaev.
Kazhegeldin was one of those people, who called for the timely presidential election, i.e. the election was to be held in December 2000, but not ahead of schedule, as it was held on January 10, 1999. Kazhegeldin announced that he would do his best to impede the preterm election.
The statement of the chairman of RPPK Gaziz Aldamzharov that after the Parliamentary election Kazakhstan would have another election proves the former call by Kazhegeldin. If the opposition block headed by Kazhegeldin successfully passes the registration and takes part in the Parliamentary election to be controlled by international observers, undoubtedly the opposition will have a significant number of Parliament sits.
Possibly, such a new Parliament will get rid of the name ‘obedient’ and will make the President and the government to reject from the unlimited power. This is the main objective and responsibility of the opposition.
The head of the state will not be able to dismiss the Parliament which will be opposite to the President, even if the President has constitutional rights, as the country’s strategic partner, official Washington evaluated the last preterm election held in January 1999 as non-complying with the corresponding international standards. Thus, evidently, if the President elected ahead of schedule dismisses the Parliament, the West will not admit this.
If the Parliament id dismissed by the President, the country will lose the West’s trust. That means that the country will not receive any credits from the international funds. Probably, guessing what the present authorities will face if the majority of the opposition forces enter the Parliament, statesmen did everything to avoid this. Measures taken to arrest Kazhegeldin and to make his advocate leave RPPK are quite a thought step, though this step was very rude.
This may be affirmed referring to the fact that there was a break of several days only between these two events. It is not by an occasion that Kazhegeldin was arrested in the last moment of candidates’ registration. Otherwise, how can we consider the fact that before Kazhegeldin freely arrived to Moscow? We have a reasonable question: if Moscow had any claims to Kazhegeldin, why they did not arrest him before?
The member of the executive committee of RPPK was the second in the party’s list submitted to the Central Election Commission. If we refer to Voronov’s announcement, who was the head of the pre-election headquarter, on the sheet of paper filled with a typed text, we may see a signature, which most probably belongs to the former advocate of Kazhegeldin. There is neither seal nor any other signs on that paper. But it is difficult to believe that the author of this announcement is Voronov, as the essence of the paper completely complies with the President Nazarbaev’s appeal presented in the Parliament. The head of the state said in a hidden form that ‘some false politicians destabilising political situation in the country should not be adopted to the power.” While Voronov’s announcement clearly states who this false politician is.
In my opinion, it is high time to compare the President’s words and Voronov’s announcement. Nazarbaev: “Today some politicians, who are unable to propose any reasonable program to overcome the crisis, again practice a traditional thing, which they borrowed from some our neighbours: everything is bad, and the authorities are also bad. We hear this for so long period, that we are sick and tired of this and their program. Our citizens have to be vigilant; we should not adopt to power people who wish to become a people’s avenger or an elusive avenger, and to satisfy his ambitions. These politicians may break a stability in our multi-national state, which we deservedly proud of.”
Now let’s carefully read Voronov’s announcement: “I, Voronov Vitaly am leaving RPPK and announce the breaking off of any relations with the leaders of the party and first of all, with Kazhegeldin, according to my own free will. I am absolutely confident that at the present time the country needs a strong and ripe leader able to unite the opposition with his own example of unselfish service for ideas of democratic reformation of Kazakhstan and high moral.
Unfortunately, in the person of RPPK we have an amorphous structure, the leaders of which act to satisfy their personal ambitions and exclusively due to their mercenary ends. Actually the leaders are manipulating brains of true fighters for democracy, building a way to the political Olympus.
Now I know that Mr. Kazhegeldin, having skilfully learnt the population’s expectations of better life, used objective and subjective difficulties, and proposed himself as a saver of the nation and a true fighter for the future of Kazakhstan. He chose a way of forcing the situation in the society, which had been already difficult and speculated ideas of democracy. Having analysed the last messages from abroad, Mr. Voronov came to conclusion that the ex-Prime Minister’s activity has become extremely destructive. I am absolutely confident that at the present time, he is being governed by unknown forces, which are extremely interested in destabilisation of the situation in our country. In this regard our ways are different.”
Thus, words pronounced by the head of the state regarding some parties and politicians are completely repeated in Voronov’s announcement mentioning RPPK and its leader. As far as Kazhegeldin is concerned, in his interview to the radio “Liberty” he stated that he had been arrested without the prosecutor’s sanction. According to the Russian legislation, a person arrested without the prosecutor’s sanction is to be freed in three days.
(Translated from Kazakh by THE GLOBE)
ALMATY, Sept 13
(THE GLOBE)
Possibly, Vitaly Voronov informed the authorities about new plans of Kazhegeldin, a candidate of RPPK said to THE GLOBE on Monday in Almaty.
According to Nurbulat Masanov, after his announcement on September 8 in Astana, Mr. Voronov left for Moscow on September 10 at 6 a.m. On the same day in the evening Mr. Kazhegeldin was arrested. “This fact troubles us very much, and we would like to ask Mr. Voronov, why such a coincidence was,” he stated.
Our source considers that the ex-PM’s personal advocate, his comrade and the head of the pre-election headquarter of RPPK Vitaly Voronov unexpectedly presented his rigid announcement against Kazhegeldin and announced his secession from the party as a non-ethical and non-professional act. “In no country in the world an advocate betrays his client. Even if he rejects to defend the client, he will never tries to discredit his defendant,” Mr. Masanov emphasises.
The member of RPPK believes that Mr. Voronov has completely discredited himself both as a person and as an advocate, and he has nothing to do in Kazakhstan, while in Russia he will just dissolve.
Mr. Masanov stated that in the beginning of August Vitaly Voronov had moved his family to Moscow. “I knew this and I believed that Voronov was going to conduct a very serious rigid pre-election fight, and that he did this to secure his family,” he said.
In addition the comrade of Akezhan Kazhegeldin stated that despite all those events, the party had been consolidated from inside, and all internal contradictions had been got over at the eve of the election and RPPK would take part in the election and refuse from boycott.
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