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Russian observers will ensure objective results of Kazakhstan election - ambassador

Alexey Borodavkin added that Russia is joined by observers from various international organizations

NUR-SULTAN, June 9. /TASS/. Russian observers and their colleagues from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are able to provide an objective evaluation of the Kazakhstan presidential election, Russian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Alexey Borodavkin said in an interview with TASS.

"We cannot objectively say that what Russia is doing in the context of the Kazakhstan election is aid," he said. "We are talking about the international community being able to evaluate the efforts of our Kazakh friends on the preparation and implementation of the electoral campaign and the organization of the electoral process on Election Day objectively, with the aid of Russia."

Borodavkin added that Russia is joined by observers from various international organizations. "Over 1,000 foreign observers have arrived to monitor the Kazakhstan election. Around 400 of them are Russian," he said. "Russian observers are already working in Kazakhstan within observer missions from the CIS, the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, the Council of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Belarus-Russia Union State, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, as well as on the line of cooperation between regions and central election commissions of our countries."

According to the diplomat, such a high number of Russian observers can be attributed to several factors. "The first factor, in my opinion, is the friendly nature of Russia-Kazakhstan relations, when Russia and Kazakhstan try to be useful to each other and express their solidarity," he explained. "It is also important to note that Russian observers, along with the colleagues from the CSTO, EAEU, CIS and SCO member countries can provide an objective and unbiased evaluation of the election in Kazakhstan and avoid other international monitoring missions coming to incorrect conclusions, for one reason or another. I hope this will not happen."

"Of course, Russian observers will monitor the situation, and, if necessary, make their unbiased opinion known," he concluded.

A presidential election is currently underway in Kazakhstan. For the first time ever, first president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev has not presented his candidacy for the election. Seven candidates are on the ballot, including current president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.