BRUSSELS, January 5. /TASS/. The European Union calls on the parties in Kazakhstan for a peaceful settlement of the situation through dialogue, according to the statement of the EU foreign policy department, circulated on Wednesday in Brussels.
"We call on all concerned to act with responsibility and restraint and to refrain from actions that could lead to further escalation of violence. While recognizing the right to peaceful demonstration, the European Union expects that they remain non-violent and avoid any incitement to violence. The European Union also calls upon authorities to respect the fundamental right to peaceful protest and proportionality in the use of force when defending its legitimate security interests, and to uphold its international commitments," the statement said.
The EU also called Kazakhstan "an important partner for the European Union. In the framework of the European Union-Kazakhstan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, we count on Kazakhstan to uphold its commitments, including freedom of the press and access to information online and offline".
"The European Union encourages a peaceful resolution of the situation through inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders and respect for the fundamental rights of citizens," the statement said.
On January 2, crowds took to the streets in the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau in the Mangystau Region, in southwestern Kazakhstan, protesting against high fuel prices. Two days later, the protests engulfed Almaty, in the country’s southeast, where the police used flashbangs to disperse the crowd, as well as other cities, including Atyrau, Aktobe (in the west), Uralsk (in the northwest), Taraz, Shymkent, Kyzylorda (in the south), Karaganda (in the northeast) and even Kazakhstan’s capital Nur-Sultan. The president imposed a two-week state of emergency in the Mangystau Region and in the Almaty Region, as well as the republic’s largest city of Almaty and the capital Nur-Sultan. On January 5, the head of the state also accepted the government’s resignation. Its members will continue to perform their tasks until a new cabinet is formed.