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US willing to help Kazakhstan in settling problems at root of recent mass protests

We do believe that and we do hope that the Government of Kazakhstan will be able to address problems that manifested in these protests, problems that are fundamentally economic and political in nature, Ned Price said

WASHINGTON, January 7. /TASS/. The United States is ready to provide the necessary assistance to Kazakhstan in the settlement of political and economic issues, which sparked mass protests in the country, US Department of State Spokesman Ned Price said at his daily press briefing.

"We hope that the Government of Kazakhstan will soon be able to address problems which are fundamentally economic and political in nature," he said. "And as a partner to the people and Government of Kazakhstan, the United States is ready and willing to continue to partner with Kazakh authorities and the Kazakh people on this front."

"We do believe that and we do hope that the Government of Kazakhstan will be able to address problems that manifested in these protests, problems that are fundamentally economic and political in nature," Price continued.

"It is not our wont to be prescriptive in terms of our guidance, but again, as a partner to Kazakhstan, this is something that the United States would support," he stated. "And if there are ways that we can help Kazakhstan address these challenges, the United States stands ready to do that."

A state of emergency has been declared all across Kazakhstan over mass protests that erupted in the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau in the Mangistau region in the country’s southwest on January 2 where residents protested against fuel price hikes. Two days later, riots erupted in Almaty (in the country’s southeast) where police used stun grenades to disperse crowds and also in other cities, in particular, in Atyrau and Aktobe (in the west), Uralsk (in the northwest), Taraz, Shymkent and Kyzylorda (in the south), Karaganda (in the northeast) and even in the capital of Nur-Sultan.

On January 5, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dismissed the government. Its members continue discharging their duties until a new Cabinet is approved.