MOSCOW, January 10. /TASS/. Russian and Chinese Foreign Ministers, Sergey Lavrov and Wang Yi, discussed the situation in Kazakhstan and expressed concern over the use of foreign mercenaries to destabilize the situation in that country, the Russian foreign ministry said on Monday after their telephone conversation.
"Key attention was focused on the situation in Kazakhstan. Both sides voiced firm support for Kazakhstan’s efforts to restore the constitutional order in the country," the ministry said. "The ministers expressed solidarity in assessing the developments in Kazakhstan and stressed their concern over the interference of external forces, including the use of foreign mercenaries to stage attacks on peaceful citizens and law enforcers, seize government buildings and other facilities."
The sides expressed firm support to Kazakhstan’s efforts "to restore the constitutional order in the country and noted the due timing and proportionality" of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s actions. "Lavrov and Wang Yi expressed confidence that peace and tranquility will be restored in Kazakhstan. They agreed to maintain close contacts on this and other topical international issues," the ministry said.
Apart from that, Lavrov informed his Chinese counterpart about the Russian-US consultations on security guarantees in Europe in Geneva and an upcoming Russia-NATO Council meeting.
The two top diplomats also summed up the results of the development of bilateral relations in 2021 and discussed preparations for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China in February.
Protests erupted in several Kazakh cities on January 2, escalating into mass riots with government buildings being ransacked in several cities a few days later. The ensuing violence left scores of people injured, with fatalities also being reported. Subsequently, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev turned to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) requesting assistance from the Russia-led bloc. As a result, peacekeepers have already been deployed to Kazakhstan. Law and order, Kazakh authorities affirm, was restored to all of the country’s regions.