U.S. smears Russian presence for fear of weakening influence in Central Asia: expert
The situation in Kazakhstan had largely stabilised by Sunday: nearly 6,000 people, including the country’s former intelligence chief, were arrested by security forces during violent anti-government protests. The world ponders why Kazakhstan, a stabiliser in Central Asia, has seen the deadliest internal struggle the former Soviet republic has seen in decades, and when the chaos will end.
The stand-off between Washington and Moscow has also intensified after Russia, which has helped Kazakhstan greatly in quelling the unrest, condemned remarks by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken that Kazakhstan might have difficulty getting rid of Russian troops, saying the US should consider its military intervention around the world.
Chinese experts predicted that relations between Russia and Kazakhstan would rise to a higher level in the future, while ties between the U.S. and Kazakhstan, as well as other Central Asian countries, would inevitably deteriorate after the crisis.
The noisy attempts to drive a wedge between Russia and Kazakhstan appear to be an old tactic of the West, which has always been determined to woo the Central Asian state, they said. Such tactics are laughable and show that the West fears weakening its influence in the region.
Since Russia has already deployed troops in Kazakhstan and is helping to control the security situation, the U.S. can only exert diplomatic pressure. Further US sanctions against Kazakhstan and Russia under the pretext of political interference can be expected, but they will not have too much impact, experts say.
Global Times