Russia and China’s foreign ministers held a phone call on December 10 to discuss bilateral ties and evaluate the latest developments in Kazakhstan.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergei Lavrov and Wang Yi both strongly supported efforts by the Kazakh administration to restore order in the country.
During the meeting, concerns over the influence of foreign powers in the events in Kazakhstan were expressed, and it was noted that Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took timely and proportional steps against the threats.
On the situation in Kazakhstan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reportedly briefed Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the assessment of the situation during a special session of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), saying that mounting information clearly showed that the current chaos in Kazakhstan are riots meticulously plotted by external forces — a view shared by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev himself and the Kazakh side.
At the request of Kazakhstan, the CSTO has dispatched peacekeeping troops to take action, and the situation in Kazakhstan has improved significantly, Lavrov added.
Lavrov also briefed Wang on Russia's security talks with the US which started in Geneva.
Xinhua says that Wang, for his part, stressed that Chinese President Xi Jinping had sent a verbal message to Tokayev, publicly expressing China's firm opposition to any attempt by external forces to provoke unrest and instigate "color revolutions" in Kazakhstan.
The Chinese side agrees with Tokayev's assessment on the nature of the riots in Kazakhstan, and supports the CSTO in helping Kazakhstan fight violent terrorist forces and playing a positive role in restoring stability in Kazakhstan on the premise of respecting Kazakhstan's sovereignty, Wang was cited as saying.
China and Russia, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and friendly neighbors of Central Asian countries, must prevent chaos or war from erupting in Central Asia, Wang said.
The two sides should continuously deepen coordination and cooperation, oppose external forces interfering in the internal affairs of Central Asian countries, and prevent "color revolutions" and insurrections by the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, he said.
The two sides should give full play to their respective strengths, help Central Asian countries fight the pandemic, develop their economies, and strive to eliminate the breeding ground of turmoil in the society, Wang added, also suggesting the two sides support the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the CSTO to strengthen coordination and cooperation, so as to jointly and effectively address various challenges to regional security.
