On 19 January 2022, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg met Mukhtar Tileuberdi, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of the Central Asian Republic of Kazakhstan, in Vienna. Their talks focused on the alarming recent developments in Kazakhstan. Foreign Minister Schallenberg expressed his concern at the clashes that took place in Almaty earlier this month, noting that:
It is important that these violent confrontations have come to an end. We were shocked to witness these events, and we sympathise with the people of Kazakhstan.
He also expressed relief at the withdrawal of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) troops from Kazakhstan, the last of whom left the country on the day of the meeting.
Foreign Minister Schallenberg thanked his Kazakh counterpart for his openness and willingness to speak frankly, remarking that Kazakhstan now needed to engage in a “national dialogue on an equal footing with people facing genuine concerns and economic difficulties.” He again stressed that:
There must be a transparent and comprehensive investigation of the incidents. This is important not just from the point of view of maintaining peace and stability, but also for regaining the trust of ordinary citizens and the international community.
Schallenberg also reiterated Austria’s support for Kazakhstan’s planned social and economic reforms and praised the country’s positive attitude to cooperation with the EU, emphasising that Kazakhstan had been a close and valuable economic partner for Austria for more than 30 years across a range of sectors, including healthcare, tourism and infrastructure as well as energy.
Concluding his remarks, Schallenberg restated Austria’s fundamental policy towards Kazakhstan:
We want to strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly on green technology. However, our willingness to invest is predicated on a stability and effective rule of law,
he said.
