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China offers cooperation with Kazakhstan to increase 'law enforcement and security'
The Asharq Al-Awsat reported that China's foreign minister said on Monday, after violent protests in Kazakhstan, China is willing to increase "law enforcement and security" cooperation with the Central Asian country and help oppose interference by "external forces."
According to the Chinese foreign ministry, Wang Yi, who is also a state councilor, made the comments in a call to Kazakhstan's foreign minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi.
The ministry quoted Wang telling Tileuberdi: "Recent turmoil in Kazakhstan shows that the situation in Central Asia is still facing severe challenges, and it once again proves that some external forces do not want peace and tranquility in our region."
Government buildings in Kazakhstan were briefly captured or torched in several cities last week as initially peaceful protests against fuel price increases turned violent. Troops were ordered to shoot to kill to put down a countrywide uprising.
Authorities have blamed the violence on "extremists" including foreign-trained militants for the violence.
Arab Spring Lessons to Kazakhstan
Authorities also asked a Russian-led military bloc to send in troops, who the government says have been deployed to guard strategic sites.
Wang said that China was willing to "jointly oppose the interference and infiltration of any external forces."
Putin and Tokayev discuss by phone the measures taken to quell unrest in Kazakhstan
Chinese state television said, China's President Xi Jinping on Friday told Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev that China resolutely opposed any force destabilizing Kazakhstan.
Soure: aawsat
