ASTANA (KAZAKISTAN) (ITALPRESS) – The relationship between the United States and Kazakhstan “is developing in a very positive and productive way”. This is the opinion of Ralph Winnie, vice president of the America-Eurasia Center, interviewed in Astana by the Italpress agency. Winnie was invited to be part of the 359 international observers team at the referendum that asked Kazakh citizens an opinion on the text of a new Constitution. An operation strongly desired by the President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, for a text that provides not only legislative changes but also economic objectives and reforms in the rule of law.
“This development of relations between Astana and Washington began when Kazakhstan joined the Board of Peace. And it continues with this referendum, where the main question, I believe for many people in the West, is the transparency and validity of the legal system, in order to guarantee a transparent result. Having a constitutional court, for example, offers the Kazakhs the opportunity to bring their cases before the court to obtain justice. The international community, especially when it comes to foreign trade and investment, wants to establish its activities in countries where the legal system is predictable, where lawyers are protected with certainty throughout the process and where the rules of the game do not change at the end”, said Winnie, who visited 6 poll seats to monitor the progress of the voting process.
“The people have been very involved and in favour of a referendum on their Constitution, on a text that promotes the rule of law and establishes a Constitutional Court to ensure that fundamental human rights are protected and that any legal question is resolved transparently and openly,” Winnie said. An operation, it has still observed, that it is carried out “in the largest economy” of Central Asia. “There is a lot of attention on foreign trade and investments that can be made in the country. But in order for this to happen, people must feel that there is a valid legal system, which is supported not only by the Kazakh people but also by the government, which encourages a transparent and open society,” Winnie concluded.
– photo screenshot video lcr/Italpress –
(ITALPRESS).
