Kazakhstan is latest Russian neighbour to feel Putin's chilly nationalist rhetoric

[pampango]

In little-noticed remarks last week, he called into question the legitimacy of the post-Soviet state of Kazakhstan while ordering the Kazakhs to be on their best behaviour when it came to serving Russian interests.

The remarks, to an audience of young people in Russia on Friday, sent shocke waves through the central Asian republic, which also hosts a large ethnic Russian minority centred in the north on the Russian border.

Putin said there had never been a country called Kazakhstan, that the republic was purely the product of the current president, Nursultan Nazarbayev. Kazakhstan, he said, was "part of the large Russian world that is part of the global civilisation in terms of industry and advanced technologies. I am confident that that's the way things are going to be in the medium – and long-term."

Nazarbayev was unimpressed by Putin's views on Kazakh statehood and threatened to loosen ties with Russia, which could provoke a forceful Kremlin reaction. "Our independence is our dearest treasure, which our grandfathers fought for," Nazarbayev said. "First of all, we will never surrender it to someone, and secondly, we will do our best to protect it … Kazakhstan will not be part of organisations that pose a threat to our independence."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/01/kazakhstan-russian-neighbour-putin-chilly-nationalist-rhetoric

Ethnic Russians are 24% of the population. It is 17% in Ukraine.

Obviously he cannot play the "NATO is the aggressor card" when it comes to Kazakhstan so it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[Dirty Socialist]

1. Here We Go Again?

Putin is vowing to increase his "living space"?

[TwilightGardener]

2. I'm sure Kazakhstan is going to soon discover a large contingent of neo-nazis

in its midst that beloved Pooty must destroy with not-Russian not-troops.

[Louisiana1976]

3. Putin just wants peace--a piece of Ukraine, a piece of Kazakhstan, a piece of Estonia.....

[Xithras]

4. Kazakhstan is a close ally of Russia and a member of the CIS and CSTO

I suspect that there will be some behind the scenes ass kissing to fix the relationship. If Putin alienates the Khazars, the entire CIS would disintegrate and the Russians would lose access to a vast number of resources in the Caucasus and Tian Shan. Part of Russia's defiance in the face of western sanctions originates from the fact that they still have the other CIS member states, some middle eastern nations, and China as trading partners. Losing the CIS isolates Russia from the middle east, does far more damage to their economy than western sanctions ever will, and places their transportation routes to Asia at risk if there is ever a military conflict (the Trans Siberian Railway, Russias' only heavy travel route to the far east, runs only a few miles from the Kazakhstan border).

Besides, I'm sure the Kazakhs will quickly correct Putins erroneous history. The nation of "Kazakhstan" may be new to the world, but it existed for countless centuries under its old name...the Kingdom of Khazaria, also known as the Khazar Khaganate. The Khaganate played several major and important roles in history.

The fact that the modern founders of the nation chose the name Kazakhstan instead of Khazaria doesn't invalidate their history.

[DonCoquixote]

5. and lets not forget one thing

many of the stans are very close to Iran in terms of culture and heritage. Iran is an ally now, but the Russians could easily get a taste of Persian wrath.

[Igel]

6. Yeah, he's probably terrified.

Kazakhstan isn't close to Iran. That woud be Tadzhikistan.

Kazakhs are Turks, ultimately, and have more in common with the Azeris than with the Persians. Which makes for all kinds of interesting ethnic dynamics.

It's funny. Lots of rhetoric about empire and "fascism." But when there's empire and fascism in the works, we're all sudden Chamberlains and support Chamberlain wholeheartedly. If people die ... Meh, we can find somebody to claim.

As long as we have ours, it's all good.