If Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s overseas trips to Ankara (with official visit) or to Moscow (for the purpose of attending the CSTO anniversary summit) have been completely in sync with Akorda’s multi-vector policy, then his visit to Abu-Dhabi and the meeting with the UAE’s newly elected President Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan seem to be out of tune with the familiar picture.
The thing is that, as an ally and a source of investments, the UAE is not of much value for Kazakhstan. The First President of Kazakhstan and the “leader of the nation” has been maintaining close ties with the representatives of the UAE elite including Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan due to the fact that the several billion dollars stolen from Kazakhstan are being kept in the banks of this state and in the funds located in the area.
In view of this, the hyper-tactfulness on the part of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev who had not only sent his official condolences on the death of the EAU President Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan but went to express them personally to his successor at the presidential post seems a little excessive.
The same is true regarding the complements to the deceased Tokayev’s expressed in a telegram (text in bold by KZ.expert).
“Sheik Khalifa has devoted his life to defending the interests of the United Arab Emirates, ensuring the people’s prosperity, maintaining peace and stability in the region. His initiatives and achievements have won the recognition of the international community. Kazakhstan will always remember Sheik Khalifa as a wise ruler, a respected politician of the global level, a distinguished statesman, a great historic figure that has made a notable contribution to strengthening our bilateral cooperation. On behalf of the Kazakh people and from me personally, I express my deepest condolences to You and Your families as well as Your fellow countrymen”.
Even if some people in Kazakhstan will remember and mourn Sheik Khalifa, their number is not going to surpass several dozens. Of course, it will include Nursultan Nazarbayev and his trusted persons engaged in managing the Elbasy’s money.
That very money that they were planning to invest in Kazakhstan not too long ago.
We are not going to relate this uber-high-profile story that Akorda and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev have chosen to forget completely and utterly. Back in the day, we wrote a number of publications on the topic.
Here are some examples (if you’ve missed them) -
“On Tokayev’s Visit to the UAE”
“What Is behind Mamin’s Visit to the UAE”
“On Nazrbayev’s Energy Sector Investments”
Now then, we are certain that the praises in honor of the deceased President as well as Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s Abu-Dhabi trip did not come from the goodness of the latter’s heart but were a result of acute necessity.
First of all, he had to show the required politesse in his personal relationship with Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Secondly, Tokayev had to re-confirm the validity of the agreements made with Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Nursultan Nazarbayev and President of the UAE, Emir of Abu-Dhabi Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan March 16, 2009
What kind of agreements, you ask?
The agreements to keep and (or) use at least $6 bln belonging to Nursultan Nazarbayev and his closest relatives; the money that is currently hidden in banks and funds located in the UAE.
On the other hand, we do allow for the possibility that Kassym-Jomart Tokayev went to Abu-Dhabi because, earlier, he had persuaded his predecessor to return the six billion dollars to the country either by giving it directly to the National Fund of by investing it in some very important projects. So, Tokayev decided to speak with the UAE President directly and ask him not to interfere with the money being moved out of the country.
Let us make it clear, we consider this scenario extremely unlikely. One chance out of a thousand. In our opinion, odds are that Nursultan Nazarbayev simply asked Tokayev to step in and the latter was unable to refuse especially considering the impressive size of the amount in question. After all, the man who’s built his career under the leadership and with the aid of the Elbasy has to meet the latter’s special expectations.
