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Last week, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev appointed 41-year old Karim Massimov Prime Minister, ending months of speculation as to who would replace Danial Akhmetov, who had served in the post since June 2003. Akhmetov remains in the cabinet as Minister of Defense, the first civilian to hold this post.
This change in government seems designed to send a message to Kazakhstan’s major foreign partners——that Astana is serious about making the political reforms necessary to satisfy the OSCE but will do so without alienating friends in Beijing and in Moscow.
Nazarbayev is eager to gain the OSCE chairmanship for 2009, a decision now put off until summer 2007 and the new facelift in Astana gives him the best chance of obtaining this.
Both Karim Massimov, and the new Foreign Minister Marat Tazhin will be good salesmen for Kazakhstan in the U.S. and U.K., the two biggest critics of the Kazakh bid. Although the 46 year old Tazhin has little diplomatic experience, as National Security Council head he has been a regular companion of Nazarbayev during trips abroad. With U.K. training as a political scientist, Tazhin has been the architect of many earlier Kazakh efforts at political institution building.
Massimov, who was Akhmetov’s deputy at the time of his appointment, has made a strong impression in most western capitals, speaking openly about the need for Kazakhstan to speed up political reform, and better free the economy from corruption
Massimov’s frankness and open style may date from his business management training in the U.S. But his first professional experience was in China. Some biographers note that Massimov, fluent in Chinese, worked for the U.S.S.R. trade mission there a fact which no longer appears on his official biography and suggest that Massimov was in fact an employee of the KGB during these years. He continued working in China after independence, in Beijing, Urumchi and Hong Kong.
Massimov will have to move quickly, but already he has introduced a major new initiative for modernizing local government. Of course, he will have to get parliament to ratify many of his policies. And although many of these deputies were hand-picked as candidates by Nazarbayev’s team, nobody likes seeing the patronage base of their cronies reduced.
One advantage Massimov will have is the presence of Kasimzhomart Tokayev as Chairman of the Senate, who will help facilitate passage of any necessary legislation. The long-time foreign minister (2003 - 2007), also did a stint as Prime Minister, from 1999 to 2002.
Tokayev’s appointment will also allow Nazarbayev to rest more easily, as in the event of the President’s death or incapacity it is Tokayev who would serve as interim president and preside over the succession process. (Article 48, part 1 of the Constitution)
The next six months will be interesting for all “Kazakhstan-watchers,”
and we welcome your comments on what these months are likely to bring.
Dr. Martha Brill Olcott
Senior Associate
Comments
On January 22 at 22:15, Asset Uteuliyev commented:
I think for most nation this change was a little unexpected, but we got used that Nazarbayev changes Prime Ministers like gloves. I really want to believe that Masimov will be able to modernize the government since he’s very young and probably has good ideas.
This will bring many changes in legislation, many resignations, changes in teams, changes of leaders. But again, we are hoping that these will be good changes and we will go towards democratization and open dialogue between people and government.
On January 26 at 20:05, YN Zabortseva commented:
Well, I doubt if we could truly consider Mr. Massimov as truly “very young”.
Probably, the majority is interested in reading analytical commentaries at this point.
Interesting fact(however, I might be wrong )among foreign mass media, was it the BBC to be the first one announcing and commenting on the cabinet’ changes? Regarding administrative changes-the team has remained practically the same.