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President warns against bids to upset Kazakhstan

President Nursultan Nazarbayev yesterday vowed tough measures against attempts to destabilize Kazakhstan in the wake of the slaying of his prominent critic.

In an annual address to the nation, Nazarbayev pledged to continue "large-scale" political reforms but warned that "taking freedom as permissiveness might destabilize society."

Nazarbayev made no direct mention of the death of Altynbek Sarsenbayev, a leader of the opposition Nagyz Ak Zhol party, which his supporters say was a politically motivated slaying.

Sarsenbayev was abducted and killed along with his driver and bodyguard on Feb. 11.

Nazarbayev vowed to put an end to "the antics of some self-willed ambitious men," who take advantage of the government's liberalism, "seeing it as weakness."

"We need to get rid of illusions and misconceptions if we want to preserve stability," Nazarbayev said in the televised address.

He said a "tough system" was needed to protect democracy, including strict responsibility for "graft, slander and violence."

The opposition dismissed authorities' conclusion that Sarsenbayev's slaying was masterminded by a parliament official because of personal enmity.

Sarsenbayev, 43, a former government minister and ambassador, was the second critic of Nazarbayev to be killed in three months.

Police have said the killing was ordered by Erzhan Utembayev, the Senate administration chief, who has been arrested along with five security service officers.
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