“We urge Western countries and Russia to stop reproaches and threats - and settle the issue on the basis of underlying principles of international law… It is important to help the aggrieved people of both South Ossetia and Georgia. Kazakhstan is already sending some aid to the conflict zone” said Mr Nazarbayev.

“Through the prism of these events” added the President, “we learn to evaluate what we [in Kazakhstan] have achieved since gaining independence: prosperity, peace, political and economic stability, inter-ethnic and inter-faith tolerance, duly demarcated national borders, friendly relations with neighboring countries… Today our responsibility is to maintain and multiply the inter-ethnic and inter-faith accord as well as partnership relations with the international community”