ALMATY, Kazakhstan, Jan 11, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - Kazakhstan's President Kassym-
Jomart Tokayev issued rare criticism of his long-ruling predecessor Tuesday, 
and said he expected Russian-led forces to leave the troubled Central Asian 
country in the next 10 days. 

   The oil-rich country's descent into chaos has laid bare infighting at the 
very top of a government once utterly dominated by Tokayev's mentor, 81-year-
old Nursultan Nazarbayev, who retains the constitutional status of "Leader of 
the Nation" despite stepping down from the presidency in 2019. 

   Addressing the government and parliament in a videoconference call 
broadcast live, the 68-year-old Tokayev fired an eyebrow-raising broadside at 
Nazarbayev as the post-Soviet country reels from unprecedented violence that 
began with peaceful protests over an energy price hike.

   Tokayev said Nazarbayev's rule had created "a layer of wealthy people, 
even by international standards".

   "I believe that the time has come to pay tribute to the people of 
Kazakhstan and help them on a systematic and regular basis," Tokayev added, 
noting that "very profitable companies" would be asked to pay money into a 
state fund. 

   Both Kazakhstan and Russia have framed last week's unrest that left dozens 
dead and has seen almost 10,000 people arrested as a coup attempt assisted by 
foreign "terrorists", but have provided little evidence to support the claim. 

   - Main CSTO mission 'completed' - 

   Following a request from Tokayev, the Moscow-led Collective Security 
Treaty Organisation (CSTO) deployed troops to bring about order and buttress 
the authorities.

   On Tuesday, Tokayev announced that "a phased withdrawal" would begin in 
two days and take "no more than 10 days."

   "The main mission of the CSTO peacekeeping forces has been successfully 
completed," he said.

   The CSTO mission of more than 2,000 troops was despatched at the peak of 
the crisis last week, after armed clashes between government opponents and 
security forces and a looting spree rendered parts of the largest city Almaty 
almost unrecognisable. 

   The decision was a first for the CSTO, often touted by Moscow as a NATO 
equivalent but previously reluctant to interfere in unrest in Central Asia, a 
region with long historical ties to Russia.

   Concern has mounted that Moscow could leverage the mission to shore up its 
influence in Kazakhstan. 

     US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned last week that "once Russians 
are in your house, it's sometimes very difficult to get them to leave".

   Tokayev appeared to further bolster his position by backing acting prime 
minister Alikhan Smailov to take on the job permanently on Tuesday -- a 
nomination that won the unanimous support of lawmakers.

   Former national security committee chief Karim Masimov -- a key Nazarbayev 
ally viewed by many as perpetuating the retired president's influence over 
the government -- was arrested on treason charges Saturday in connection with 
the unrest.

   In another significant move, Tokayev announced on Tuesday plans to bring 
an end to a widely criticised private recycling monopoly linked to the former 
president's youngest daughter, Aliya Nazarbayeva, 41. 

   "This should be done by a state organisation, as is the case in foreign 
countries," he said. 

   - 'A bad peace' -

   Many residents of Almaty credited the CSTO as a stabilising force that had 
helped Tokayev gain control over the situation after spending several days 
inside as gunfire echoed around the city. 

   Roza Matayeva, a 45-year-old English teacher, got used to tuning into her 
radio during the five-day internet blackout in Kazakhstan's financial hub 
that ended briefly Monday morning before the city of 1.8 million went offline 
again at lunchtime.

   News that the Moscow-led bloc had agreed to Tokayev's request to send a 
detachment "brought relief and hope that the situation will be decided for 
the best in the near future," she told AFP.

   "I welcome cooperation with Russia. I think there is no threat to our 
sovereignty."

   But Adil Kuandykov, a wedding photographer who lives close to the 
presidential residence that saw some of the worst fighting in the former 
capital, said he no longer had trust in soldiers of any sort, after seeing 
corpses on the road near his house early on Thursday morning.

   "There will be peace," said Kuandykov, 54, who burst into tears during the 
interview.

   "But it will be a bad peace."