UN chief appeals for calm in Kazakhstan

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on parties in Kazakhstan to refrain from violence and promote dialogue so as to address the volatile situation, said his spokesman on Thursday.

The world body continues to follow the situation in Kazakhstan very closely and there have been several contacts between the United Nations and the national authorities, including a call on Thursday morning between the secretary-general's special representative for Central Asia, Natalia Gherman, and Deputy Foreign Minister Akan Rakhmetullin of Kazakhstan, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman.

"During these exchanges, appeals to exercise restraint, refrain from violence and promote dialogue to address the situation were reiterated by Natalia Gherman on behalf of the secretary-general," Dujarric told a daily press briefing.

On reports of casualties, he said it is hard for the United Nations to confirm them.

"But what is clear is that all demonstrations need to be peaceful. People have a right to express their grievances. It needs to be done peacefully. And security forces need to protect that right and show and act with restraint," he said.

On the arrival of troops from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Kazakhstan, Dujarric said the United Nations was informed on Thursday morning by the CSTO of the troop deployment.

"I think, for us, the important thing is that security forces, whether they are Kazakh or whether they are non-Kazakh troops, need to uphold the same human rights standards, which is to show restraint and protect people's rights to demonstrate peacefully," said the spokesman.

Up to 101 international personnel and 530 national staff fall under the UN security arrangements in Kazakhstan. Everyone is safe and accounted for, said Dujarric.