Kazakh president says formation of modern multipolar world ‘extremely painful’

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the ongoing formation of the modern multipolar world is “extremely painful.”

“As we see, the formation of the architecture of the modern multipolar world is extremely painful. And against the backdrop of conflicts occurring in various parts of the planet, sanctions confrontation, and trade wars, it is quite difficult to remain optimistic,” Tokayev said in an interview with Russia’s Izvestia newspaper late Tuesday, ahead of an official visit by his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to Kazakhstan on Thursday.

Tokayev said any contradictions must be resolved in accordance with the norms and principles of the UN Charter and that the world has not yet come up with a “better recipe” for overcoming conflicts.

“All countries are equal regardless of their size, power, and economic potential. International law is subject to equal and universal application without double standards. Therefore, I believe that as soon as strict adherence to international law prevails over emotions, the world will return to a state of stable equilibrium,” Tokayev further said.

He went on to say that this is relevant both for political systems and for resolving modern economic, environmental, and humanitarian problems.

He also said the current international situation has “seriously aggravated,” where various methods of political pressure, trade, and sanctions have come to the fore, leading to a full-scale crisis of the international trade system.

“We are witnessing unprecedented geopolitical fragmentation and socio-economic polarization. There is a transformation of politics and economics at the global and regional levels. All this raises concerns about the safe existence of states and continents,” he said, adding that the countries of the Global South and Global North must come together to create a “harmonious global economy.”

He further said that the UN must play a central role in this process as the only globally unifying organization, expressing the need to make the UN the “main guide in ensuring global security.”

“I am firmly convinced that at the present stage only constructive dialogue and collective efforts of states, highly professional diplomacy can restore stability in the world and lead to the construction of a fair system of international relations based on the UN Charter for the benefit of all mankind,” he said.