"Several rather positive traits make Nazarbayev different from the other CIS leaders," said Igor Bunin, the Director of the Center for Political Technologies. "He solved the main problem that faced Kazakhstan, i.e. ensured its statehood. He also managed to ensure the coexistence of the Russian speaking community and Kazakh population and prevented ethnic conflicts."
Although Kazakhstan is an Asian republic with certain elements of a totalitarian regime, Nazarbayev managed to preserve the formal attributes of democracy and prevented excessive power abuse, a characteristic of the neighboring republics of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, Bunin said.
Experts interviewed by the agency agree, Nazarbayev is unrivaled as president at the moment.
"Nazarbayev is one of the most efficient post-Soviet leaders, probably the most efficient of them, and he has no rivals in the short term," said Ruslan Grinberg, the director of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of International Economics and Political Research.
"The Kazakh president is the most appropriate leader for the republic at the moment," said Konstantin Simonov, director of the Center for Political Situations.
Simonov said economic problems could trigger protests any time, while there were people in Kazakhstan who could emerge as an alternative at elections. However, they do not enjoy the massive support of the United States and Europe, unlike the opposition in other Central Asian republics, which has toppled the totalitarian regimes there, he said.
Experts also agree that Nazarbayev, unlike other CIS leaders, has maintained a friendly policy toward Russia and he understands the importance of cooperation with the country.
"To Russia, Nazarbayev is an agreeable leader, unlike other CIS leaders who from time to time made attempts to accuse Russia of many of their problems," Grinberg said. "Nazarbayev has never said anything of the kind."
"Unlike some of the post-Soviet leaders who have reoriented toward the West, Nazarbayev continues to single out Russia," Simonov said.
Experts are positive that another Orange Revolution is unlikely in Kazakhstan because the less economically desperate Kazakhs, after witnessing neighboring countries' turmoil, would not want to replace Nazarbayev.
