The Embassy of Kazakhstan to the United States and Canada is reporting that Ambassador Kanat Saudabayev will be leaving his post, which he has held for six-and-a-half years, to become Kazakhstan’s Secretary of State. Saudabeyev will be fourth in line to the Presidency, after the Prime Minister and the speakers of both houses of Parliament.

Kazakhstan’s Secretary of State bears little resemblance to that of the United States, as it is the Minister of Foreign Affairs who handles most international issues. Saudabeyev’s duties will include:

“[working] to promote peace and accord in a country of more than 100 ethnic groups and 40 religions; the development of democracy and civil society; the selection of Kazakh youngsters for study in world’s premium universities under the “Bolashak” (Future) presidential scholarship; granting and repealing citizenship*; the fight against corruption, as well as other issues as determined by the President.”

Perhaps more importantly, the Ambassador is taking his deputy back to Astana with him. As previously posted on this site, this may deprive Kazakhstan of its most useful person in Washington, DC.

Hopefully the next press secretary will be as creative and helpful as Mr. Vassilenko.

*Discussion topic for commentators: how often does the Secretary of State actually repeal someone’s citizenship? And when this happens, are they deported (to countries that may not want them) or thrown in prison? Also, which faction does Saudabeyev belong to? Presumably not Aliev’s…