DISINFO: US creates a NATO centre in Kazakhstan to provoke Russia
SUMMARY
The opening of a "NATO Headquarters" in Kazakhstan garnered significant attention in Kazakh and international media.
Opening of a conference hall sponsored by the US may only be the first step toward a centre where Kazakh military personnel will be trained according to NATO standards.
It is clear that the United States is eager to participate in Kazakhstan's military programmes by any means necessary. Additional US military presence close to the Russian Federation is and could provoke Russia and is not good for Kazakhstan's relations with CSTO members, especially Russia.
RESPONSE
This is a mix of several pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the US allegedly conspiring to destabilise other countries as well as encircling Russia to advance its geopolitical goals.
It wasn't a NATO Centre that was opened but a conference hall within the Peacekeeping Operations Centre of the Kazakhstan Ministry of Defense. This centre is primarily focused on training Kazakh military personnel for peacekeeping operations worldwide and is not directly affiliated with NATO.
Political, economic, cultural, trade, military, and security partnerships between the United States and Kazakhstan are not directed against Russia or any other country.
To address common security challenges, the United States is working with the Central Asian states to counter terrorism, support regional stability, and enhance border security in the region and beyond through bilateral military partnership programmes.
Kazakhstan has been part of NATO's Operational Capabilities Concept programme, which assesses the readiness of peacekeeping forces, but it's not an overt NATO affiliation. Kazakhstan is neither de facto nor de iure a member of NATO.
Kazakhstan's cooperation with NATO began shortly after declaring independence in 1992 when the country became a member of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. In May 1994, Kazakhstan signed a framework document with the alliance for cooperation under the "Partnership for Peace" programme. In the following years, Kazakhstan became involved in various cooperation structures and programmes.
Finally, NATO is a defensive political and military alliance. The primary aim of the alliance is to maintain peace and safeguard the freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity of its member states.
See further disinformation cases targeting NATO.