Akhmetov did not state the reason for the resignation, but political analysts noted increasing criticism from President Nursultan Nazarbayev of his oversight of the economy.
[1] Kanat Saudabayev, Kazakhstan's ambassador to the United States, became the secretary of the Kazakh Security Council, replacing Marat Tajin.
[10] Foreign Minister Tajin said Kazakhstan would continue "to pursue a multi-vector policy governed by the economic and political interests of our country," but Prime Minister Masimov was expected to take Kazakhstan's foreign policy farther in the direction of China based on his past political service and education background.
Joanna Lillis of EurasiaNet has speculated that the shuffle may be tied to Kazakhstan's campaign to chair the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2009.
[9] The lingering scandals over the suspicious deaths and trials of opposition leaders Altynbek Sarsenbayev and Zamanbek Nurkadilov had little impact on the shakeup as Interior Minister Baurzhan Mukhamedzhanov, who received a considerable amount of criticism, maintained his position.