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Kazakh President Cancels Visits To Yerevan, Baku For Health Reasons


The state of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev's health is rarely made public.
The state of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev's health is rarely made public.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev has added Armenia to his list of canceled visits this week due to treatment for what officials say is a "cold."

Nazarbaev spokesman Aidos Ukimbai told journalists on October 12 that Nazarbaev's overall health state is "not of concern."

Ukimbai added that Prime Minister Baqytzhan Saghyntaev will represent Nazarbaev at the summit of the Russia-led Common Security Treaty Organization in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, in Nazarbaev's stead on October 14.

Ukimbai also said that Nazarbaev's further activities will proceed in accordance with his "usual working schedule."

Nazarbaev's press service first reported on October 11 that Nazarbaev was being treated for a cold and would not be able to travel to Azerbaijan for a scheduled visit or to the western Kazakh region of Manghystau.

The announcement was unusual as Nazarbaev's state of health is rarely made public in Central Asia's largest country.

He has been treated in the past in China for undisclosed health reasons.

Nazarbaev, 76, has led oil-rich Kazakhstan with an iron fist since 1989.

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