Karim Massimov

Kazakhstan, carved just 19 years ago from Soviet collapse, has emerged as a key regional player.

It is a huge country with vast mineral and oil resources, but as the sitting chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the world’s largest regional security body responsible for global crisis management, Kazakhstan has been widely criticised for its role in Kyrgyzstan.

What went wrong in the handling of the Kyrgyzstan crisis? And has the country been able to shake the image created by the controversial film character “Borat” who depicted the Kazakhs as politically incorrect and ignorant.

Karim Massimov, the prime minister of Kazakhstan, talks about the recent unrest in Kyrgyzstan, the decision to close the borders during the crisis, the economic situation in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, democracy and human rights in Kazakhstan, the country’s oil and the financial crisis, the country’s nuclear ambitions, Kazakhstan’s strong relations with Iran and China, partnership with the Gulf states, “Borat”, publicity, and reality in Kazakhstan.

This episode of Talk to Al Jazeera can be seen from Sunday, July 5, at the following times GMT: Sunday: 1130; Monday: 1230; Tuesday: 1930; Wednesday: 0300.