The European Parliament,

–   having regard to its previous resolutions on Kazakhstan,

–   having regard to the European Union's Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with Kazakhstan, which was signed on 23 January 1995 and entered into force on 1 July 1999,

–   having regard to the EU statement of 16 February 2006 on the death of Mr Altynbek Sarsenbayev in Kazakhstan,

–   having regard to the Commission's Central Asia Strategy Paper 2002-2006,

–   having regard to the conclusions of the fourth meeting of the EU-Kazakhstan Cooperation Council,

–   having regard to the official results of the presidential elections of 4 December 2005,

–   having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.   whereas Mr Altynbek Sarsenbayev, a prominent politician and the co-chairman of the True Ak Zhol opposition party, was brutally murdered on 13 February 2006, together with his bodyguard and driver,

B.   whereas, on 12 November 2005, another opposition leader, Nurkadilov Zamanbek, was found shot dead in unexplained circumstances after he had accused the government of corruption; whereas the official investigation concluded that he had committed suicide,

C.   whereas twelve opposition activists, as well as a number of journalists, were jailed for five to fifteen days or fined for holding a rally on 26 February 2006 in memory of the slain opposition leader, Altynbek Sarsenbayev,

D.   whereas the Secretary-General of the Senate was arrested for the killing of Mr Sarsenbayev, together with five members of the state security services, and charged with kidnapping and killing, prompting the resignation of the head of the state security agency,

E.   whereas Kazakhstan is a key ally in the fight against international terrorism and religious fundamentalism, and whereas it wishes to chair the OSCE from 2009,

F.   stressing that respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law is a fundamental element of the EU-Kazakhstan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, upon which the development of future relations will be based,

1.  Condemns the murder of Mr Altynbek Sarsenbayev, and extends its condolences to the family of the victim;

2.  Expresses its great concern at the fact that over a period of three months two prominent opposition politicians were killed;

3.  Calls on the Kazakhstan authorities to carry out the ongoing investigation into the circumstances of the death of Mr Altynbek Sarsenbayev and the two persons who accompanied him in a full, independent and transparent manner;

4.  Welcomes President Nazarbayev's statement of 21 February 2006 condemning the murders and promising severe punishment for those involved;

5.  Welcomes the release of Mr Galymzhan Zhakianov from his internal exile;

6.  Condemns the jailing of opposition activists and journalists for five to fifteen days for taking part in the peaceful rally following the death of Mr Altynbek Sarsenbayev;

7.  Urges the Kazakhstan government to honour its commitments under the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, in particular to respect democracy, the principles of international law and human rights and move towards democratisation, the provision of guarantees of greater freedom for citizens and liberalisation; reiterates the importance it places on cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU in the economic, political and cultural fields;

8.  Calls on the Council and Commission to place the issue of respect for human rights at the core of the next Cooperation Council meeting, linking progress in this field to the further implementation of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, and to strengthen the TACIS democracy programmes for Kazakhstan, aiming, in particular, at strengthening and developing democratic institutions, independent media and the fight against corruption; calls for the inclusion of these topics in the agenda for the next meeting of the EU-Kazakhstan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, which is due to take place on 29 and 30 May 2006;

9.  Stresses that respect for the principles of democracy, the rule of law and human rights, as clearly laid down in the PCA, is a prerequisite if Kazakhstan is to fulfil its intention to chair the OSCE from 2009;

10.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the UN Secretary-General, the EU Special Representative for Central Asia, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, and the Government and President of Kazakhstan.