Obama, Kazakh talk 'democratization'

President Barack Obama spoke with the Kazakh leader Saturday about the central Asian country's need for "greater democratization," the White House said in a statement. Obama and President Nursultan Nazarbayev "discussed issues of democracy, affirming that greater political modernization must now accompany Kazakhstan's economic modernization," the White House said about the leaders' telephone conversation. "The parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan in 2012 offer an important opportunity for greater democratization, a goal President Nazarbayev affirmed in his recent inauguration address." The pair also spoke about "our many cooperative efforts regarding nuclear security," the White House said in a statement. Kazakhstan is an important regional partner for the United States, providing transit routes for US military personnel and equipment to Afghanistan. Nazarbayev, 70, came to power while Kazakhstan was still a Soviet republic and was elected president after it won independence. Along with Uzbek President Islam Karimov, he is the longest-serving leader in the former USSR. Accused by critics of trampling on human rights and civil society, Nazarbayev has announced plans to increase the powers of parliament -- where his ruling party controls every seat. He was sworn in earlier this month for a third decade of his strongman rule, vowing to implement reforms in the face of Western criticism of Kazakhstan's democratic standards. He won over 95 percent of the vote but international observers said the election fell short of being free and fair.