Page "History of Kazakhstan" Paragraph 30

In keeping with practices in other republics at that time, the parliament had named Nazarbayev its chairman, and then, soon afterward, it had converted the chairmanship to the presidency of the republic.

In contrast to the presidents of the other republics, especially those in the independence-minded Baltic states, Nazarbayev remained strongly committed to the perpetuation of the Soviet Union throughout the spring and summer of 1991.

He took this position largely because he considered the republics too interdependent economically to survive separation.

At the same time, however, Nazarbayev fought hard to secure republic control of Kazakhstan's enormous mineral wealth and industrial potential.

This objective became particularly important after 1990, when it was learned that Gorbachev had negotiated an agreement with Chevron, an American oil company, to develop Kazakhstan's Tengiz oil fields.

Gorbachev did not consult Nazarbayev until talks were nearly complete.

At Nazarbayev's insistence, Moscow surrendered control of the republic's mineral resources in June 1991.

Gorbachev's authority crumbled rapidly throughout 1991.

Nazarbayev, however, continued to support him, persistently urging other republic leaders to sign the revised Union Treaty, which Gorbachev had put forward in a last attempt to hold the Soviet Union together.