“We believe a national referendum that would replace the presidential elections guaranteed by Kazakhstan’s constitution would be a setback for democracy in Kazakhstan,” the US government said in a statement.
“We think that it is important that Kazakhstan’s government and citizens honor their international commitments and continue to strive for free and fair elections,” it added in a statement published by the US embassy in Kazakhstan.
Nazarbayev’s administration could not be immediately reached for comment.
Kazakhstan’s compliant parliament appealed to Nazarbayev last week to call a referendum that would extend his more than 20-year rule by almost another decade, until 2020.
The appeal was made shortly after a “people’s initiative” began collecting signatures to hold such a referendum.
Supporters and opponents expect the referendum could be held as soon as March.
The 70-year-old leader must approve the call to hold the referendum, which would allow him to avoid an election that would have been due in 2012.
Analysts say Nazarbayev, who has tightly controlled the Central Asian state since the Soviet era, will have little difficulty securing victory.
