Kazakhstan's Nazarbayev backs Tokayev for president

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Tuesday secured veteran leader Nursultan Nazarbayev's backing to run in the June 9 snap presidential election, virtually guaranteeing Tokayev's victory.

Nazarbayev, who leads the oil-rich Central Asian nation's biggest political party, Nur Otan, asked party members at a pre-election congress on Tuesday to officially nominate Tokayev.