Nursultan Nazarbayev the President of Kazakhstan announced in a speech that he is resigning as President of the Central Asian republic. Nazarbayev has ruled the country since it declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. For the time being, Nazarbayev will remain as head of the countries National Security Council. the head of Kazakhstan's upper house of the parliament in Astana, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will take over as interim president.