European Forum

Kazakhstan lines out priorities for OSCE chairmanship

In a speech on 14 January in Vienna to the Permanent Council of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Kazakhstan's Secretary of State and Foreign Minister, Kanat Saudabayev, lined out the priorities of Kazakhstan’s OSCE chairmanship for 2010.

Priorities 
The new OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Saudabayev, said that priorities include addressing terrorism and other threats, working to resolve protracted conflicts, reconstruction of Afghanistan and promoting tolerance.

Work to help rebuild Afghanistan -an OSCE partner for co-operation- also would continue, Saudabayev said. "We view the development of the situation in that country from the point of view of global security and the fight against terrorism, religious extremism and drug trafficking," he said. "Helping the Afghan people to transform their war-torn country into a peaceful, productive and self-sustained society based on democratic principles and values is an important task for the OSCE and the whole international community".

Furthermore, tolerance and intercultural dialogue would be a "major priority", Saudabayev said, adding that a High-Level OSCE Conference on Tolerance and Non-Discrimination would be held in June in Astana. "The rule of law is a fundamental commitment in the human dimension, directly concerned with human rights and democracy," he said, adding that particular attention would be paid to judicial independence, the prevention of hate crimes, freedom of movement and the situation of Roma and Sinti".

In addition to the statement of Saudabayev, Kazakhstan’s President Nazarbayev, said in a video-taped address to the OSCE Permanent Council that the 2010 Chairmanship would be guided by trust, tradition, transparency and tolerance – the four T's.

Bad reputation
Kazakhstan has a bad reputation on issues like democracy, tolerance, human rights and freedom of speech. Due to this, numerous human rights organisations and Western specialists are sceptical about the ability and qualifications of Kazakhstan to act as the right chairman for the OSCE, an organisation which emphasizes and promotes the importance of human rights and democratic principles. In that perspective the outlined agenda for Kazakhstan as chairman seems very ambitious to say the least. Human rights and democratic issues in Kazakhstan needs improvements first before the words of President Nazarbayev and Minister Saudabayev can be valued as credible and trustworthy.

Sources: OSCE; RFE/RL