Kazakhstan outlines 2010 OSCE priorities

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VIENNA - Terrorism, resolving protracted conflicts, working toward peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan, promoting tolerance and convening an OSCE summit will be the main priorities for Kazakhstan’s OSCE Chairmanship.

Kanat Saudabayev, OSCE Chairman-in-office and the Kazakh Secretary of State and Foreign Minister, along with President Nursultan Nazarbayev, outlined their vision for Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in speeches delivered in Vienna January 14. Saudabayev appeared before the OSCE Permanent Council, while Nazarbayev’s remarks were contained in a video-taped speech shown at the meeting.

“Assisting in the resolution of ‘protracted conflicts’ remains a priority. ... We shall endeavor to do all we can to make a contribution to this difficult process. ... My first visit as Chairman-in-Office is scheduled for mid-February to the countries of the South Caucasus”, Saudabayev said at the meeting.

Wolfgang Zellner, head of the Center for OSCE Research in Germany, told Central Asia Online, “Not every Chairman-in-Office pays a visit to the South Caucasus so early, and this is a good sign”.

He said, “Kazakhstan may be able to reach progress on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but I don’t think they will be able to do anything on conflicts in South Ossetia or Abkhazia, which doesn’t really depend on Kazakhstan – no one could do it – it just depends on the international situation, while with Karabakh it’s easier – it more depends on the will of the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders”.

Outlining the need for the OSCE to address the issue of Afghanistan, Saudabayev said, “Today the concept of European security goes far beyond the borders of the European continent and encompasses the vast expanse of Eurasia. Accordingly, we intend to focus particular attention on Afghanistan”, Saudabayev said, noting that for many years Kazakhstan has been providing humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and Afghan refugees.

But Zellner says Kazakhstan will not be able to do much with regards to Afghanistan as there is no basis for the OSCE to work inside or outside of Afghanistan .

Former Kazakh Senator Zauresh Battalova, now with the Civil Society Foundation in Astana said, “In relation to those priorities which Kazakhstan has set; They have a place and there is no doubt that their realization is necessary to support security and stability at the international level”.

Battalova said the Afghanistan issue is “more of an image issue, so that Kazakhstan can once again conduct some kind of forums, summits, some large events to show Kazakhstan in a more positive light”.

Saudabayev also mentioned economic-environmental issues, tolerance, trafficking and gender issues as main priorities, which according to Zellner “is not a big surprise either. Much of what he said was decided at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Athens”.

But analysts found Saudabayev’s expressions of support for, and expressed commitment to work with the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and the Representative on Freedom of the Media, interesting.

“Kazakhstan … first of all must use this for Kazakh society, for those issues important for Kazakhstan – and these are freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, human rights, and the opportunity of Kazakh citizens to realize their rights and so that the Kazakh legislature does everything to make our laws in conformity with international standards. Unfortunately there is a lot of criticism in this direction, from Kazakh organizations as well as from international ones, and which the country is not taking into account.” Battalova said.

Ainur Kurmanov of the Talmas movement in Almaty said Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the OSCE so far “does nothing for the democratization of the country”.

“The promises made by Kazakhstan before its chairmanship to the OSCE for liberalization of laws which regulate freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the right on political association … were not fulfilled”, he said.

Nazarbayev, in his video-taped speech, focused on the case for an OSCE Summit.

“Now is the time when the leaders of the OSCE-participating states should demonstrate their political will and focus on solutions to the difficult challenges facing our nations. A summit would not only give a powerful impetus to adapting the OSCE to modern challenges and threats, but would also increase the confidence and respect enjoyed by the Organization itself among our peoples”, he said.

Zellner said the proposal for a summit was introduced at the December OSCE Ministerial Council in Athens.

“The Council didn’t say ‘yes’ or ‘no’, but something really important must happen during this year – like a major break in one of the protracted conflicts or a security document signed. Otherwise I can’t imagine (US President Barack) Obama or (Russian President Dmitri) Medvedev and others gathering in Kazakhstan – they are all busy people”.

If an OSCE summit is agreed to, it would likely be held sometime this summer.