Ambassador Y. Utembayev: Resolution of contradictions, strengthening trust and integration - major objective of OSCE for forthcoming decades

community for the future. The results of the OSCE Summit in Astana were ardently discussed at the press conference on security problems in Central Asia and Caucasus in Brussels that was organized by the European Diplomatic Academy. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan to Belgium and Luxembourg, Head of Kazakhstan's Mission to the EU and NATO Yerik Utembayev took part in it.

The Head of Kazakhstan's Mission to the EU noted that Kazakhstan restored a broken for 11 years tradition of holding high-level meetings.

As he said, over recent years the OSCE has been criticized for its decreased role in world politics. It was the reason to set the goal of the Summit a necessity of strengthening trust and respect towards this Organization.

He also noted that all participants of the Summit paid attention to the fact that common stability in Europe depends on stability of the regions. It was also said by Secretary of the U.S.A. Hilary Clinton, Federal Chancellor of GermanyAngela Merkel, President of Kyrgyzstan Roza Otundayeva and others at the Summit in Astana.

Yerik Utembayev also said that Kazakhstan presiding in the OSCE paid special attention to the Corfu Process - the dialogue aimed at restoration of trust between the OSCE member states which had been started six months before Kazakhstan assumed its chairmanship. 'During our presidency we worked a lot within this process through regular meetings and discussions on vital issues', Y. Utembayev said.

As for further stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan the Head of Kazakhstan's Mission to the EU and NATO said that 43 OSCE member countries were involved in resolving of the problem. Drug trafficking emanating from Afghanistan is a problem not only for Eurasian continent but for the whole Europe as well. In this regard the world community must aspire to return this country back to peaceful life and assist in recovering the economy of the country. Kazakhstan, in its turn, exerts every effort to assist in this sphere. 'Kazakhstan stands for developing complex strategy for stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan, restoration of economy and peaceful life. Kazakhstan succeeded in developing non-military assistance program to Afghanistan as a Chair of the Organization. In 2010 the Government of Kazakhstan allocated more than USD 1.5 mln for construction of hospitals, schools and roads in this country and USD 50 mln more will be used for teaching the Afghan youth in higher education institutes of Kazakhstan', the Ambassador emphasized.

Kazakhstan actively interacted with its partners and international organizations including the EU in order to find the solution of protracted conflicts within the OSCE space. In this regard the work of Special Representative for Protracted Conflicts, Ambassador Bolat Nurgaliyev was highly important for the presidency of Kazakhstan because he did a great job by visiting conflict areas, taking part in negotiations of all formats, etc.

Regarding resolution of the conflict between Russia and Georgia the Ambassador noted that Kazakhstan put emphasis on continuation of the Geneva discussions. 'We consider the OSCE presence in Georgia important. It was also approved by President of EU Council Herman Van Rompuy. In this context we accept as relevant the proposal of the Conflicts Prevention Center on starting the work of the Support Group which would have regular visits to Georgia and South Ossetia. This group would help to ensure constant monitoring of the situation', Y. Utembayev added.

As for Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Head of the Kazakh mission stressed that Kazakhstan laid a special emphasis on the efforts of Azerbaijan and Armenia as well as the co-chairpersons of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Among new challenges in the OSCE space is the crisis in Kyrgyzstan, the Kazakh Ambassador noted. 'Due to the joint efforts of the OSCE, the President of our country, Russia and the U.S.A. as well as the UN, EU and other international structures, it was possible to take timely and coordinated actions and prevent the civil war in Kyrgyzstan', he noted.

According to him, economic and humanitarian assistance to Kyrgyzstan, ensuring law order and prevention of inter-ethnic conflicts are priority issues today. 'Upon completion of its chairmanship in the OSCE Kazakhstan does not intend to weaken its attention to the situation in this country. At the beginning of the next year we plan to hold a special international donor conference in Almaty under the patronage of our President', Y. Utembayev added.

The main objective of the OSCE for the forthcoming decades is to resolve the contradictions, to strengthen trust and integration within the existing interstate structures.

This is the establishment of interaction between the EU and the NATO and between the EurAsEC and the CSTO.

As for North-South line, this is establishment of close relations between the OSCE and several Asian integration structures. First of all, this is the CICA, established on the Kazakh President's initiative. Kazakhstan is also ready to become a link of Eurasian integration and intends to use its OIC chairmanship in 2011 for strengthening trust across Eurasia.

Besides, Astana stands for discussing the issue on comprehensive nuclear-test ban treaty.

Alongside, it is necessary to make some changes in the content and structure of the OSCE's development process.

"In the course of the Summit our President Nursultan Nazarbayev proposed to enlarge the number of the OSCE baskets and institutes. Many countries have backed this idea. It was suggested establishing an institute of security in Astana. According to the President, equal location of the OSCE structures across the Organization's responsibility area would facilitate strengthening trust and mutual understanding. This process can start from establishment of new institutes on currency-financial, inter-religious and forecast-analytical dimensions in various countries including the Asian part of the OSCE", Y. Utembayev said.

Kazakhstan proposes to form a Council on the level of the OSCE states ministers for coordination of fight with near-border crimes, drug trafficking and illegal migration. Inter-faith tolerance is also proposed to be a new dimension in the OSCE's activity. For this the Organization can use the platform of the Congress of the World and Traditional Religions Leaders. These ideas are likely to be discussed within the Corfu process.

Upon completion of the interview, Y. Utembayev noted that during its presidency in the OSCE Kazakhstan attempted to promote resolution of many problems in all three dimensions. "Undoubtedly, it is impossible to resolve all problems in the OSCE space, and it was not the goal in itself for Kazakhstan. The main thing was to lay a path for permanent dialogue and establishment of the system of trust towards the Organization. We hope that all adopted measures will be continued by Lithuanian chairmanship in the OSCE in 2011", the Ambassador resumed.