President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev: Fate and Prospects of the OSCE

Entering an active stage of chairmanship in such authoritative international organization as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, I would like to touch upon several important issues. These are the fate and prospects of the OSCE, its role in a new world order. Will the OSCE fit into the dynamic realities of the XXI century in its current format?

Future is formed today - not without the participation of the OSCE. The Organization which regularly reminds of its immensity and which stretches from Vancouver to Vladivostok must be involved in solution of the most complicated and urgent issues of the modern world. As the OSCE presiding country Kazakhstan proceeds namely from such understanding of things. We realize that a twelve-month period is not enough for solution of all issues of the OSCE activity. We are not supporters of any revolutions in the Organization; however we do not intend to act mechanically.

As the Head of the sovereign state I consider our chairmanship in the OSCE as a strategic national project and recognition of the country's international weight as well as an opportunity to give it new breath and new impulse.

In this view I am going back to the origin and most important stages in the OSCE history. What are the reasons of its international success? What are the major lessons of its activity? How can we revive and strengthen "the spirit of Helsinki"?

OSCE - major factor of relaxation of international tensions

The Organization has its roots from far 1973 when a Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe was founded. The Conference united 33 European countries, the USA and Canada. That was a crucial moment for the entire world when member countries of the NATO, the Warsaw Treaty Organization and several neutral countries of the European continent joined their efforts within the CSCE.

That was one of the most complicated and critical periods in the modern history since tensions in the relations of two opposing military-political blocks reached its maximum. The Cold War could turn into a "hot" one in case of unfavorable development of the situation. However the leaders of the leading world empires demonstrated political bravery in order to avoid nuclear apocalypses and take a step towards each other.

The result of such work was the Helsinki Final Act signed in 1975.

The CSCE marked triple breakthrough in geopolitics of the XXI century. First of all, there was a breakthrough in prevention of the threat of development of the Cold War in nuclear one. Secondly, it demonstrated the first example of successful institutional dialogue of the East and the West. Thirdly, this was a breakthrough from the viewpoint of two ideologies and worldviews.

Generally speaking the CSCE has played a global role in the conditions of bipolar world promoting synchronous development within all three dimensions. However not all political forums succeed in preserving their influence on the global processes. And the CSCE was no exception in this context.

Saying directly, in 1975 there was established a "spirit" as well as a "brand" of the Helsinki process. Over this period this brand has faded and lost a part of its attractiveness. So, revival of this brand and giving it new shine and energy is the major challenge for the politicians to date.

OSCE in the period of bipolar world's collapse

In the 80s and 90s of the XX century the world faced significant changes, namely the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Treaty Organization, unification of Germany. With direct involvement of Kazakhstan the Commonwealth of Independent States was established.

In this complicated and contradictory period the CSCE played a certain stabilizing role and took important steps for strengthening the confidence-building measures and security as well as it expressed support to democratic and market changes in Central and Eastern Europe and the countries of Eurasia. Suffice to remember the Paris Charter for New Europe and the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe and other strategically important documents.

Last decade the CSCE was changed from the forum of political dialogue into the trans-national organization - the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. In 1996 the renewed Organization adopted the Declaration on a Common and Comprehensive Security Model for Europe for the Twenty-First Century which defined the necessity of building a single, peaceful and democratic Europe without dividing lines.

Alongside, we should acknowledge that in the last years the Organization has reduced its attention to the military-political problems, but concentrated its activity on economic cooperation development.

OSCE in modern geopolitical realities

The beginning of the XX century was marked with serious and deep transformation of the whole architecture of the international relations. Sensitivity of the national states to extremism became an impulse for multilateral cooperation in fight with trans-national threats of global and regional security.

Another challenge to international security became staggering regime of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, forced expansion of the circle of the so-called " nuclear threshold states".

There are still certain problems on the OSCE space to date, like changes in military-political balance on the continent, "frozen conflicts", the situation around the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe . These and other problems became the issues of concern of many OSCE member countries.

The global financial economic crisis which covered in fact the whole world demonstrated again the necessity of joining the efforts of all countries including the OSCE states in order to create a new, fairer and more predictable world order.

In this view I would like to draw your attention to one more important tendency which is typical for the OSCE as well as the global processes in whole. Again the modern world faces the problem of inequality of the states in solution of the problems which are of equal importance for everybody. Even the leading empires realize unproductiveness and unfairness of such situation.

In this context enhancement of G-8 and G-20 formats became a positive moment, but it did not change the situation.

I suppose everybody should understand and admit the fact that global development itself requires enhancement of the role of medium countries which constitute a majority in the modern world. To my mind, the role of the medium countries lies in achievement of adoption of strategic decisions on the basis of consensus.

To date the OSCE is rightly considered as one of the most authoritative structures in the world covering vast geographical and political space.

Alongside the OSCE must activate its interaction with new, powerful and dynamically developing regional organizations. Establishment of the CIS, the CSTO and the EurAsEC marks quite another reality than it was in the Soviet era. Establishment of the SCO means birth of a new mechanism of structuring the space on the OSCE territory. New innovation projects like the CICA were founded. The CICA is a prototype of the Asian system of collective security.

Therefore the OSCE must enhance its contacts with other regional structures. Active interaction with them can give a new impulse to the OSCE activity, open new horizons and target new goals. Astana could also become a solid platform for such kind of inter-institutional and supra-regional dialogue.

Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the OSCE: continuity and innovations

I would like to highlight that Kazakhstan came to the Organization as a continuator of its traditions. We realize that the Organization's activity is based on those principles, standards and rules which were formed in the course of its development.

Kazakhstan will secure worthy continuity of the Greek chairmanship.

I think that Kazakhstan's OSCE chairmanship can lay a foundation for a new stage of relations between the East and the West and promote strengthening of mutual trust. Kazakhstan which has established constructive relations with all countries located to the East and West of Vienna can become an active as well as an effective mediator between different sides in conflict situation.

I am confident that the OSCE is an optimal platform for discussion of most complicated problems in security sphere. In this view we lay emphasis on the Corfu process which undoubtedly will give strong impulse to perception of comprehensive and indivisible character of security on the OSCE space.

In my opinion, the Organization must not refuse from the open and principal discussion of strategically important initiatives including the European Security Treaty.

Extremism is one more global threat of modernity. Almost all countries of the OSCE have already faced it. Therefore speaking on global issues of security the Organization cannot but respond to terrorism and extremism which like cancer metastasis affect stage-by-stage our civilization.

In whole, we should admit the fact that to date the OSCE has turned into a trans-national organization which unites the countries of Europe, Asia and North America. That is why it would be right to speak on European as well as Eurasian security. I mean here that it is impossible to ensure lasting security in Europe without consideration of Asia.

The security of our states cannot be considered separately from security of our neighbors even if they are not the OSCE member states. In this connection Kazakhstan exerts every effort for countering new challenges on the OSCE space and co-sponsors a number of important projects in struggle against terrorism, different kinds of traffic and strengthening the borders.

As is known, out of 56 OSCE member states 46 ones are involved in military operations or rehabilitation of Afghan economy. Alongside we should admit that the Afghan situation cannot be solved without involvement of regional organizations. The OSCE must find its own niche, its role in this great deal. In this context Afghanistan could become something like a bridge among various regional structures.

Giving special priority to the process of rehabilitation and post-conflict restoration of this long-suffering country Kazakhstan supports the efforts of coalitions in Afghanistan. Along with this we are confident that the Afghan problem cannot be solved in military way. Kazakhstan like many other countries is sincerely interested in stable and peaceful Afghanistan and will focus its efforts primarily on humanitarian projects. Thus, despite the global financial crisis, we took a decision to allocate USD 50 mln for teaching one thousand Afghans in Kazakhstan's educational institutions. Other member countries of the OSCE could also develop similar programs in various spheres.

In this context we should not underestimate the role of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, an important Asian forum, which aims coincide with the aims of the OSCE. Afghanistan is a full-fledged member of the CICA and takes an active part in realization of certain measures like in fight with illegal drug-trafficking and new challenges and threats.

Today amid the global financial-economic crisis when all countries are concerned over elaboration of their strategies of post-crisis development the issues of global economy and ecology are moving to forefront.

I am confident that more serious attention to the issues of the "second basket" will allow filling the OSCE activity with real content. During its chairmanship Kazakhstan will focus on ecological security problems successful solution of which is impossible without joining the resources and coordinating the efforts of the whole Organization. The point at issue is not only the Aral Sea and former Semipalatinsk nuclear-testing site, but also many other problems in Central Asia, European and other OSCE spaces.

Development of transport-communication potential of the Organization will also be among the priorities of Kazakhstan's chairmanship. Due to geographical, historical and economic consequences Central Asian countries possess huge trade and transit potential. Central Asia is a vast and promising region which can turn into a stable and secure bridge between the Western and Eastern countries. In this context, I would like to stress importance of Path to Europe state program which concentrates on the urgent issues of transit, transportation and logistics.

Forced construction of Western China-Western Europe transport corridor is one more important direction in Kazakhstan's activity today. Together with other large-scale projects the corridor will promote soonest revival of the Great Silk Way.

The issues of the "third basket" traditionally hold strategic place in the OSCE activity. Undoubtedly, Kazakhstan will give special attention to these problems during its chairmanship in the Organization. Real safety on the OSCE space is impossible without observance and protection of fundamental democratic rights and freedoms of human.

Kazakhstan's measures directed on reforming the legislation on elections, political parties, mass media and local administration set the best pattern of the country's adherence to democratic values. In addition Kazakhstan has adopted the National Human Rights Action Plan for 2009-2012 as well as the Concept of Legal Policy for 2010-2020. Recently I have signed the law on Gender Equality. We intend to enhance the struggle against domestic violence and make significant amendments to the legislation on protection of children's rights.

The issues of inter-ethnic and inter-faith relations as well as illegal labor migration and integration of national diasporas into society are of paramount importance on the OSCE space today. There is also a conflict between the European system of values and cultures of emerging national diasporas.

However I would like to make a distinction between the political aspiration and civilization models. It is quite evident today that "one-dimensional world" and "universal civilization" are archaic utopias. We should not ignore the life style, traditions, culture, and ethnic history of different nations of the world. Otherwise it can lead to fundamental crisis which means social, cultural and religious rejection of the western model of development. It would be right to say also that the values of the western civilization must be respected by other regions of the world as well as by ethnic diasporas in western communities.

As the global financial-economic crisis showed we should not overemphasize even habitual economic stereotypes not to mention more dynamic political goals. We are strongly convinced that many acute problems of the modern world can find their solution in collective efforts and in consensus.

Being a multi-national and multi-religious state Kazakhstan ais committed to the ideas of inter-cultural and inter-civilization dialogue and intends to use high potential of the Organization for overcoming nationalism, religious intolerance, racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism.

Kazakhstan will realize these noble aims within its OSCE activity as well as within the frame of oncoming chairmanship in such organizations as the CICA, SCO, EurAsEC, Organization of Islamic Conference and TURKSOI. I would also remind of the UN Resolution on announcement of 2010 the International Year of Cultures Rapprochement initiated by Kazakhstan.

Our major objective is to pass on our experience in inter-ethnic and inter-religious harmony to our partners within the OSCE. The top-level OSCE conference on tolerance and non-discrimination scheduled for 2010 is called to play a positive role in it. As a secular state with dominating Muslim population, as the member of the OIC and presiding country of the OSCE, Kazakhstan feels special responsibility for rapprochement of the Islamic and Christian civilizations, for deepening understanding between the East and the West

This year we will mark the 35^th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, the 20^th anniversary of the Paris Charter for New Europe and the 65^th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Coincidence of these events is symbolic and imposes special obligations on the Organization and it's Chairman-in-Office.

As is known, the previous summit of the OSCE took place ten years ago in Istanbul. In accordance with the rules the summits must be held once in two-three years. In this view we are sincerely grateful to Russia, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Turkey, Serbia, Slovenia, Belarus and other OSCE member countries for their support of holding the summit in Astana.

Such important forum must discuss most urgent and important issues of international life. I mean here building a single architecture of security, realization of Corfu process, rehabilitation and maintenance of Afghanistan. Besides, Kazakhstan proposes to include the issue of development of an Action Program on ensuring inter-ethnic and inter-faith harmony in the agenda of the oncoming summit.

Successful organization of the Summit of the OSCE leaders could become a symbol of revival of the spirit of Helsinki in new historical conditions. The Summit will provide the OSCE states with a unique opportunity to define the most important priorities of the Organization for foreseeable future.

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We come to chairmanship in the OSCE with clear intentions and we target on solution of certain problems of the Organization.

Kazakhstan soberly assesses its potential however it sets quite ambitious goals. We reckon on successful chairmanship in the OSCE in 2010 - this is defending our national interests as well as promoting the Organization itself on the way of effective adaptation to the rapidly changing conditions of the XXI century.

Kazakhstan considers it necessary to achieve more developed international-legal status of the OSCE and intends to continue coordinating our common work on development of appropriate documents.

Kazakhstan calls on all OSCE states to demonstrate readiness to act in favor of common interests, in the name of collective aims and priorities, realization of which will support and strengthen the OSCE, will raise trust and respect to the Organization.