CE Sec Gen wishes success to Kazakhstan in 2010 OSCE chairmanship
In the course of the meeting the parties discussed the issues of interaction with all structures of the Council of Europe on the basis of new institutional approaches including the mechanisms of close cooperation with major subdivisions of the Organization: the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Congress of Local and Regional Representatives etc.
The Kazakh Ambassador said that Kazakhstan had cooperated with the Council of Europe and its structures since 1997 and the bilateral contacts were significantly activated due to signing an Agreement on Cooperation with the PACE and Kazakhstan Parliament in 2004, the unique document for the CA countries. In addition in 2006 the Parliament of Kazakhstan applied for gaining an Observer status to the PACE.
One of the main directions of cooperation is work on accession of Astana to a number of important European Conventions including those dealing with criminal aspects. Along with this, Y. Utembayev noted that participation in these conventions would allow our country cooperating in creation of a common European legal space.
Joining the European Cultural Convention is a foremost priority for us which in turn will let access to the Bologna Declaration and promote Kazakhstan's integration to the global educational process. To date all member countries of the Council of Europe have supported Kazakhstan's ECC joining.
In this view, T. Jagland expressed intention to send an official letter to Kazakhstan with an invitation to join the ECC in the nearest time. The Sec Gen also supported Kazakhstan's intention to join other European treaties. He noted that one of his priorities was strengthening cooperation among the European structures: the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Parliament, the European Commission and other EU institutions.
T. Jagland expressed interest in holding the OSCE Summit in Astana next year having highlighted importance of organization of the meetings on presidential level. Alongside he emphasized the idea of using Kazakhstan's experience in strengthening inter-ethnic tolerance, preservation of peace and harmony through organization of a forum within the Third Basket of the Organization. T. Jagland wished Kazakhstan success in the oncoming OSCE chairmanship.
In turn the Diplomat informed the European side of Path to Europe State program, its main provisions which is called to give new impulse to the Kazakh-EU cooperation. "We intend to develop our cooperation with Europe in humanitarian dimension, democracy and human rights", the Ambassador stressed.
Besides, Utembayev pointed out Kazakhstan's interest in strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation between the Organization and the Council of Europe within Kazakhstan's presidency in the OSCE in 2010.