Kazakhstan not willing formal presidency, but intends to breathe new life into OSCE - B. Baikadamov

In his article Fate and Prospects of the OSCE published in media the Head of the State gave an in-depth analysis of the activity of the Organization and pointed out principal priorities for its development in the future. In your view, how will our country show itself as OSCE Chair?

Certainly, our President sees all the tasks that must be carried out within the framework of chairmanship in the OSCE and considers not only the problems of Kazakhstan, but also the problems of the OSCE. The article tells that Kazakhstan will realize those principles promoted by the Organization, in other words it will be committed to the OSCE traditions laid down since its founding in 1975.

Kazakhstan will work on those problems, which have risen lately, that are urgent today and even endangering the security of the whole region. These are the so called frozen conflicts in a number of countries. The problem of Afghanistan is under special consideration. The Head of the State noted that today 43 countries participate in combat operations and economic recovery of Afghanistan. The President paid special attention to the environmental issues not only in our region, but all over the world. It is also very important that the leader of the country chairing the OSCE thinks that it's time to think about the updating the European Security Treaty due to the new European realities. I believe, all these proposals are of paramount importance since Kazakhstan is the country, which is situated on the periphery of the OSCE region, possessing both European and Asian values, the experience of the past Soviet period as well as the experience of new independent development, and therefore has a possibility to breathe new life into the Organization.

How do you estimate the present state of the OSCE? What steps should be taken for further development of the Organization?

As many political scientists and experts consider, the OSCE must first of all grow from the regional structure into the organization covering more space than only Europe. In this regard I would like to note that the OSCE experience is unique and it should be used in other regions as well. Therefore, now those are right to speak about the modernization of the Organization. It's high time to develop new mechanisms to work in European and other continents.

Does the fact of Kazakhstan's chairmanship in OSCE reflect some movement toward unification of the Organization?

The OSCE had long time ago begun to search for the way out of the existing situation. It was noticed that some principles and mechanisms do not work or become less effective. And it is not coincidentally that the attention is paid to the opportunity of using the experience of new countries including the post-soviet ones. It means that the success of Kazakhstan and other countries in social-economic, political and cultural development demonstrates their own significant intellectual values, its own unique experience. The West, which completely realizes the situation, has drew the eye to those countries, whose experience could contribute to the policy and activity of the OSCE; therefore Kazakhstan has not coincidentally became the chair of this Organization.

Will the OSCE Summit scheduled for this summer serve as a new milestone in the development of the Organization?

Time will show it, but any large forum under the aegis of OSCE is the stage where new and previous initiatives and proposals are considered. I think the analysis will help find ways for their transforming into the universal mechanisms aimed at solving those issues that have accumulated. Kazakhstan does not want a formal chairmanship as far as it intends to give a constructive impulse to the OSCE development, which will lead to deep and system modernization of the Organization.