OSCE Chairmanship opens new opportunities for development of legal democratic state

Doctor of Political Sciences, member of the Academy of Political Sciences of the Russian Federation, Professor of Shakarim Semipalatinsk State University Gulnara Iskakova shared her view in an interview to Kazinform. 

What positive results do you think can the chairmanship in the Organization give us?

  Kazakhstan is the first post-Soviet and first Asian state to chair the OSCE. On the one hand it is big responsibility for the results of the activity; on the other hand it opens new opportunities and perspectives for its own development within the formation of legal and democratic statehood. I hope Kazakhstan as the OSCE Chair will make further steps to democratization of the national legislation and will, for example, effectively implement national strategy on gender equality as well as to approve laws 'On equal rights and possibilities of women and men', 'On opposition to domestic violence' corresponding to the world standards including the OSCE ones.

 Chairmanship of Kazakhstan in OSCE will give a positive effect and from the point of view of the regional security. It is important to take into account here that Asian issues are not regional at present and they more and more take form of the global ones. In view of all mentioned above in spring 2010 the Kazakh Parliament plans to hold a forum of the Parliamentary Assembly of Eurasian Measure of OSCE Organization to consider the issues of security in Eurasia and its development.

 The regional security in Central Asia will be also a priority for Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan's chairmanship in OSCE will extend potential for the problem solution, moreover not only through OSCE but including such structures as SCO, CSTO, CICMA and others.

 Given the fact that the 35^th anniversary of OSCE, 20^th anniversary of adoption of the Paris Charter for new Europe and 65^th anniversary of ending of the World War II will be marked during the period of Kazakhstan's chairmanship in 2010, the Kazakhstani part proposed to hold summit in Kazakhstan to consider topical issues of global security that will promote strengthening of the image of our country in the world arena. All this will certainly expand Kazakhstan's presence in the world life.

 What can Kazakhstan propose in order to strengthen security in Europe and worldwide during this chairmanship?

 Kazakhstan has a lot of common approaches towards solution of existing problems in the world relations. For example, Kazakhstan as chairman of OSCE sees its important priority in its activity the stabilization of the situation on Afghanistan as well as promotion of constructive interaction between different cultures and civilizations.

 In this respect Kazakhstan received a chance to make a significant contribution to the development of dialogue - "West-East". Kazakhstan having an unrivalled experience of interethnic concord created its own model of multinational and multi-faith state. This experience was not only recognized by the world community but is actively studied and as we see, it will be used by many countries. This is evidenced by the discussion of our experience in achievement of interfaith and international concord at the recent extended session in Haag.

In this respect Kazakhstan intends to propose all OSCE members to development 'Road Map' for strengthening of interfaith and interethnic concord. Experts are already working over such map. The second, during its years of independence Kazakhstan has developed a long-term cooperation with the European Union which covers 27 states of West and East Europe on the basis of full-pledged Agreement on Partnership.  Approved in 2007 the EU Strategy on Central Asia proves that Kazakhstan and other countries of the region are important partners for the European Union. This strategy covers such significant for the region spheres of interaction as power, transport, environment, ecology, trade, struggle against drug trafficking and terrorism. For example, in 2008 the trade turnover of Kazakhstan with the EU amounted to Euro 23 bln.

 A search for an adequate solution and response to any safety risks in the zone of responsibility including struggle against terrorism and extremism should become an important aspect for Kazakhstan's activity as OSCE chairman.

 Thank you for the interview.