Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev attends OSCE PA session
Speaking at the opening of the winter session Mr. Tokayev presented Kazakhstan's position on the most topical issues of the OSCE activity. He emphasized the critical importance of the Minsk agreements and, in particular, the set of measures aimed at the settlement of the crisis in Ukraine. The speaker expressed support for the idea of creating within the OSCE PA the Liaison Group on Ukraine.
Senate Speaker stressed the timeliness of the OSCE Astana Declaration's principle of common and indivisible security in the conditions of growing threat of terrorism, the situation in the Middle East and the migration crisis. He urged the OSCE to promote confidence between states in the interests of global security, as well as to join forces in order to create, on the proposal of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, a worldwide network of anti-terrorism.
Mr. Tokayev invited the OSCE PA deputies to attend the parliamentary conference with the participation of representatives of world and traditional religions themed "Religions against terrorism" which will be held in Astana on May 31, 2016.
"Kazakhstan welcomes the agreement between the United States and Russia on Kazakhstan welcomes the agreement between the US and Russia on the cessation of hostilities in Syria and calls on all parties concerned to strictly implement it to protect the fragile stability in the country," said the Speaker of the Senate.
Head of the Kazakh delegation expressed disagreement with the practice of blocking parliamentary delegations in the OSCE forums by visa restrictions believing that the Parliamentary Assembly should act in the spirit of a common political project. The speaker also criticized the sanctions policy that undermines the entire global economy.
Mr. Tokayev informed the parliamentarians about the implementation of the five institutional reforms initiated by Nursultan Nazarbayev. He also talked about the election of deputies to the Majilis. The Speaker stressed that the elections will be carried out in accordance with the national legislation and international standards.
According to the press service of the Senate, Kazakhstan's delegation held a number of bilateral meetings in Vienna. During the conversation with the chairman of the Senate OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier stressed the importance of cooperation with Kazakhstan on all the topical issues of the organization including the situation in Central Asia, countering transnational threats and promoting dialogue on European security. He also expressed his intention to provide a contribution to holding the international exhibition EXPO-2017 in Astana.
Mr. Tokayev also met with chairman of the Russian State Duma Sergey Naryshkin, special representative of Germany for OSCE chairmanship Gernot Erler, head of the parliamentary delegation of Switzerland Filippo Lombardi, president of Austria Heinz Fischer, president of the Federal Council of the Austrian Parliament Joseph Saller and president of the National Council Karlheinz Kopf.
In addition, chairman of the Senate K. Tokayev held talks with the Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Lassina Zerbo.