Kazakh experience in strengthening harmony among ethnic and religious groups to be useful for OSCE: A.Kelchevsky

ALMATY. February 25. KAZINFORM /Dauren Zhailin/ The OSCE rejects and condemns any manifestations of racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, discrimination and intolerance. Head of the OSCE Center in Astana Alexander Kelchevsky has said at the scientific conference ?The Kazakh experience of interethnic and interfaith harmony: proposals for the OSCE? in the Institute for Strategic Studies under the President in Almaty; Kazinform reports.

A.Kelchevsky noted that the OSCE plays a leading role in strengthening security and democracy at a vast territory of the planet by early warning, conflicts prevention and control over crisis and post-conflict rehabilitation. According to him, since 2005 the OSCE has actively taken part in the UN initiative ?Alliance of Civilizations?. It is designed to overcome increasing separation between communities through establishment of principles of mutual respect between people of different cultures and religions. The OSCE contribution to this process is assistance in developming a dialogue between different cultures and civilizations. ?The OSCE multicultural society is threatened by intolerance, discrimination and hatred. In this sphere the OSCE has wide experience on important problems, which the member states face?, A.Kelchevsky said. In the OSCE documents the member states confirm that observance of human rights and basic freedoms, democracy and supremacy of the statute law forms a basis of the OSCE, concept of security; tolerance and nondiscrimination are important elements of human rights, conflicts prevention and violence. In this connection importance of intercultural and interfaith dialogue and the necessity of assistance to mutual respect of human rights on the OSCE space was noted. A.Kelchevsky noted the task of adherence to the security principles encouraged the OSCE to develop a number of structures and instruments for realization of some activities, which are connected with strengthening the dialogue of cultures and concessions. Among them are the OSCE Secretariat, and three specialized institutes ? ODIHR/OSCE, High Commissioner on National Minorities and Representative on Freedom of the Media. The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and three Personal Representatives of the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE on tolerance make a great contribution to this process. ?This year Kazakhstan joined the ?OSCE Troika? and next year will be its chairman. In this connection we hope that the Kazakh experience in strengthening harmony among all ethnic and religious groups in the country will be useful for the organization and all OSCE member states. This year Kazakh diplomat Vyacheslav Gizzatov was appointed one of Personal Representatives of the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE. He will provide expert assistance to the Chairman in countering intolerance and discrimination against Muslims?, A.Kelchevsky said. ?