Political elite of OSCE and international community praise Kazakhstan's OSCE chairmanship - OSCE Chairman-in-Office K. Saudabayev
Astana and Kazakhstan and about the results of the presidency of Kazakhstan in the Organization.
The presidency of Kazakhstan in the OSCE is close to its end. How does the world community assess the work of Kazakhstan as OSCE chairing country?
First of all, I would like to point out the fact that the decision on our presidency was made unanimously by all 56 member countries of the OSCE. It speaks volumes and fully proves that the world community acknowledges Kazakhstan's achievements reached under the leadership of our Leader Nursultan Nazarbayev. Kazakhstan has managed to turn from unknown country into an economically stable, democratically developed and powerful state for the years of independence. The partners of Kazakhstan have great respect and trust to our country that contributes a lot to ensuring world and regional security. It is great honor for us and, of course, great responsibility therefore Nursultan Nazarbayev set the priorities of the presidency at the inaugural meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on January 14.
At the beginning of our presidency there were many doubters who did not believe in Kazakhstan as well as supporters who were confident that the new state would give new impetus for the development of the organization. Moreover it is not a secret that the OSCE has now a lot of problems needed to be solved. Our President defined as a prior the principle of working in interests of the other states and with all countries. Kazakhstan tried to address the problems between the countries that unfortunately have such. Thus, today after 10 months of presidency we proudly say that the political elite of the OSCE and international community appraise what Kazakhstan achieved and how Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev conducted his policy really high.
What did Kazakhstan actually achieve while presiding in the OSCE?
Kazakhstan has given an impetus in regard of all three dimensions of the OSCE - military-political, economic-environmental and humanitarian ones. As Chairman-in-Office I visited, virtually, all the zones of conflicts. A number of very important conferences was held within the OSCE and several of them were held on the territory of Kazakhstan. Naming them we can mention the Conference on Tolerance and Non-Discrimination. Kazakhstan demonstrated there its experience in regard of preserving peace in multiethnic country. Kazakhstan's experience in this field is now used in other countries. It should also be mentioned that the issue of tolerance and nondiscrimination is the problem of many seemingly fully successful countries. Kazakhstan can lead by example in this regard many countries that have to address such problems because Kazakhstan is a multiethnic country that has 140 ethnic groups and more than 46 confessions living in harmony. Our President has preserved peace and harmony in our country since the first days very ardently. It is the foundation of our country's prosperity.
One more achievement of our President within the OSCE and, probably, one of the most valuable one is the organizing the Summit of the OSCE after 11 years of downtime in the capital of our county Astana on December 1-2.
One of the priorities that Nursultan Nazarbayev set in his speech to the members of the OSCE Permanent Council on January 14 was holding the OSCE Summit is now on its way to realization. What factors affected the decision on holding the Summit after 10 years pause?
First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev is recognized leader of our nation. At the time of today he is one of the most authoritative and respected world leaders because since the first days of Kazakhstan's independence he has always tried to contribute to ensuring regional and global security. First of all it was his decision to close the Semipalatinsk test site. Then the decision to renounce the fourth largest nuclear arsenal in the world followed. That was the policy that marked Kazakhstan as reliable, predicted partner and defined Kazakhstan's place at the world arena. The other point that made Nursultan Nazarbayev one of the most respected people in the world was his policy in regard of equality of all nationalities and confessions. It prevented Kazakhstan from conflicts based on ethnic and religious ground. As I already mentioned it has been then most reliable foundation of our prosperity.
Amid the global financial-economic crisis our President, probably, was among the first world leaders who raised the fundamental issues of existing and functioning of the international economic system. He pointed out defectiveness of the existing mechanisms of the international currency system, its incompatibility with the reality. He proposed his own strategic vision of the post-crisis development of the world which must base on fair mechanisms of distribution of labor and products among the countries and on compliance of the real products with the real demand and real circulation of money in global economy. Two important and deep ideas suggested in his articles were praised by the world community. Serious researches are conducted on their basis by the authoritative economic analytical structures today. Here Nursultan Nazarbayev showed himself not only as a president but also an analyst, economist whose opinion is respected on the world arena. Even in 2009 we observed economic growth. Within these difficult years the President has not reduced social orientation of the budget; on the contrary in 2008-2009 he fulfilled all social obligations. During these years the residents there was increase in salaries, pensions, social payments etc.
To date, following the nine months of 2010 Kazakhstan demonstrates steady growth in its economy - GDP growth made 7.5%. Therefore we can say with pride that Kazakhstan has become an economically strong, democratically developed state as well as a respected regional empire in the world.
As President Nursultan Nazarbayev noted, relevant issues of security in the OSCE responsibility area, the situation in Afghanistan and tolerance could top the agenda of the Summit. What issues will be included in the agenda as well?
To my mind, the forthcoming Summit will become a milestone event in international sphere and in further development of Kazakhstan. Adoption of political documents within the Summit after 11-year-break in Astana will add a glorious page in the world history.
Currently we are working on agenda of Astana Summit. Almost every day the topics to be included in the final political document - Astana Declaration - are discussed and coordinated. Undoubtedly, this will be the problem of Afghanistan. Unfortunately, we have one more problem to solve. I mean here Kyrgyzstan. These issues relate to the first basket of the OSCE - military-political dimension. The second one is economic-ecological basket concerning the issues which we have already mentioned. These are post-crisis arrangement of the world's economic system. Issues of the third basket seem very important - tolerance, inter-ethnic, inter-faith harmony and adherence to ensuring the fundamental rights and freedom of human. These are the most relevant issues which do not cause any objections from the side of all OSCE member states and their leaders.
The goal of the Summit is to give a new impulse to the activity of the OSCE. At this historical meeting the heads of state should give a start to establishment of a true community of security on the vast Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian space basing on our common values and principles which underlay establishment of this Organization 35 years ago in the Helsinki Final Act. I think it is a high goal and it is achievable.
Could you tell, please, about the course of preparation for the Summit?
We all actively work on preparation for this historical top-level meeting, the event which takes place for this first time in Kazakhstan and in the country located to the East from Vienna - for the first time in the post-Soviet space. This is a great challenge and we intend to hold the Summit at the highest level. I think we have confidence in it since from the first days of presiding in the OSCE our President has been working hard in this direction. In my opinion, it is a pledge of successful OSCE Summit in Astana.
Thank you for the interview!
