Kazakhstan joined the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe on 30 January 1992. In the same year, on 8 July, it signed the Helsinki Final Act of the CSCE, and on 23 September the Charter of Paris for a New Europe.
During the first years of its independence, Kazakhstan needed the support of the world powers and authoritative international organizations, including the OSCE. At the same time, the world community was interested in the constructive foreign policy line followed by the young republic, which, as history willed it, had turned out to be the possessor of the fourth largest nuclear arsenal. Mindful of this, the country made a conscious choice in favor of balanced approaches in its foreign and domestic policies, in which a pivotal role was assigned to the strategy of multilateral partnership and liberalization of the economy and society.
The invitation extended by the leading Western countries to join the Organization was perceived in Kazakhstan as a step towards forming a new European security architecture based on equality and absence of dividing lines.
Having become a full member of the pan-European conference, Kazakhstan took an active part in the processes of its further development, including its conversion into an international organization. President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan participated in the OSCE Summits held in Helsinki (1992), Budapest (1994), Lisbon (1996) and Istanbul (1999). Each year, Kazakhstan is represented at the meetings of the OSCE Ministerial Council by its Foreign Minister.
Kazakh parliamentarians take an active part in the work of the Organization‘s Parliamentary Assembly.
At the beginning of the XXI, sources of the most dangerous threats and challenges of stability European continent. At the opening session of OSCE, Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, - President of the Republic of Kazakhstan stated in his speech and emphasized the following very important matters. At the same time, in order to suitably answer to modern challenges and threats, necessary pithy and structural changes in the process of developing of the OSCE. Confidence-building and mutual understandings could be promoted by uniform basing of structures of OSCE on all zone of responsibility of the organization. First of all, CICA was created by the initiative of Kazakhstan.
The economic pragmatism – is a cornerstone of system of security in XXI century. For its OSCE organization could use a platform of Congress of leaders of world and traditional religions which are carried out at the initiative of Kazakhstan. For its productivity it is advisable to establish a special forum of OSCE. For legal regulation of water problems actually to cultivate for those countries which have deficiency of water the ―Water and Right‖ program. Global financial crisis, the local conflicts and other challenges became in many respects unexpected which have staggering the world. In our opinion, it, first of all, reflects the changed paradigm of the European safety. In our opinion, on the forthcoming decades, the main task of OSCE - systematically to solve contradictions, to strengthen the trust and integration, includes within existing interstate associations. In problematic junction of Afghanistan, 43 member states are involved in OSCE.
In some weeks our country finishes mission of presidency in OSCE. In this regard Kazakhstan welcomes open of relations between Russia and NATO. Initially Helsinki process relied on concept of the common European house ―from the Atlantic to the Ural‖. It can be promoted to the solutions of number of problems, for example, drying of the Aral Sea or revival of territories of the former Semipalatinsk range. It is a question of formation of united space of safety in a border of four oceans – from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the Antarctic to the Indian. It is advisable, that the Cairo speech of the President Barack Obama in which stated in the position of the USA on strengthening of religious tolerance, a take extension in concrete steps of OSCE. It is expedient to complete structure of OSCE with councils of energy security and economic interaction. It is possible to reflect the principles of the coordinated monetary policy, economic cooperation and integration in it. It means that "optics" of vision of the future was defective. It shows the global financial-economic crisis.
Kazakhstan is ready to become a connecting link of the Eurasian security. Kazakhstan offers to organize Council at the level of ministers of the countries of OSCE for coordination of fight against cross-border crime, a drug traffic and illegal migration. On ―The East -West‖ line is an adjustment of interaction between on the one hand, European Union and NATO, with another – EurAsEC and CSTO. On ―The North – The South‖ line we represented OSCE to establish the close relationship with Asian Integration structure. One may to refer attempts of public mockery to the phenomena of such level over sacrileges and others.
Our people were suffered cruel expenses of "cold war". First of all, it is the Semipalatinsk nuclear range. Out of the Europe there are main sources of drugs transit, illegal migration, human trafficking, and also threat of spread of weapons of mass destruction. Second: It‘s important to continue the work about elaboration of new conventional rule in the sphere of disarmament and non-proliferation. The acute political crisis in Kyrgyzstan could become the catalyst of the new conflicts in Central Asia. The Astana summit restores interrupted on 11 years after Istanbul tradition of carrying out summits.
The Big Eight and G20 (Group of twenty) are debating about the problems overcoming of global financial crisis. But while, the new configuration of the global economy and monetary system are slow. The Eurasian security is not metaphor, it is strict geopolitical fact. The global economy is need world reserve currency of new quality. This question deserved particular consideration. The OSCE participating States unanimously approved the application of Republic of Kazakhstan to chair the Organization during 2010. There can be no doubt that this represents a major diplomatic triumph for Kazakhstan and an acknowledgment of the country‘s accomplishments.
A dignified compromise was found, which enabled all the parties to retain their integrity.
The present summit is carrying out for the first time in the new country, which has become independent in many thanks to conditions and principles of the Helsinki Final Act. The process of update of Organization is our general mission, which calculates to long prospect. The stability in the Kazakhstan it is first of all, steady economic growth. The third stage begins now. There are in the sphere of environmental protection it is offered to create the Ecological Forum of OSCE. There are most importance conditions of our evolution. Thereby the integration of transatlantic which has developed in the last century can be organically added with integration of Trans Eurasian. Thereupon the European Union deserves the support of effort on economy stabilization. Third: Today the "cracks" of mistrust, first of all, are shown in the certain countries on space of OSCE. This process can be begun with establishment of new institutes on monetary, interreligious and expected analytically to measurements in various countries, including Asian part of OSCE. This way it started 3.5 decades ago. Today honest and open interfaith dialogue is necessary. Today in Astana we start to formation of the Euro-Atlantic and the Eurasian community for united and indivisible safety. Today many aspects of energy and economic security of Europe depend on a situation in other parts of the world. Today we also appeal the partners of OSCE to support our initiative to accept the Unified Declaration of None Nuclear World.
Relations between Kazakhstan and the OSCE took on a special character in 2000. Astana‘s policies have at times been subjected to intense criticism by the Organization and its affiliated institutions in connection with issues such as human rights compliance, the observance of democracy, and election campaign techniques. These bilateral problems generally occurred at times of stress in international relations and the geopolitical situation in the Eurasian space. Not just Kazakhstan but all the post-Soviet states were exposed to such criticism, including Russia and the other Central Asian republics.
Under these circumstances, Kazakhstan lined up with a group of other states that criticized the OSCE for applying double standards and being biased in its criticism. In particular, Astana joined the states that issued a collective demarche to the OSCE at the 2004 Sofia Ministerial Council. In September 2003, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the OSCE announced a confidential memorandum entitled ―On the Issue of Reform of OSCE Field Activities‖. The memorandum accused the Organization of overemphasizing the human dimension. The field missions were subjected to scathing criticism, which centered on the accusation that they had collaborated with non-governmental organizations and human rights protection agencies. It was suggested that missions be set up in accordance with an agreement reached with the host country, and that their mandate be restricted to one year, to be extended only with the agreement of the OSCE Permanent Council. This would ensure that the work of mission members would be subject to control by the governments of host countries. At a session of the Permanent Council in July 2004, a joint statement initiated by Moscow and signed by all CIS states except for Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkmenistan was announced.
It reproached the Organization for its inability to ―adapt in the current conditions to the requirements of the changing world and ensure an effective solution to issues of security and cooperation in the Euro-Atlantic area‖ and for non-observance of the Helsinki principles, including non-interference in internal affairs and respect for national sovereignty.
Concurrently, however, Kazakhstan started developing its policy to consolidate the integration of the Organization and to reduce the opposition between the Northern American and European countries, on the one side, and the Eurasian states, on the other. In this connection, Astana applied for the OSCE Chairmanship for the year 2009. This suggestion was approved of by Moscow and supported by all the other post-Soviet states. Later, they were joined by many Eastern European countries and a number of Western European states. There were significant developments in relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the OSCE during 2005, during which period agreement was reached in principle on Kazakhstan‘s future Chairmanship. By 2006, the consensus was nearly complete. Nevertheless, the United States and the United Kingdom, two influential states, questioned Kazakhstan‘s level of democratization and urged the postponement of the Chairmanship until 2012or even later. At the Brussels Ministerial Council in 2006, the OSCE participating States failed to achieve a consensus on the Kazakhstani Chairmanship, despite the support of Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and France.
The decision was postponed until the Madrid Meeting of the Ministerial Council, scheduled for November 2007. There, a consensus was achieved only two hours before the end of the final session. In Madrid, it was decided that Kazakhstan would chair the OSCE in 2010, a year later than originally intended. In Kazakhstan, the triumph gained in Madrid was perceived as an acknowledgment of the country‘s accomplishments and, in particular, recognition of the contribution made by its president. When Kazakhstan‘s bid was submitted for discussion, the country had to decide between two possible strategies: either to exacerbate the dispute with the OSCE, which could only end in the country‘s withdrawal from the Organization, or to attempt to use this opportunity to enhance its national prestige and increase its influence. The second alternative was preferable. At the beginning of 2009, Kazakhstan joined Greece and Finland in the OSCE Troika. However, Kazakh representatives had already started working actively in OSCE structures as early as 2008, first by joining the Office of the Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), then by assuming the deputy chairmanship of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, heading the OSCE Contact Group for the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation, and providing the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in- Office on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims. Kazakhstan‘s 2010 Chairmanship is a remarkable event for both Kazakhstan itself and for the OSCE. For Kazakhstan, it represents not just international recognition of its achievements in domestic and foreign policy, but also the realization of its responsibility for their further development and a readiness to share responsibility for security in the entire space of the OSCE.
The OSCE has the potential to prevent and solve interethnic and religious crises, which will help overcome a clash of civilizations. The Charter for European Security, adopted at the Istanbul Summit in 1999, gave an impetus to close co-operation with partners, and there is now a need to amend this Charter and create a common Eurasian security system. From 2003, the main priorities of the OSCE‘s Chairmanships have been to reform the OSCE, solve regional conflicts, fight terrorism and drug trafficking, support democratic processes, counter human trafficking, and promote tolerance and freedom of religion. At an OSCE meeting on cultural, religious, and racial tolerance in 2006, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev set clear goals for Kazakhstan‘s Chairmanship.
With regard to the situation in Central Asia, Kazakhstan is ready to act as a regional guarantor, ensuring genuine and long-term security; Kazakhstan, with its positive experience of interethnic and religious accord, aims to democratize its political system and, as an active member of the OSCE, intends to strengthen the Organization, taking into account the interests of all member states.
On 30 April 2007, in Vienna, Kazakhstan‘s then foreign minister, Marat Tazhin, presented Kazakhstan‘s vision of the future development of the OSCE. Under conditions of rapid global change, the priority objective of increasing the efficiency of the OSCE could be solved through the creation of a genuine platform for dialogue that will unite the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian spaces.
In 2007, Kazakhstan implemented a range of political reforms, including amending its constitution to increase the role of political parties, holding an election to the lower house of Parliament (Mazhilis), continuing reforms in the judicial and local self-government spheres, and starting to build an efficient model of co-operation between the government and civil society. In 2008, amendments were made to the Kazakh laws ―On Political Parties‖, ―On Elections‖, and ―On the Media‖. At the 2009 OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Winter Meeting, Kazakh Senate Speaker Tokayev detailed Kazakhstan‘s priorities during its OSCE Chairmanship in 2010, describing them as clear and irreversible.
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