Kazakhstan’s priorities presented at the OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers in Skopje, DKNews.kz reports.
Heads of Foreign Affairs Ministries of еру Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) participating States convened in the capital of North Macedonia to take part in the 30th meeting of the OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers.
During the event, the participating States have been briefed about the results of the work of the Organization under the chairmanship of the North Macedonia in 2023, discussed the issues of addressing challenges and threats to security in the OSCE area, as well as steps to overcome the institutional crisis that has emerged in the Organization against the backdrop of the difficult geopolitical situation.
In his statement Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs Murat Nurtleu noted the importance of preserving the OSCE as the only comprehensive security organization in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian space and a unique platform for broad political dialogue. “Kazakhstan is ready to contribute to strengthening the Organization and provide assistance in overcoming the challenges,” Murat Nurtleu emphasized.
The head of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry also noted the importance of adherence to the principles of the Astana Declaration, adopted following the OSCE Summit in 2010.
The Minister outlined the country’s position and vision on issues related to all three dimensions of the Organization, focusing on the need to continue inclusive dialogue and take coordinated actions to prevent conflict situations.
In the military-political dimension of the OSCE, the Minister noted the importance of ensuring stability in the Central Asian region, taking into account the situation in Afghanistan, and called on the participating States to support all efforts to prevent a humanitarian crisis in this country. In this vein, the Kazakh initiative to create the UN Regional Sustainable Development Goals Center for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty was highlighted.
Developing connectivity and transcontinental transport corridors connecting Asia and Europe was marked as a priority for Kazakhstan in the economic and environmental dimension of the OSCE. It was mentioned that the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route would create new opportunities for mutually beneficial trade and investment cooperation between East and West.
Drawing attention to the acute challenges facing Central Asia related to climate change, the head of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry invited delegates to take part in the UN Regional Climate Summit, which will be held in 2026 in Kazakhstan.
Regarding the human dimension, the Minister informed his colleagues about the large-scale political changes in Kazakhstan initiated by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, which made it possible to open a new stage of the country’s development based on justice, inclusiveness and pragmatism, as well as strengthen regional stability and security.
Along with this, on the sidelines of the Ministerial Council, Murat Nurtleu held bilateral meetings with the heads of Foreign Affairs Ministries of Armenia, Austria, Albania, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, Finland, Sweden and other countries, as well as with the OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid, the OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov and Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Matteo Mecacci. Negotiations also took place with the current and future OSCE Chairperson-in-Office – Foreign Ministers of North Macedonia and Malta Bujar Osmani and Jan Borg (According to the decision of the Council of Foreign Ministers, Malta will chair the OSCE from January 1, 2024).
During the meetings, priority issues of the bilateral relations and multilateral agenda were discussed, including the further expansion of political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation with these countries and organizations.
Kazakhstan has been a participating state of the OSCE since 1992. In 2010, our country assumed the chairmanship of the OSCE, holding a Summit that culminated in the adoption of the Astana Declaration.
