S/PV.6268 Security Council

It is a great pleasure for me to appear before the Council not only as the head of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, but also as the Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). I would like to thank the United Nations and its Security Council for their close ongoing attention to the activities of the OSCE. It is well known that the OSCE, with its 56 participating States, is the largest security structure in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian regions. The unanimous decision of all 56 OSCE participating States to nominate the Republic of Kazakhstan to their chairmanship was an objective acknowledgement of the impressive accomplishments of our people, in the short span of our independence, in the social, economic and political development of our country under the outstanding leadership of our first President, Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev. We further believe that their decision was no less important for the organization itself as it is now, for the first time, chaired by a Central Asian State and a post- Soviet Republic. Much of the current OSCE momentum stems from the emergence of the Asian sector. The OSCE has thus demonstrated its overall desire to bring the countries to the east and to the west of Vienna closer together and to adapt itself to present- day realities. In his address to a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on 14 January 2010, President Nazarbayev outlined the strategy and priorities of Kazakhstan’s chairmanship-in-office of the OSCE. Above all, we will be firmly wedded to the fundamental principles and values of the OSCE. The current chairmanship sees its main task as promoting full compliance with the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and the Helsinki Final Act. We also intend to work to strengthen the OSCE in every possible way and to enhance its effectiveness and its ability to respond adequately to emerging challenges and threats. During our chairmanship, we are determined to promote a balance between all three OSCE baskets — political and military, economic and environmental, and human — which will help to address not only the symptoms but also the causes of security-related problems. To a great extent, the implementation of our priorities will depend on our ability to overcome the unfortunate crisis of trust created by the dividing lines and vestiges of the cold war that still exist in the OSCE area. In this regard, we attach high hopes to the continuation of the Corfu process, which has revealed general dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs in the organization’s zone of responsibility. We intend to strengthen the role of the OSCE in the European security architecture. In this context, we agree that there is a need to discuss the Russian Federation’s initiative regarding a treaty on European security. The OSCE should become a meaningful platform for common security in its zone of responsibility. A relevant dialogue will provide us with an opportunity to strengthen the OSCE’s relations with the United Nations, in accordance with the 1999 Platform for Cooperative Security. We count on the contribution of the United Nations and its structures to this process. Kazakhstan, as a recognized leader in the worldwide process of non-proliferation, will seek to increase the OSCE’s contribution to achieving the goals of Security Council resolution 1540 (2004). We commend the outcomes of the Security Council summit on nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament held in September, which unanimously adopted resolution 1887 (2009). As the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, we welcome the talks between the Russian Federation and the United States on a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. We express our hope for a successful global nuclear security summit and this year’s Review Conference of States Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. We reaffirm the OSCE’s commitment to preserving the European regime of conventional arms control and confidence- and security-building measures. It is our hope that, in 2010, there will be progress towards the entry into force of the Agreement on the Adaptation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. At the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Athens, the participating States agreed to deepen cooperation in combating terrorism, the accumulation and proliferation of small arms and light weapons, illegal migration, and trafficking in weapons, drugs and people. The OSCE is ready to contribute to the efforts of the United Nations on those tracks and to identify new ways to increase added value. The upcoming conference on the prevention of terrorism, to be held in Astana in October, will be a tangible contribution to the efforts to address transnational threats and challenges, including terrorism, religious extremism, illicit drug trafficking and organized crime. The OSCE will continue to promote among its participating States the ratification of relevant United Nations conventions and the implementation of Security Council resolutions, such as those on combating terrorism, the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and small arms and light weapons. Kazakhstan will make an effort to contribute, to the best of its abilities, to the resolution of protracted conflicts, three of which are in the post-Soviet area. Given the history and cultural affinities shared among Kazakhstan and all the parties to the conflicts, as well as the high standing and trust enjoyed by President Nazarbayev within the Commonwealth of Independent States, we hope to lend some impetus to the efforts of all our partners involved in that complex process. That will be the purpose of my visit, in my capacity as OSCE Chairman-in-Office, to the southern Caucasus, scheduled for 15 February, where the OSCE and the United Nations, together with the European Union, will co-chair the Geneva talks. Further close coordination among all three parties is of great importance to efforts to promote stability in the conflicts in the southern Caucasus and in the establishment of conditions conducive to their peaceful settlement. In Kosovo, in the course of 2010, the OSCE mission will continue to implement its mandate as an integral part of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, pursuant to resolution 1244 (1999). The OSCE commends the outcomes of the regional conference of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, held in Sarajevo on 14 December 2009, which adopted the Regional Strategy of Intercultural Dialogue and Cooperation in South-Eastern Europe. The strengthening of coordination between the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, and OSCE field presence seems to be a promising area of interaction in the Central Asian region. Overall, the monitoring and identification of any signals or portents of the potential escalation of protracted conflicts, as well as the use of preventive mechanisms of political consultations in the OSCE framework, will become a key tool during our chairmanship. We believe that a more efficient use of capabilities of such organizations as the OSCE would help the United Nations and its Security Council to more effectively prevent potential security threats and respond to them. The OSCE and other regional intergovernmental organizations, with their unique resources and advantages and good understanding of the situation on the ground, play an important role in the security area. This point was highlighted at the thematic debate of the Security Council in January under the Chinese presidency, which produced a fruitful exchange of views on advancing cooperation of the United Nations with regional and subregional organizations in the maintenance of global peace and security. A top priority for the Chairman-in-Office is, of course, further involvement of the OSCE in the stabilization of Afghanistan. We plan to focus the organization’s efforts on a better protection of Afghanistan’s borders with its Central Asian neighbours, including through the training of Afghan personnel at the OSCE Border Management Staff College in Tajikistan and the OSCE State Customs Service Training Centre in Kyrgyzstan. Throughout these years, our country has actively supported the International Security Assistance Force. On 29 December 2009, we signed an agreement on land transit of NATO cargo. Such agreements have been signed with Spain, Germany, the United States and France. At the same time, Kazakhstan is convinced that it is impossible to ensure that country’s transition to a peaceful and constructive life through military means alone. The time has come for a major expansion of the human dimension of our common efforts, as confirmed by the outcomes of the London Conference on Afghanistan. That is why Kazakhstan has allocated, over the past several years, $4 million towards the reconstruction of schools, hospitals and roads; provided substantial food and other humanitarian assistance; and made a $1-million contribution to a special Islamic solidarity fund, part of which will be used for Afghanistan’s rehabilitation. We are also ready to provide wheat, mineral fertilizers, agricultural equipment, construction material and other goods. In this regard, we call on international donors to use Kazakhstan’s significant potential in this regard. The training of national personnel is essential to the rehabilitation of Afghanistan and its future. This year, we will begin implementing a Kazakh-Afghan agreement that provides for the training of 1,000 Afghan professionals at Kazakhstan’s educational establishments. Despite the repercussions of the global financial crisis, Kazakhstan has allocated $50 million for that purpose. In general, Kazakhstan intends to fully use the capabilities and the potential of the OSCE. Close interaction between our organization and the United Nations, which is the main coordinator of international operations in Afghanistan, is in our common interests. All OSCE initiatives will be implemented in full coordination with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and other entities. As its current Chairman-in-Office, Kazakhstan will also attach great importance to the development of the OSCE’s economic and environmental dimension, while emphasizing the achievement of modest yet tangible results and adding genuine value. In the framework of the second basket, we intend to focus on the development of the Eurasian region’s transit- transport potential and continental transport corridors, which, we are convinced, will contribute to efforts by participating States to overcome the global crisis. The issue of environmental security in the OSCE region is extremely important. In that regard, the tragedy of the Aral Sea poses a critical challenge. In that context, our efforts will focus on close cooperation with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia. There is potential for cooperation between the OSCE and the United Nations in the important new area of energy security. In Athens, OSCE participating States agreed to intensify dialogue on energy security issues, including consultations with relevant international and regional organizations in order to define a complementary role for the OSCE. We intend to continue to attach great importance to the third basket of the OSCE’s agenda — the human dimension. Respect for and the protection of people’s fundamental rights and freedoms, the development of democracy and combating all types of intolerance and discrimination are all integral parts of comprehensive security. Drawing on our highly positive experience in ensuring lasting peace and understanding in our country, which includes more than 140 nationalities professing 46 faiths, Kazakhstan intends to make tolerance and intercultural dialogue a top priority of our chairmanship. That will be the central topic of the OSCE high-level conference on tolerance and discrimination, which is scheduled to be held in Astana from 29 to 30 June 2010. That issue is especially topical in the light of the declaration of the year 2010 as the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures. In the context of human rights and fundamental freedoms, it is imperative to ensure effective synergy between OSCE activities and the work of other international organizations — first and foremost the United Nations, the Human Rights Council and the Council of Europe — and their extensive system of international legal instruments. In particular, the OSCE expects close cooperation with the relevant structures of the United Nations system on issues pertaining to gender equality and the rule of law. Finally, as a regional arrangement under Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, the OSCE continues to be a source of experience for other regional organizations. Over the past two years, the OSCE has shared its experience with the African Union, the League of the Arab States and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia of the Regional Forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. In the coming months, our organization will continue its active dialogue with its Asian and Mediterranean partners for cooperation, including Japan, which currently has a seat in the Security Council. In 2009, the OSCE welcomed Australia as its twelfth partner for cooperation, reflecting the organization’s intention to broaden dialogue with partners beyond its area of responsibility in order to maintain international peace and security. Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in 2010 will coincide with a number of important dates, including the thirty- fifth anniversary of the conclusion of the Helsinki Final Act, the sixty-fifth anniversary of the end of the Second World War and the twentieth anniversary of both the Charter of Paris for a New Europe and the Document of the Copenhagen Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension. It will also mark 11 years since the holding of the last OSCE summit, in Istanbul. Regrettably, the first decade of this new century has not made our world a safer or better place. The tragedy of 11 September 2001 changed our common understanding of war. International terrorism has presented the world with an enemy without address or citizenship. The security architecture of Europe has changed. Despite long-standing efforts, Afghanistan continues to be a source of international terrorism and a main supplier of illicit narcotics. Not only have protracted conflicts not been resolved, but, regrettably, new ones have emerged. All of us have witnessed the most serious financial crisis to affect the world. Even in the prosperous countries of Europe, inter-ethnic and inter-faith tolerance has declined. All of these issues are within the scope of the OSCE’s area of responsibility. These acute problems require the concerted attention of the leaders of the OSCE’s participating States. It is for that reason that President Nursultan Nazarbayev has proposed holding an OSCE summit in 2010. Concrete recommendations for the summit have been put forward in the documents of the Athens ministerial meetings and endorsed by the Permanent Council in Vienna. Leaders from a variety of States — including France, the Holy See, Italy, Turkey, the Russian Federation and other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, and Spain — have both backed that proposal and become actively involved in the preparations for the summit. This year, Kazakhstan also intends to continue the sound tradition established by our predecessor Greece of inviting ministers for foreign affairs from OSCE participating States to an informal meeting at Almaty to continue our free exchange of views on topical issues and, ideally, to achieve consensus on the agenda and date for the summit. We are convinced that the convening of the summit fully responds to the noble objective and ongoing efforts of the international community as a whole to ensure comprehensive, indivisible and lasting security at the global level and to strengthen trust and cooperation among States. I take this opportunity afforded to me today as Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE to appeal to the members of the Security Council to demonstrate strategic far-sightedness and political leadership in supporting the convening of the summit, which would open up a new era in the development of one of today’s major regional organizations. In conclusion, I note that, over the 35 years of our existence, the OSCE has established an unparalleled system of collective, comprehensive and indivisible security. Unfortunately, as President Nursultan Nazarbayev has noted, the positive historical resources of the OSCE have their limits. Today, it is simply not possible to endlessly draw so-called red lines and play zero-sum games. First and foremost, there is a need to improve the effectiveness of international organizations to meet new global challenges. In the light of new threats and challenges, our common objective is to make the OSCE even more relevant, useful and effective. In that regard, President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s vision for Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the OSCE is most appropriate. He advocates the four Ts of trust, traditions, transparency and tolerance. The focus of our chairmanship-in-office is to improve interaction and complementarity between the OSCE and the United Nations in various fields. We genuinely hope to have the support and cooperation of the Security Council, and of the Organization as a whole.

I thank Mr. Kanat Saudabayev for his briefing. I shall now give the floor to members of the Council who wish to make statements.

I would like to welcome Mr. Kanat Saudabayev, Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Secretary of State and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. We are grateful for his comprehensive statement. The priorities of the Kazakh chairmanship-in- office of the OSCE that have been described to the Security Council are a sound basis for the implementation of objectives that we hope will take that organization to a qualitatively new level. All of us want the OSCE to become a more effective organization that meets the interests of all its participating States. We welcome Kazakhstan’s initiative to convene an OSCE summit in 2010. The Chairman-in-office’s intention to include on its agenda such issues as current problems of European security and tolerance is worthy of support. From our point of view, we would like to highlight a number of key issues on the OSCE’s agenda to which Russia intends to give special attention in 2010, including within the framework of the Corfu discussions. Among these are the development of dialogue on military-political issues, including confidence- and security-building measures, modernizing the 1999 Vienna Document on confidence-building measures and the fight against terrorism and the drug threat. The next task is to reform the OSCE and to shift all of its work to a clear, collectively agreed normative basis, including adopting a charter for the organization; streamlining the work of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and its field missions; countering neo-fascism and xenophobia; protecting the rights of national minorities; agreeing common principles for conflict management; and dialogue on freedom of movement and liberalizing visa regimes. The Russian Federation supports multilateral development and improved cooperation with the United Nations, its Security Council and regional and subregional mechanisms, among which the OSCE occupies an important position. Such coordination must be based on the firm foundation of the Charter of the United Nations and its Chapter VIII in particular, taking into account the comparative advantages inherent in the global Organization and its mechanisms. What is unalterable here is respect for the Security Council’s lead role in the responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. As a regional mechanism, the OSCE has established close and fruitful cooperation with the United Nations in a whole range of key areas, first and foremost of which are security and the settlement of regional conflicts. The primary mission of the OSCE is to ensure equal and indivisible security for all participating States. We believe that this key postulate of the Charter for European Security has yet to be fulfilled. In this context, Russia is eager to create conditions such that no country would be able to promote its own security at the expense of another’s. We hope that the conception of the Kazakhstan chairmanship’s work, as Mr. Saudabayev has presented it today, will help us to overcome the crisis situations encountered by the OSCE in the last few years and to adapt it to the world’s new realities. Russia is ready to cooperate constructively with the Kazakh chairmanship-in-office and all other participating States on these issues.

At the outset, let me welcome and congratulate Mr. Kanat Saudabayev, Secretary of State and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, on his assumption of the chairmanship-in- office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). I also thank him warmly for his briefing today on Kazakhstan’s priorities for the OSCE in 2010. The election of Kazakhstan to the chairmanship of the OSCE is clearly a result of the progress made by that country in building a stable, steadily developing modern State, as well as of its contributions to regional and global peace and security, such as the shutdown of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and the voluntary renunciation of the world’s fourth largest nuclear missile arsenal. Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the OSCE, 35 years after the signing of the Helsinki Final Act, is also a sign that the Eurasian-Atlantic area has been unified under common principles and values. It also demonstrates that, within that organization, the thin line between East and West is completely fading away, and that the OSCE is truly becoming a single security space and a unique platform for dialogue among 56 countries sharing similar perspectives. In this context, we believe that the OSCE still has a key role to play, and that its comprehensive concept of security will continue to make significant contributions to defusing conflicts and differences in Eurasia. Indeed, as the largest regional security organization in the Eurasian-Atlantic area, and based on the concept of cooperative security, which emphasizes the need for increased cooperation among participating States for common security, the OSCE is relevant under today’s prevailing conditions and requirements. Close cooperation with the United Nations is undoubtedly crucial to meeting those requirements. Turkey believes that the Kazakhstan chairmanship’s theme of four Ts — trust, tradition, transparency and tolerance — is a valuable guideline for progress for the OSCE. In the same vein, in order to foster debate and achieve tangible results, we share the chairmanship’s concern that there has not been an OSCE summit since the last one Turkey hosted in Istanbul in 1999. We thus support Kazakhstan in its aim of holding a new summit later this year, including by helping to meet any logistical or organizational needs. The summit will surely provide an opportunity for reflecting on the future of peace and security in Eurasia and mark symbolically the anniversaries of such historic milestones in this process as the end of the Second World War, the Helsinki Final Act and the Paris Charter. In this regard, we endorse the intention of the Kazakh chairmanship to strengthen the role of the OSCE in Europe’s security structure. We will closely follow and contribute to the development of the renewed dialogue format known as the Corfu process. We also share the chairmanship’s priorities of deepening cooperation on combating terrorism, cross- border trafficking in weapons, drugs and people; increasing the OSCE’s contribution to achieving the goals of Security Council resolution 1540 (2004); and its efforts to contribute to the resolution of protracted conflicts. In particular, we welcome the initiative to host, in October in Astana, a conference on the prevention of terrorism. Turkey also attaches great importance to regional initiatives to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan, and in this regard welcomes Kazakhstan’s intention of increasing OSCE involvement in order to ensure that country’s transition to a peaceful future and to focus on better protection of Afghanistan’s borders with Central Asian countries. Let me conclude by once again saluting Kazakhstan on its assumption of the chairmanship of the OSCE and wishing it every success in this new responsibility. Turkey will assist Kazakhstan in this endeavour, both bilaterally and within the framework of our presidency of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, which we will be assuming from Kazakhstan in June, building together a bridge between the two organizations and contributing to a truly comprehensive approach to security in Eurasia.

I would like to welcome Foreign Minister Saudabayev to the Council and congratulate him on assuming the chairmanship-in-office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). I thank him for his comprehensive briefing. The United States would like to assure him of our full cooperation during the coming year. At our open debate last month (see S/PV.6257), we discussed the critical importance of the United Nations coordinating conflict prevention and post- conflict peacebuilding efforts with regional organizations. We welcome the important partnership between the OSCE and the United Nations, which has allowed both organizations to exploit their comparative advantages in order to strengthen regional and international peace and security. Today, I would like to highlight a few important examples of this cooperation. United Nations-OSCE cooperation in the Balkans has been exemplary. In Kosovo, the OSCE served as a critical pillar in the United Nations mission, promoting democracy and governance. Just as the United Nations has reconfigured its mission and refocused its efforts in Kosovo, the OSCE has adjusted its own role as part of the overall international effort. The successful municipal elections held in Kosovo last year were the first democratic elections in the country held without the assistance of the OSCE. Local and international observers confirmed that the elections adhered to democratic standards. They were testament to the excellent work of the OSCE in helping the people of Kosovo build up their own democratic institutions. Regarding Georgia, the OSCE plays an important role, along with the United Nations and the European Union, in supporting dialogue through the Geneva process. The United States urges all parties to participate in the Geneva process actively and pragmatically and to make full use of agreed-upon measures to prevent and respond to incidents that could increase tensions. We must continue to work toward the re-establishment of an OSCE presence in Georgia and a long-term, peaceful resolution of the conflict. The United States once again expresses its support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We welcome and encourage the continuing close cooperation of the OSCE with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. The OSCE has drawn on its vast experience in securing and managing borders, training police and promoting democratic elections to assist the Government and people of Afghanistan in strengthening the rule of law. During and following last year’s presidential and provincial council elections, the OSCE shared its expertise on ways to improve the electoral process with Afghan leaders. We agree with the findings of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights that deep and sustained reform is required to enhance the Afghan Government’s ability and credibility in conducting future elections. We would encourage Afghanistan and the OSCE to explore further cooperation in that area and in areas such as advancing gender equality and human rights and training for parliamentarians. Further, we commend the commitment of the Chairman-in-Office to promoting the implementation of Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) as part of the global effort to address nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. We also welcome the commitment of the OSCE to implementing other Security Council resolutions on terrorism, protecting civilians and combating sexual violence in conflict zones. We note that the Chairman has stressed the importance of addressing environmental threats. We remain committed to working with all participating States on those challenges, including climate change and energy security. Diverse and reliable energy supplies are important for the security of Europe, and the OSCE, with its comprehensive approach to security, is well placed to highlight the links between energy and security. The United States has suggested developing new mechanisms through which any potential supply disruptions could be effectively dealt with on a political level. Finally, we support the continuing efforts under OSCE auspices to resolve the dispute over Nagorny Karabakh and to bring all concerned parties to consensus on the future of Moldova’s Transdniestria region. We will continue to work with other participating States in the Corfu process and to strengthen our ability to address security challenges in Europe and to prevent new conflicts from arising. The United States encourages the continued dialogue and deepening cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE. We applaud the OSCE for its many important efforts to date.

At the outset, let me welcome His Excellency Mr. Kanat Saudabayev, Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Europe and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, to the Council today. We congratulate Kazakhstan on the assumption of the chairmanship of the world’s largest security organization at a decisive moment in its history. Let me thank the Minister for the presentation of the programme of work and the priorities of the Kazakh Chairmanship-in-Office for the coming year. Leadership of that important organization comes with great challenges and responsibilities. That is even more true now that the organization has embarked on the Corfu process for a European security dialogue in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian regions. As a participating State and as host country of the organization, Austria would like to assure Kazakhstan of its full support in the efforts to promote the OSCE agenda and for the endeavours of Kazakhstan to ensure that all three dimensions of the organization’s work are given equal attention. Last month the Security Council once again underlined the importance of cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter. The OSCE has over the years played an active role supporting the implementation of United Nations principles in various horizontal issues such as counter-terrorism, the fight against trafficking in human beings, drugs and weapons, and the promotion of human rights, the rule of law and democracy. We are pleased that United Nations representatives will be invited to address the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna this year. In that context we also very much appreciate the personal interest of the Secretary- General in increasing cooperation and personal contacts with the OSCE. The OSCE institutions and field missions significantly contribute to narrowing the security gaps that exist in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian regions. The election observation missions carried out by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the OSCE field missions operating in participating States foster democratic stability and security in close cooperation with relevant United Nations agencies and missions. In view of Kazakhstan’s geographic and historical proximity, we deem it particularly well placed to bringing the protracted conflicts in the region closer to a peaceful solution. In that regard we highly appreciate the early personal engagement of the Chairman-in- Office and of his Special Representative, Ambassador Nurgaliyev. Moreover, we welcome the intention of the Kazakh chairmanship to advance the organization’s contribution to non-proliferation in connection with the 1540 regime and to the protection of the Afghan borders. Both issues are crucial for the region’s security and deserve our full commitment. Let me assure the Minister that we fully share his very positive assessment of the work of the OSCE, both the Border Management Staff College in Tajikistan and the Customs Service Training Centre in Kyrgyzstan. There are also very useful synergies between the activities of those institutions and the work of the European Union (EU) in the field of border management. The OSCE role in Kosovo continues to be an important example for the complementarity of United Nations, OSCE and EU crisis-management efforts. Austria would like to commend the OSCE Mission in Kosovo for the intensive work and coordination with other international stakeholders in the successful organization of the recent municipal elections in Kosovo. We appreciate the proposal by the Government of Kazakhstan to convene an OSCE summit later this year. I have listened very carefully and with sympathy to the suggestions made by the Minister as to the preparation of such an event. As the Austrian Foreign Minister, Michael Spindelegger, assured the Minister on his visit to Vienna in January, Austria stands ready to contribute to the necessary preparations in order to produce substantive progress on issues such as the protracted conflicts, the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty regime, energy security, non- proliferation and the promotion of human rights, which would be very important.

I welcome His Excellency Mr. Kanat Saudabayev, Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, to the Security Council and thank him for his briefing on the activities of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). I wish Kazakhstan success during its chairmanship of the OSCE. While the Security Council bears primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, it must strengthen its cooperation with regional and subregional organizations. That is an important way by which the international community can unite efforts to respond to crises and challenges. China supports the strengthening of cooperation between the Security Council and regional and subregional organizations on the basis of Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. Last month the Security Council organized a thematic debate on cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in maintaining international peace and security and issued a presidential statement (S/PRST/2010/1) in which the importance and necessity of the United Nations carrying out mutually reinforcing and complementary cooperation was reaffirmed. Today’s briefing by the Foreign Minister Saudabayev to the Security Council on the activities of the OSCE will help to strengthen communication and coordination between the Security Council and the OSCE and will improve the effectiveness of cooperation in maintaining international peace and security. We hope that during Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the OSCE, the organization will be able to fully utilize its advantages and resources to promote a more effective and active role in maintaining regional peace, stability and security.

I would like to join Security Council colleagues in welcoming the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, His Excellency Mr. Kanat Saudabayev, to the Council today. May I also thank him for his full briefing, setting out the priorities of Kazakhstan as Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) during 2010. He is very welcome at the Council here today. This year marks a significant milestone for Kazakhstan. The prestigious role of Chairman-in- Office of the OSCE brings with it important responsibilities to promote and embody the principles of human rights and fundamental freedoms, democracy, good governance and the rule of law on which the OSCE is founded. The spotlight will inevitably fall on how well Kazakhstan meets those commitments. This is a key opportunity for Kazakhstan to show itself as a regional leader and a prominent international player. We look forward to working with Kazakhstan to deliver progress on the key issues facing the OSCE, most notably the discussion on the future of European security, the protracted conflicts in Moldova and the Caucasus, and promoting human rights and democratization. Those are issues that are important not just to the OSCE but to the United Nations as well. We welcome Kazakhstan’s focus on the Corfu process, which has firmly anchored the dialogue on the future of European security in the OSCE. That is right, given the OSCE’s wide membership and mandate. Moreover, it is important that security is interpreted widely and includes issues such as energy security, human rights and good governance, alongside hard security issues. The Corfu process must cover all three OSCE dimensions, reflecting the interdependencies that require a comprehensive approach to European security. The protracted conflicts remain a top priority. Unresolved issues in Moldova, Nagorny Karabakh and Georgia have engaged the OSCE’s attention for many years. We commend the effort and energy that Mr. Saudabayev and his Special Representative, Mr. Nurgaliyev, have invested to bring together the various parties, and we look forward to progress during 2010. The OSCE’s engagement in South-East Europe is testament to what can be done to help resolve complex problems involving national minorities, although, in this region too, there remains scope for doing more. On Georgia, we remain committed to the principle of an OSCE presence as part of a much needed international scrutiny of the conflict, and reflecting the OSCE’s status as a co-Chair of the Geneva talks. We urge Kazakhstan to continue to explore all options that would enable a re-established OSCE presence in Georgia, including in the region of South Ossetia. We remain committed to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders. We commend Kazakhstan’s intention to enhance the OSCE’s engagement with Afghanistan, one of its partners for cooperation. We agree that more can be done to strengthen border security between Afghanistan and the OSCE States in that region — Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Finally, we note the importance that Kazakhstan attaches to holding an OSCE summit during its chairmanship. As OSCE Ministers agreed in December 2009, if there is to be a summit, it will require adequate preparation in terms of both substance and modalities. As Foreign Minister Saudabayev highlighted in his briefing, the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law are at the heart of the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security. We welcome the Foreign Minister’s confirmation of the continued importance of that human dimension in the OSCE’s agenda. We also welcome his pledge on 14 January to pursue further political liberalization, and we look forward to further progress on Kazakhstan’s domestic reforms. We will continue to support Kazakhstan’s efforts towards meeting their OSCE commitments, as well as their forthcoming challenges as Chair.

At the outset, let me welcome and thank His Excellency Minister Saudabayev for his briefing on the plans of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for 2010. We also join the rest of the Council members in congratulating him as well as Kazakhstan on its chairmanship for the current year. Our delegation welcomes the core objectives that the OSCE has envisioned for this year. For the purpose of brevity, though, allow me to make only a few comments. First, we are particularly encouraged by the organization’s efforts to further enhance its cooperation with the United Nations in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts, in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter. Bosnia and Herzegovina is particularly aware of the benefits, as well as the complexities, that such cooperation entails in the post- conflict period in terms of democratization, the establishment of a functional and independent election administration system, education, human rights and regional security cooperation. One such challenging effort, for instance, still remains with regard to the maintenance of surplus weapons. Secondly, strengthening the aforementioned cooperation, moreover, can and must lead to tackling and combating terrorism. At the same time, such cooperation can, in addition, work towards the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction at the global level. In that context, the OSCE’s forthcoming coordination of efforts with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, as well as with other United Nations agencies, becomes especially relevant. Thirdly, it is noteworthy that the Corfu process will continue throughout 2010. Such informal meetings at the ministerial level should further reinvigorate regional dialogue, as well as trust, in accordance with the OSCE norms and principles regarding security on the continent and beyond. We look forward to more information on the specifics of the agenda. In closing, let us return to our remarks on education. As some OSCE-driven educational programmes have already shown in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2002, education remains an important tool for enhancing security. Keeping that in mind, our delegation would like to welcome educational efforts that the OSCE plans to foster under the chairmanship in 2010.

We are honoured to welcome in the Council today the Secretary of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan and Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), His Excellency Mr. Kanat Saudabayev. I thank him for his presentation, and I salute Kazakhstan on assuming the leadership of such an important organization. As early as last month, in its first presidential statement of 2010 (S/PRST/2010/1), the Security Council reiterated the importance of cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations. The collaboration between the United Nations and the OSCE is a concrete example of a partnership that has helped to strengthen international peace and security. We commend the work carried out by the OSCE, particularly its activities in promoting political dialogue and in strengthening national capacities in South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. We also note the OSCE efforts in enhancing the capacity of Afghanistan to manage its borders with its Central Asian neighbours. We appreciate and encourage the close coordination of the OSCE with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. We also acknowledge the role played by the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre in early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post- conflict rehabilitation. It is critical that the cooperation between the United Nations and organizations such as the OSCE extend to all phases of a conflict. In this context, we welcome the priorities outlined by Kazakhstan for its OSCE chairmanship, and we note in particular the importance attached to a balanced approach to all three OSCE baskets — political and military, economic and environmental, and human — with a view to addressing not only the symptoms but also the root causes of security-related problems. We look forward to the continued cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE in the maintenance of international peace and security, and we wish Kazakhstan a very successful chairmanship.

I would like to welcome Mr. Kanat Saudabayev, Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, to the Council, thank him for his comprehensive and insightful briefing, and congratulate him as the new Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). It is evident from the briefing that the OSCE has great responsibilities within the scope of Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter, and its leadership has approached those responsibilities with tremendous purposefulness. We note the OSCE’s continued commitment to the founding principles of the Helsinki Final Act and the successful efforts to maintain the link between the OSCE’s 56 member States on the three core issues: human security, political-military aspects of security, and economic and environmental matters. We welcome the consistent efforts to transform the OSCE into a credible platform for common security in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian regions. We note its commitment to the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and to combating terrorism and other forms of transnational crime. We also note its contributions to the efforts to resolve protracted conflicts in the region and its use of mediation and political mechanisms in the process. We appreciate its achievements in environmental issues and energy security, as well as human rights. Indeed, the effective use of the OSCE to tackle major challenges serves as a model for other regional and subregional organizations in their concerted efforts to enhance their capacities to promote comprehensive security and respect for fundamental freedoms, and to increase civil society participation. We believe that the vision that has just been outlined assures a promising future for the organization. Yet, there are several daunting challenges that require intense engagement and dialogue. There are still protracted conflicts, border management issues and trafficking issues that should be addressed. To achieve its goals, the OSCE must remain steadfast in its commitment to its all-encompassing concept of security. It must also continue to generate confidence- building measures amongst its members and work in concert to address transnational and other long- standing threats to peace and security, including conflicts over energy and water. The OSCE’s desire to continue to strengthen its conflict-prevention capacity, seek enhanced cooperation with the Security Council, and always give equal attention to the three elements in its basket is indeed very commendable. We believe that within the context of lessons learned, the OSCE should also create opportunities for information exchange and cooperation with other regional organizations in the fight against transnational crimes.

I, too, wish to thank His Excellency Mr. Kanat Saudabayev, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan and Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), for his very detailed briefing. We congratulate him on acceding to the OSCE chairmanship and appreciate the very useful information with which he has provided us, especially concerning the OSCE’s 2010 programme of work. We note with satisfaction that these activities are in synch with the goals and principles of the United Nations. We also welcome the OSCE’s activities in conflict prevention, which my country believes to be a contribution to stability and peace. Gabon favours cooperation between the OSCE and the United Nations in the area of peace and conflict prevention, pursuant to Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter. The OSCE’s promotion of the implementation of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations also enjoys our full support. Furthermore, we welcome the OSCE’s role in stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan, in cooperation with the United Nations and its agencies deployed in that country. We are also encouraged by its initiatives to promote human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rights of minorities, and by its focus on the human dimension in its activities. Its promotion of inter-ethnic dialogue and harmony, and its fight against intolerance and alls forms of discrimination, are portents of success in the quest for lasting peace in Afghanistan and elsewhere. Like the Permanent Representative of Nigeria, Gabon wishes to see close cooperation and the sharing of experiences in the area of stability and peace between the OSCE and other regional organizations, in particular those of Africa.

My delegation wishes in turn to welcome Mr. Kanat Saudabayev, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, and to thank him for the information he has shared with us on cooperation between the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations and on the priorities he is seeking to promote in his capacity as Chairman-in- Office of that organization. Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter provides the appropriate framework for promoting the greater participation of regional organizations in matters related to international peace and security. Indeed, over the past two decades, the Security Council has increasingly turned to regional organizations in respect of issues of peace, security and development. In Africa and Europe, in recent years regional organizations have shown renewed determination to address internal conflicts that can affect security on their continents, as well as to promote development. That is the important role played by the OSCE, a geographically and politically diverse entity with 19 operations of various kinds in the field. During the month of January, the Security Council held a thematic debate on cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in maintaining international peace and security. At that meeting, we noted that the activities of regional organizations, with their early warning and prevention mechanisms, can prove to be decisive in the early stages of a conflict in averting larger-scale action by the international community as a whole. We also stressed that the capacity of such organizations to promote peaceful conflict resolution and their knowledge of the underlying causes of various conflicts give them a comparative advantage. We therefore welcome the OSCE efforts to prevent conflicts and to manage crisis situations and post- conflict and national reconstruction phases. We think it is important that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe is promoting among its members the ratification of the relevant United Nations instruments and the implementation of Security Council resolutions in the areas of combating terrorism and non-proliferation. That is a good practice that can be followed by other regional organizations. We also believe that the full implementation of Council resolutions on the protection of women and children should also be promoted, and we welcome the OSCE’s interest in strengthening its relationship with the United Nations in the areas of protecting human rights and strengthening the rule of law. We welcome as well the efforts made to strengthen the broad-based architecture for security cooperation among OSCE countries by pursuing the so-called Corfu process. Also in the area of security, OSCE cooperation with the relevant Security Council committees seems to us to be especially important, in particular with the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), on non-proliferation. In conclusion, I would like to point out that this format of periodic dialogue between the Security Council and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe is a model that should be explored vis-à-vis other regional and subregional organizations, all the while paying particular attention to preventive, early warning and crisis management approaches and to the areas of negotiation, mediation and conciliation, with a view to resolving regional conflicts.

I, too, would like to extend a warm welcome to the Foreign Minister, His Excellency Mr. Kanat Saudabayev, and to thank him for his useful briefing on priority issues for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). As an OSCE partner for cooperation and a good friend of Kazakhstan, Japan would like to congratulate him and say that we have high expectations of the Chairman-in- Office with regard to his proactive efforts in leading the OSCE. I wish him the best in that capacity and in his efforts to contribute to peace and stability in Europe and the entire Eurasian continent. Security in the European region is integrally related to that of Asia and the Pacific. It is essential for the OSCE to address global threats through close cooperation between Europe and Asia. Partnership for cooperation makes a good contribution to broadening the OSCE security concerns. A significant example of such inter-reliance is the OSCE’s increasing engagement in the stabilization of Afghanistan. We are doing a lot of things for our part, including our contribution last year to five OSCE projects to improve the border security capacities of Central Asian countries having borders with Afghanistan. Such projects help to enhance peace and stability in that country as well as in the wider Central Asian region. Japan believes that the cross-dimensional and comprehensive security agenda of the OSCE could be effectively addressed by emphasizing human security and a human-centred perspective. I have been personally involved in organizing several initiatives to promote human security in OSCE activities. Japan appreciates the strong interest and close cooperation that the OSCE has demonstrated in promoting the human security perspective on issues such as ethnic reconciliation, the movement of people, human trafficking and environmental degradation. We endorse and strongly support Kazakhstan’s priority agenda, with its strong emphasis on the human dimension. Japan also pays tribute to the important role of the OSCE in supporting the democratization process in Eurasian regions. We have been actively cooperating in facilitating free and fair elections in many OSCE countries, including Ukraine, by sending election monitors. I would like to emphasize the particular value of regular dialogue between the Security Council and the OSCE, which is mutually beneficial and supportive. Let me reiterate Japan’s commitment to closely cooperate with the OSCE and to support the chairmanship of Kazakhstan. We hope that good preparatory work will be done for a successful summit.

My delegation also welcomes to the Council His Excellency Mr. Kanat Saudabayev, Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. We congratulate him on his assumption of the chairmanship of the OSCE and thank him for his insightful briefing on the priorities and plans for 2010. It is becoming increasingly clear that maintaining international peace and security is a shared responsibility in which the United Nations and other regional organizations such as the OSCE have critical roles to play. We share the view of the Minister that the productive utilization of the potential of the OSCE can complement the efforts of the United Nations, and of the Security Council in particular, in dealing with threats to international peace and security. That is why Uganda has continued to urge the United Nations to strengthen cooperation with regional and subregional organizations in order to take advantage of their respective strengths and contributions in that collective endeavour. We welcome the progress that OSCE member States have made over the past two decades in the area of security. We also welcome the intention of the Chairman-in-Office to strengthen the role of the OSCE in the European security architecture, including the continuation of the renewed dialogue format on security in the framework of the Corfu process. We commend the Minister for his efforts, which we trust will help to strengthen partnership and cooperation in the OSCE area. While there is an obvious need to deal with the traditional security challenges and problems that remain unresolved, attention also needs to be paid to new threats and emerging challenges. In the light of the cross-dimensional nature of security in the world, it is necessary to devise new strategies to tackle transnational threats such as terrorism, human trafficking, drugs and cybercrime. Furthermore, as pointed out at the OSCE Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Athens, protracted conflicts, ethnic tensions and unresolved border disputes continue to plague parts of the OSCE area, with the potential to turn into serious crises. In addition, new threats such as energy security, illegal migration and rising instability in regions adjacent to the OSCE area, such as Afghanistan, have become potential security concerns, not only for OSCE States but for the international community as well. We welcome the regional approach that the OSCE intends to focus on, particularly with regard to enhancing the capacity of Afghanistan to manage its borders with its Central Asian neighbours, including through the training of Afghan personnel. We are convinced that by promoting regional cooperation, opportunities for Afghanistan and the countries of the region will be greatly enhanced to deal with common security challenges, while also facilitating economic growth and development. However, coordination and the harmonization of OSCE activities with other bodies will remain crucial to avoid the duplication of efforts. We therefore welcome the OSCE’s intention to undertake an initiative in full coordination with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and other United Nations entities. We call on the OSCE to strengthen cooperation with other international organizations, and in particular to work closely with the United Nations and other regional organizations to tackle this new threat to regional and global security. We also encourage the OSCE to build linkages and share experiences with the African Union, which is already working on a comprehensive peace and security architecture for the continent. We welcome the OSCE ministerial declaration on non-proliferation, adopted in Athens in December 2009, which marks a positive step towards increasing the OSCE’s contribution to achieving the goals of resolution 1540 (2004). Finally, we thank once again the Chairman-in- Office of the OSCE for his briefing on the priorities and plans for 2010.

I would like first to add my voice to those of my colleagues in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Saudabayev, and to thank him for his presence in our midst and for his important briefing. Allow me to make five observations. Our meeting today is a model for enhancing the important relationship between the United Nations and the regional and subregional organizations, particularly in light of the objective discussion held in this Chamber last month emphasizing the aspects of complementarity between these organizations. Secondly, we salute the role played by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in the field of preventive diplomacy and in containing conflicts and preventing their proliferation, which adds to the comparative advantage and value of the regional and subregional organizations. Thirdly, we welcome the role undertaken by the OSCE in helping to address various crises, and in particular in supporting stabilization in Afghanistan and other areas. Fourthly, we call for dialogue and cooperation between the OSCE and its regional counterparts and subregional organizations, on the one hand, and between those organizations and the United Nations, particularly the Security Council, on the other. Fifthly and lastly, I stress the need to improve such dialogue so that we can not only address the spread of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism, but also promote human rights and the rule of law and enhance dialogue among civilizations and religions, as we shall at the high-level conference to be held in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 28 and 29 June. We stress the need to focus on education and on a framework for addressing the root causes of crises. In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm our confidence in the leadership role of Kazakhstan in all these areas.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as representative of France. I wish to welcome the Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Mr. Kanat Saudabayev, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Secretary of State of Kazakhstan, and to thank him for his briefing. We fully share his views on the relationship between the OSCE and the United Nations, which we wish to strengthen. France especially supports the dialogue on the future of European security in the framework of the Corfu process, mentioned by the Chairman-in-office of the OSCE. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has outlined our position on this on several occasions. We hope to see the process lead to improved security in Europe both for States and for private citizens, and including every country concerned, from Vancouver to Vladivostok. The ideas contained in the draft treaty on European security disseminated by Russia on 30 November make an interesting contribution to this debate. The questions raised by the text correspond to those currently being examined in the framework of the Corfu process on respect for the right of every State to choose its own way of ensuring its security. In this regard, France fully supports the proposal just put forward to convene an OSCE summit this year, the objective of which should be to reaffirm the validity of our commitments under the Helsinki Final Act and our common will to prevent and solve conflicts through cooperation, to guarantee respect for human rights, and to combat common threats. The concept of two blocs confronting each other is far behind us, but the crises continue. The OSCE must be present to resolve them and prevent others. We must work at the highest possible level to formulate a renewed security architecture in which other organizations, particularly NATO and the European Union, should also participate. The OSCE is playing an essential role in stabilizing the borders of Afghanistan, particularly in training Afghan frontier guards. This is a good example of successful cooperation between the OSCE and the United Nations, and will, we hope, be a good example of what the Kazakh chairmanship of the OSCE can contribute to the region. It is in its global view of security and cooperation that the OSCE finds its full value. I salute the commitment of the Kazakh chairmanship to view the human dimension of the OSCE as one of the priorities on its agenda. The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights must continue to play an essential role, particularly in election monitoring. Its autonomy there is its strength and must be preserved. In conclusion, the OSCE must also work in close coordination with other international and regional organizations. The presence of the Kazakh chairmanship in the Security Council is a testament to the vitality of the cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE, which France welcomes. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I give the floor to Mr. Saudabayev so that he may respond to the comments and questions raised.

I thank you, Sir, for your kind words concerning my country and for your faith in the success of Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). I am especially grateful for the support voiced by all members of the Security Council for the proposal made by President Nazarbayev, as Head of the State chairing the OSCE this year, to convene a summit of our organization. I thank all speakers for their kind support, in-depth analysis of the situation in our zone of common responsibility, and support for the priorities of Kazakhstan’s chairmanship-in-office of the OSCE. I hope that today’s meeting of the Security Council will lend new and significant impetus to the further strengthening of cooperation between the OSCE and the Council, and that it has made a worthy contribution to the noble objective of strengthening security and mutual understanding in that huge geographical area.

There are no further speakers on my list. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.