Kazakhstan to Assume Chairmanship of OSCE in 2010 * Kazakhstan to Be the First Non-European Country to Hold This Position

Madrid (Spain) 3 December (PROTEXT/PRNewswire) - The Government ofKazakhstan today announced that the Organization for Security andCooperation in Europe (OSCE) has appointed Kazakhstan Chairman-in-Office(CiO) for 2010, with Foreign Minister Marat Tazhin to serve as Chairman.The unanimous vote by the 56 participating Member States was announced atthe OSCE 15th OSCE Ministerial Council in Madrid, Spain.

"Kazakhstan accepts with a strong sense of duty and firm commitment therole of Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE for 2010," said Minister Tazhin. "Wesee this appointment as a testament to the transformation our country hasundergone since independence and as a strong vote of confidence by OSCEMember States for the Central Asian region as a whole. We congratulateGreece on receiving the chairmanship for 2009 and Lithuania for 2011.Kazakhstan's representatives look forward to engaging with the Greek CiO toassure Kazakhstan's collaboration on all issues that come before the OSCEand to work toward a smooth transition to our chairmanship."

"This decision by the OSCE Member States is a firm acknowledgment ofKazakhstan's ability to lead this important regional organization at a timewhen the people represented by the 56 Member States strive for thepolitical involvement, respect for rule of law and the rights of theindividual, economic prosperity, and security. As Chairman, we will aspireto become a powerful catalyst of the reform process and we commit to thecontinuing modernization of Kazakhstan and the region in its entirety."

Minister Tazhin noted that during its tenure as CiO, Kazakhstan pledges tolead the Member States in upholding the principles of the OSCE and those ofthe Organization for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

ODIHR provides valuable counsel to the national election commissions of allMember States on ways to comply with internationally accepted standards onelections. Minister Tazhin said Kazakhstan plans to work to assure thatthere is a clear understanding among all Member States on the criteria andstandards that should be equally applied.

Kazakhstan considers the Human Dimension to be the most important area ofactivity for the Organization, and has pledged to make this a priority inorder to strengthen democracy in all Participating States. Furthermore,Minister Tazhin also emphasized that religious tolerance is highly valuedin Kazakhstan, and that the country "enthusiastically supports theestablishment of the three CiO personal representatives on religioustolerance: for Anti-Semitism, Muslims and for Christians and OtherReligions." In 2009, Kazakhstan will host the third Congress on World andTraditional Religions in Astana.

Kazakhstan's leadership in establishing a vibrant, prosperous marketeconomy underpins its expertise in the Economic and Environmental Dimension.

Minister Tazhin pledged that Kazakhstan will strengthen OSCE support fordevelopment of effective Eurasia transit and transport corridors.

Concerning international security, Minister Tazhin stressed that the fightagainst international terrorism is the priority for Kazakhstan in theOSCE's Security Dimension and that regional security will be enhancedthrough Kazakhstan's leadership. "Kazakhstan has already demonstrated itsdeep commitment to international peace and security, having been the firstcountry to dismantle its nuclear weapons after the break-up of the SovietUnion," he said. "It knows only too well the health and environmentaldegradation that comes from nuclear contamination."

Kazakhstan has been a member of the OSCE for 15 years, joining in 1992 -just a year after gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Itwill be the first non-European country in the history of the organizationto hold the CiO position.

Source: Government of Kazakhstan

Contact:

Denielle Sachs or Evan Welty of APCO Worldwide, tel.: +1-202-778-1000(office), tel.: +1-202-415-3099 (mobile), e-mail: dsachs@apcoworldwide.com,for the Government of Kazakhstan /NOTE TO EDITORS: This material is beingdistributed by APCO Worldwide Inc. on behalf of the Embassy of the Republicof Kazakhstan in Washington, DC. Additional information is on file with theDepartment of Justice in Washington, DC.

Subscribers please note that material bearing the label "PROTEXT" is notpart of CTK's news service and is not to be published under the "CTK"label. Protext is a commercial service providing distribution of pressreleases from clients, who are identified in the text of Protext reportsand who bear full responsibility for their contents.

PROTEXT