In a current speech in Vienna to the Organisation for Safety and Cooperation in Europe, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Overseas Minister, Murat Nurtleu, mentioned his nation firmly believes that at a time of unprecedented world turmoil and geopolitical shifts, the position of multilateral establishments such because the OSCE, is as essential as ever. The European Union’s delegation was fast to welcome this dedication to shared values, similar to democracy, respect for human rights and for worldwide legislation. One of many architects of this relationship of mutual respect, was the previous Irish Minister for European Affairs, Dick Roche, writes Political Editor Nick Powell.
When Kazakhstan utilized to chair the OSCE in 2009 there was appreciable pushback, recollects Dick Roche. “There had been tensions between some OSCE member states and Kazakhstan. America and the UK particularly flagged issues. Each questioned whether or not Kazakhstan was ‘sufficiently democratic’ to chair the organisation. They weren’t alone”.
It was advised at one level that Eire ought to compete for the chair however Dick Roche identified to a ministerial colleague from one other EU member state that in his view -and certainly within the view of the Irish authorities, if Kazakhstan was adequate to be a member of the OSCE it was adequate to take the chair.
He informed me that along with the proper of Kazakhstan to be handled equitably as a member of the OSCE, his feeling on the time was that Kazakhstan was in a very good place to construct bridges between the US and its European companions on the one hand and post-Soviet states on the opposite. Kazakhstan was additionally in an excellent place to create and dialogue between the members of the European Union and its Eurasian neighbours.
When Kazakhstan assumed the chair of the OSCE on 1st January 2010, it pledged itself to uphold the elemental rules and values of the OSCE and devoted itself to establishing dialogue on safety within the wider Eurasian area. “That was an important contribution and targeted dialogue on an space that had not beforehand acquired the eye it deserved”, he mentioned. “Kazakhstan added a dimension to the dialogue on future European Safety structure”.
“The Astana summit in December 2010, the primary full OSCE Summit in 11 years, demonstrated how improper those that had flagged issues about Kazakhstan’s capability had been. The Astana Commemorative Declaration reaffirmed the OSCE’s willpower to construct safety based mostly on belief and transparency – a imaginative and prescient that must be reinstated in as we speak’s world”.
Consequently, Dick Roche believes that Kazakhstan isn’t solely a rustic that from the outset has demonstrated its significance as a member of the OSCE however that now has an particularly useful position to play.“Safety within the wider Eurasian area is extra vital as we speak than it was in 2010 and Kazakhstan may very well be a key companion for the EU in constructing that safety”.
In his speech in Vienna, Overseas Minister Nurtleu additionally referred to Kazakhstan’s proud file as an OSCE member. “All through Kazakhstan’s participation within the OSCE, and particularly throughout our 2010 Chairpersonship, now we have steadily advocated for constructive dialogue and joint motion”, he mentioned. “We firmly consider that amidst unprecedented world turmoil and geopolitical shifts, the position of multilateral establishments is as essential as ever”.
He identified that Kazakhstan is a rustic “at peace with itself, with all of our neighbours, and with the remainder of the world”, including that his authorities’s dedication to the diplomatic decision of disputes via constructive, mutually respectful dialogue is rooted in the historic legacy of his nation. “That is the very basis of the multi-vector international coverage that Kazakhstan has pursued since its independence”.
He argued that Kazakhstan’s constructive engagement with the world “stems from and is grounded on on-going political, social, and financial modernisation”. This, he added, is demonstrated by the bold reform agenda of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, an unprecedented democratic course of, geared toward constructing a ‘Simply and Honest Kazakhstan’. “Our nation’s democratic path is evident, but the journey isn’t full. My predominant message as we speak is that democratic modifications in my nation have change into irreversible”.
In response, the EU delegation described Kazakhstan as an vital companion for the European Union in Central Asia. “We worth our shared commitments to OSCE values, similar to democracy, respect for human rights, and worldwide legislation, and to open and equal dialogue. This contains additionally the respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states”.
The EU expressed its appreciation for Kazakhstan’s contributions throughout all OSCE dimensions, notably within the fields of border administration, local weather and safety, connectivity, labour migration, sustainable financial growth, in addition to combating radicalisation, terrorism, human trafficking, and cash laundering. It additionally praised the Kazakh authorities’s dedication to gender equality as a cross-cutting subject.
The EU repeated its assist for President Tokayev’s political and financial reforms for the nation’s democratic, social, and financial growth. “We significantly assist efforts to advertise the rule of legislation, respect for human rights and elementary freedoms, together with freedoms of affiliation and of the media”.
“The European Union is dedicated to deepening and broadening our relationships with Kazakhstan in all mutually useful areas. We are going to proceed working with Kazakhstan to additional advance its reforms in the direction of an inclusive, democratic and honest society”.
Dick Roche informed me of his satisfaction that the EU is continuous his imaginative and prescient of Kazakhstan as a valued companion. “The message [in the Foreign Minister’s speech] that ‘Kazakhstan is a rustic at peace with itself, with all of our neighbours, and with the remainder of the world’ is a vital one. If all nations nice and small may make the identical declare the world could be a a lot better place. Kazakhstan’s dedication to constructive engagement with the world is one thing that the EU ought to welcome and reply to positively”.
With regard to the political reforms inside Kazakhstan, Dick Roche mentioned it is very important recall that that is primarily a matter for Kazakhstan itself. “Europe and the EU must be cautious about making judgments till now we have achieved perfection ourselves. We’re a great distance from reaching perfection.
“That isn’t to say that we should always not encourage progress nevertheless the extent to which we accomplish that must be respectful and observe the rules of non-interference in inner affairs and respect for nationwide sovereignty. The efforts that Kazakhstan has made to reset its political system and its financial system are bold.
“The 2022 referendum in Kazakhstan on political reform was significantly noteworthy. Voter turnout was 77% and the thresholds set within the referendum have been met. These thresholds required that not solely was a 50% + majority in favor of the reforms required however that almost all needed to be mirrored in at the very least 12 of the nation’s 17 areas. Having led referendum campaigns in Eire these are excessive thresholds, that few European international locations would set for themselves.
“An fascinating facet of Kazakhstan’s political reform program was the requirement that the nation’s president would chorus from being a member of a political celebration whereas in workplace however would, slightly, function the president for all of the folks. Much more intriguing is the anti-nepotism reform”.
Dick Roche continues to advocate a deep and respectful EU Kazakhstan relationship, reflecting frequent values that go nicely past a mutual curiosity in strengthening commerce and transport connections. “Kazakhstan has made it clear that it needs to construct a ‘no-strings’ relationship with the EU. It will be foolhardy to not reply positively to that”.
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