Kazakhstan focused on 2009 OSCE Chairmanship, on course with democratic reforms, says Foreign Minister

"Chairing the OSCE would facilitate further development of the Kazakh political system, and help further reform society and the political life of the country in the direction of further democratization," said Minister Tazhin in his address to the OSCE Permanent Council, the Organization's main decision-making body.

"The positive resolution regarding our bid for the 2009 Chairmanship could have a multiplicative effect on the modernization of our country and the region as a whole. It would encourage other Central Asian States to move towards further liberalization and openness of political and economic systems".

Minister Tazhin expressed gratitude to the OSCE participating States that have voiced support for Kazakhstan's bid and encouraged the "opponents and those 'in doubt' to listen to all the arguments and to make the right choice."

He said that Kazakhstan's decision in 2003 to put forward its candidacy for Chairmanship had been preceded by "a period of careful consideration, evaluation of all the pros and cons, and analysis of the strengths and abilities to conduct the political leadership of the OSCE. We consider it to be a logical step of the 16-year period of independent political and economic development of the country."

Among the priorities Kazakhstan would focus on, if it were to get the 2009 Chairmanship, Minister Tazhin noted stability and security maintenance, strengthening tolerance and non-discrimination, and the fight against international terrorism and religious extremism.

According to the Minister, Kazakhstan has already taken concrete steps in "perfecting its political system", including introducing possible changes to the Constitution that would increase the power of Parliament. Strengthening the role of political parties and NGOs, improving election legislation, and freedom of media are also among the goals of the ongoing reforms. The country's penitentiary system is being reorganized, with international standards in treatment of prisoners introduced, along with wider application of alternatives to imprisonment. Kazakhstan will join the statement on abolishing the death penalty initiated by the European Union, and has begun constructing a colony for those sentenced to life in prison.

Speaking about the reform of the Organization, the Kazakh Foreign Minister said the OSCE should "choose an adequate route of evolutionary development and institutional self-identification" and reorganize itself to "become a modern equal-dialogue platform in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian space". OSCE