ETG German non-governmental organization conducted a study on the expectations of western politicians and experts from the presidency of Kazakhstan in OSCE in 2010.
Representatives of leading Western research institutes and non-governmental organizations, as well as various western politicians responded to questions concerning the readiness of Kazakhstan to take the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Head of ETG, expert on Central Asia Michael Laubsch has provided explanations of studies in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
Deutsche Welle: What is the priority task for Kazakhstan during its presidency in OSCE?
Michael Laubsch: We have conducted this survey to determine what the expectations of Western experts on Central Asia, in particular, during Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. We thought that the primary role for Western politicians and experts played a condition of democratic reforms in Kazakhstan. Therefore, we focused attention on this aspect in order to ascertain whether this is true. However, the key political players in the West pay more attention not to reform within the country, but on the aspect of security and stability in the OSCE area of responsibility. Kazakhstan is the first of the CIS countries, which was part of the Soviet Union until 1990 and which will take the presidency of the OSCE. Security and stability in the zone of responsibility of the OSCE plays a more important role in the situation in the Caucasus. Contrary to our assumptions, the situation with the reforms in Kazakhstan itself has only a minor role.
Q: Can Kazakhstan play the role of mediator between West Europe and Russia?
A: The results of the study show that there is a hope that Kazakhstan can play the role of intermediary between Western Europe and the United States, on the one hand and the interests of Russia, on the other side. Many Western experts, with whom we were talking in person, have confirmed fears that the OSCE may be the "lame duck" in the near future. A great desire to reform the organization, which, in particular, Russia has constituted, is a great threat to the OSCE. Therefore, Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the OSCE is associated with high expectations.
Q: How Kazakhstan's chairmanship in OSCE can affect stability in the organization and security in the zone of its responsibility?
A: It will be enough to actually look at organization's working plan over the next two years to be sure of one thing: security and stability in the zone of responsibility of the OSCE will play a key role in the truth. Western experts have placed the hope that Kazakhstan, using its mediation might be able to contribute to finding solutions, for example, in the issue of the OSCE observer mission in Georgia. Many experts fear that conflict potential in other parts of the zone of responsibility of the OSCE will be increased in the next 12 months. According to many Western experts, Kazakhstan has a great chance to assist in resolving conflicts in the Caucasus than in any country in Western Europe. Experts also note that there should be a few go beyond the immediate area of responsibility of the OSCE and to include within the scope of attention Afghanistan, where the interests of the OSCE and NATO are crossing.
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