Azerbaijan, Baku, June 30 / Trend , V. Zhavoronkova/
Kazakhstan will continue to bring its legislation into conformity with the OSCE standards after the end of chairmanship in the OSCE in 2010, as well, Head of the OSCE Center in Astana Alexander Kelchevsky said.
"Democratic transformation is a continuous process and requires further reform and rapprochement of the Kazakh legislation to the OSCE standards, Kelchevsky wrote to Trend in an email. "This process continues and will continue after the presidency of Kazakhstan in the OSCE."
He said the State Program "Path to Europe in 2009-2011", which was initiated by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, testifies this fact and reflects a new socio-economic and political trends in the development of Kazakhstan's relations with the European Community.
Chairmanship at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) which is the world's largest regional security organization engaged in security issues requires fulfillment of certain obligations from a chairing country. Kazakhstan is a member of the OSCE since 1992, and for the first time has the right to represent the organization next year. The chairmanship is connected with Kazakhstan's strive for presenting itself in the world.
In January, Kazakhstan's entry to the OSCE "three", which includes previous, current and future chairmen, as well as the prospect of the presidency arouse some expectations both for the OSCE members and Kazakh people, Kelchevsky said. The country will undergo further reforms aimed at promoting the principles and generally accepted norms of the OSCE, he said.
Transferring presidency to Kazakhstan stimulated democratic reforms in the country, Kelchevsky believes.
Kazakhstan is working over three strategically important papers to be adopted this year, he said. The first two are the State Program and Concept of Kazakhstan's Legal Policy. These papers are expected to comprise proposals for further reform in the judiciary, law enforcement, criminal and administrative justice and penal systems, Kelchevsky said.
The third paper is the National Action Plan on human rights for 2009-2012, developed by the Commission on Human Rights under the Kazakh President, said Kelchevsky. The plan contains recommendations for the further liberalization of laws on elections, political parties and media, adopted in February this year.
Under amendments to the law on elections adopted in February, the parliament must be formed with the participation of at least two parties. One-party parliament operates in Kazakhstan at the moment, which comprised only the ruling "Nur Otan" party chaired by the president, contrary to the OSCE principles on democracy.
Talking about Kazakhstan's readiness to take the chairmanship of the OSCE, Kelchevsky mentioned the need for further legislative reform and implementation of all the adopted papers in practice.
"Transition of Kazakhstan from the Soviet system to democracy requires more hard work," he said.
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