Azerbaijan, Baku, July 3 / Trend V. Zhavoronkova /
One of the OSCE's destination is an early warning, prevention, settlement of conflicts and post-conflict rehabilitation, and sobering experience gained by the organization in recent years, has contributed to understanding the need for early consideration of methodology designed to meet basic international destination of the OSCE, OSCE Chairman, Secretary of State - Kazakh Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev said in an interview with Trend.
"But unfortunately, as we see, the OSCE is sometimes unable to achieve visible results, because the organization is an advisory body lacking, unlike the UN, the real levers of influence for the situations (placing of military forces, the imposition of sanctions). As you know, all decisions of the OSCE are adopted by consensus. This approach greatly complicates the rapid resolving of conflicts, transforming into a long process, " the minister said.
Clashes began between the Uzbeks and the Kyrgyz in the city of Osh in southern Kyrgyzstan on the night of June 11. During the week there were riots. Houses were burnt. Numerous cases of looting were registered. Authorities imposed a curfew in several areas of Osh and Jalal-Abad areas. According to official figures, the death toll in clashes in southern Kyrgyzstan is over 200 people. According to international organizations, there were about 110,000 Kyrgyz refugees on the territory of Uzbekistan.
The minister said the crisis in the Caucasus in August 2008 demonstrated a real threat to defrost and escalate conflicts. The OSCE potential to warn and prevent conflicts was put in serious doubt.
"In this regard, the OSCE has intensified the debates on establishing a mechanism to prevent crises of the OSCE with a wide range of tools and channels to respond to possible crises. While formulating a mechanism for preventing crises, uniform standards and principles must be used," the minister said.
Saudabayev said that the main means of early detection of conflicts is concerned consultations, frank exchange of views on the whole range of issues.
As to Kyrgyzstan, the minister noted that currently the emphasis is made on coordination of efforts of concerned organizations and countries to promote socio-economic and constitutional revival of the country. "In particular, we welcome the idea of holding a special international donor conference on Kyrgyzstan at the highest level. If Kyrgyzstan appeals, Kazakhstan is ready to offer a platform in Almaty to organize such a forum under the auspices of the UN and the OSCE," the Minister said.
Saudabayev said that a long-term stability and sustainable political development of the Kyrgyz Republic is impossible without the development of a strategic program of economic development of Kyrgyzstan. "Entrails of a neighboring country are rich in gold, iron, silver, copper and other resources. Potential of mountain rivers and tourism is enormous. Kazakhstan is ready to assist in the drafting and implementation of such economic strategy," the minister said.