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ADDRESS BY
DIRECTOR OF THE LIBRARY OF THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF KAZAKHSTAN – ELBASY TEMIRBOLAT B. B. AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
"OSCE ASTANA SUMMIT 2010: HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND RELEVANCE", DEDICATED TO THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OSCE SUMMIT IN ASTANA AND THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF KAZAKHSTAN'S INDEPENDENCE
February 19, 2021,
Nur-Sultan,
"Nazarbayev Center»
Dear participants of the conference!
Ladies and gentlemen!
Today we have a very high representation of speakers and guests of the conference. Some will be pleased to recall their participation in the work of the critical Astana summit, while others, in particular the younger generation, will be interested in learning about an essential foreign policy event in the history of Kazakhstan.
It is no coincidence that our meeting takes place at the Library of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy. After all, Nursultan Nazarbayev is the initiator and ideologist of Kazakhstan's Chairmanship in the OSCE in 2010.
Since the first days of its sovereign development, Kazakhstan has been paying special attention to its participation in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe at the highest level. Membership in the OSCE is of great historical importance for our country.
In his address to the Astana Summit 10 years ago, Nursultan Nazarbayev noted that our country had become independent, including through the provisions and principles of the OSCE Helsinki Final Act.1
Kazakhstan assumed the position of Chairman of the OSCE at a "young" age - at that time our state did not even celebrate the 20th anniversary of Independence. And the leading position in an authoritative international organization meant that we, as a state, crossed a certain line of maturity.
Our country became the first post-Soviet state, the first representative of Central Asia, as well as the first Muslim country to be entrusted with the presidency of the European structure.
1 Address by President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev at the OSCE Summit (Astana, December 1, 2010) https://online.zakon.kz/Document/?doc_id=30856636#pos=12;-108
https://www.osce.org/ru/cio/87451
This was a unique experience for domestic diplomacy and a great investment for the further development of Kazakhstan.
Today, as part of our event, I would like to briefly present a vision of the comprehensive significance of the Summit of the Heads of the OSCE Member States that took place in our capital ten years ago.
First, the Astana Summit revived the 11-year-old tradition of summit meetings. The long absence of such a dialogue has seriously constrained the development of the OSCE in line with current trends. Nursultan Nazarbayev succeeded in persuading all the leaders of the participating countries of the need to meet in the capital of Kazakhstan.
The OSCE Summit that we hosted in December 2010 was the first and so far the only Summit of the States Members of the Organization to be held in the 21st century.
For reference: OSCE Summits since the Organization’s inception: Helsinki (1975), Paris (1990), Helsinki (1992), Budapest (1994), Lisbon (1996), Istanbul (1999) and Astana (2010).
Secondly, the practical outcome of the Summit was the Astana Declaration, supported by all the leaders of the OSCE participating states.
Kazakhstan has assumed the chairmanship at a difficult time for the Organization. There was a clear need to bring member countries together in the face of new global challenges, which would enable the OSCE to play an active role once again in addressing contemporary crises.
The important role of the Astana Summit, as well as the resulting declaration, was that world leaders have legally unequivocally confirmed the commitment of their states to the most essential principles of the OSCE.
The Astana Declaration thus opened a new chapter in the life of the Organization itself. Thirdly, the Summit marked a transition to a new level of security and cooperation in broader coordinates - "From the Ocean to the Ocean." 1
The holding of the OSCE summit in the heart of Eurasia, a thousand kilometers from the geographical borders of Europe, emphasized the indivisibility of Eurasian security.
"The security of each participating state is inextricably linked to the security of all others" - this was recorded in the historic document of the Summit.
2 From the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean
Thus, the leaders of 56 countries reaffirmed that security must be achieved not through weapons, not through military confrontation, but through openness, dialogue and the search for a common platform for cooperation.
And this security paradigm is even more relevant today in the current geopolitical conditions.
Fourth, thanks to the efforts of the First President of Kazakhstan, it was possible not only to advance the work of the "three baskets", but also to expand the OSCE agenda.
At a meeting ten years ago, the leaders of the Organization's member states set a goal to strengthen the OSCE role in developing economic cooperation, ensuring environmental, energy and cyber-security, jointly countering transnational threats, etc.
At that meeting, the leaders of the OSCE Member States actually anticipated all the challenges that after 10 years threatened the stable development of Eurasia. Moreover, against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an urgent need to coordinate inter-country dialogue, and the OSCE, due to its extensive experience, could use its potential.
Fifth, by organizing the summit, Kazakhstan demonstrated to the world its foreign policy credibility and readiness to become a link in Eurasian security.
The Astana Declaration stated that the security of the OSCE region is directly linked to the security of neighboring regions, especially in the Mediterranean and Asia.
And at the Summit, the First President of Kazakhstan voiced breakthrough ideas on the rapprochement between East and West. In particular, initiatives have been proposed to strengthen the infrastructure of Eurasian security through the rapprochement of OSCE with OIC and CICA.
Finally, looking back from today’s perspective, it is important to conclude that the potential of the Astana Declaration has not yet been fully realized. In 2010, the leaders of the OSCE participating states laid down in the document very progressive ideas and approaches that are now needed by the world community.
Much has changed dramatically in the past decade. However, the issues that were raised a decade ago in our capital are still highly relevant.
It also shows that the OSCE is a much-needed organization that is important to develop and that can make a tangible contribution to the harmonization of a wide Eurasian space.
It is also important to say that the active work and the chairmanship of Kazakhstan in the OSCE have had a strong constructive impact on our country. There are many such examples, so I will only outline some of them.
In line with the implementation of the Astana Declaration, Kazakhstan widely applies peacekeeping and promotes the peaceful resolution of conflicts as a key priority of its foreign policy.
Over the years, we have contributed to the successful resolution of the crises related to Iran (2013), Ukraine (2014), Russia and Turkey (2015), Syria (2017), and others. We have used all our experience during Kazakhstan's non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council in 2017-2018.
Kazakhstan also remains fully committed to its commitments to continue reforms, develop democratic institutions, and respect human rights and freedoms. And, among other things, our cooperation with the OSCE also has a constructive impact.
In the year marking the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence, we can responsibly state that our country is continuing its path towards the consistent development of democratic practices in governance and daily life. During his tenure in office, the First President of Kazakhstan – Elbasy N. A. Nazarbayev consciously and purposefully pursued a policy of modernization of the political system.
President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K. K. Tokayev for almost two years of active work initiated three major packages of new political reforms aimed at the further development of Kazakhstan's democracy. A number of initiatives are already in place in law and practice.
This shows that the democratic path we chose three decades ago is now being continued by a new generation of Kazakhstan's leadership. Of course, much work remains to be done, but I am convinced that our work with the OSCE will continue to have a positive impact not only on the development of Kazakhstan but also on the OSCE itself, as well as on the strengthening of security in the Eurasian space.
In his speech at the Astana Summit, the First President of Kazakhstan N. A. Nazarbayev emphasized: "The fundamental basis of a secure world is trust and mutual understanding between states".
This is a much-needed element in international relations. The OSCE can and should make every effort to achieve this goal.
In conclusion, I would like to wish all the participants of the conference a successful and fruitful work.
Thank you for your attention.