Astana, December 1st:- At the 17th OSCE Ministerial Council in Athens today, Kazakhstan’s Secretary of State and Foreign Minister, Kanat Saudabayev said that Kazakhstan is "fully committed to bringing a worthy contribution to strengthening and developing the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe" during its Chairmanship of the Organization next year.

"As chairman-in-office, Kazakhstan will be unwaveringly committed to the fundamental principles and values of the OSCE, and proceed from the interests of all its members in order to strengthen the trust and mutual understanding between the countries to the west and to the east of Vienna" he said.

Mr Saudabayev’s remarks were heard at the plenary session of the 17th OSCE Ministerial Council taking place in Athens today and tomorrow (December 1 and 2): "We will seek to ensure the balance of all three baskets of the Organization's activities," he stressed, adding that Kazakhstan will act as an "honest broker" promoting active and constructive dialogue with all partners based on the principles of trust, respect and mutual understanding.

The Secretary of State - Minister of Foreign Affairs praised the Greek Chairmanship (in 2009) and its launch of a dialogue on the future of European security within the so called Corfu Process. He expressed Kazakhstan's readiness to build on the arduous efforts to promote this process.

According to Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister, the OSCE should be relevant as an effective mechanism of regional implementation of universal international legal documents in areas such as maintaining military and political security, promoting conflict resolution and post-conflict rehabilitation, economic and environmental cooperation, and the protection of human rights and democratization.

Mr Saudabayev specifically noted the need for the OSCE to counteract threats coming out of Afghanistan. Noting positive trends in relations within OSCE community in the past year, the Foreign Minister said it should be a common responsibility for OSCE member states to preserve and develop this positive trend so that a new epoch of partnership dawns on the OSCE.

Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev has proposed to hold an OSCE Summit in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana next year. 2010 will be the 35th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 20th anniversary of the Paris Charter for a New Europe. "All of this gives a good reason to seriously analyze the modern role of the Organization in ensuring security and prosperity in the area from Vancouver to Vladivostok and developing the most important priorities for the OSCE for the near future."

The subjects for such a Summit, said Minister Saudabayev, could be pressing issues such as the future of the Corfu process and the creation of a single Transatlantic and Eurasian security architecture, and the rehabilitation of an assistance for Afghanistan.

Kanat Saudabayev spoke of his recent visit to Kabul - to sign an agreement under which Astana will allocate 50 million dollars to educate more than 1,000 Afghans at Kazakhstan's universities. "This way we would like to bring our own contribution to involving the Afghans in the peaceful life." He further explained that initial consultations showed support for the initiative to convene the summit from Italy, Russia, France, Spain, Turkey, Serbia, Slovenia, Belarus and other countries. "We are convinced that today - 10 years since the Istanbul summit - the moment has come when the top leaders should at the highest level assess current challenges for our countries and define the priorities for the OSCE for the foreseeable future for the benefit of all members of our Organization," he said.

Kazakhstan formally assumes the one-year rotating chairmanship in the OSCE on January 1, 2010 - Mr Saudabayev will then act as the OSCE Acting Chairman-in-Office.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, media freedom, and fair elections. Most of its 3,500-plus staff is engaged in field operations with only around 10% in its headquarters in Vienna.

The OSCE’s 56 participating States are from Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and North America and cover most of the northern hemisphere. It was created during the Cold War era as an East-West forum.

Kazakhstan is the first nation from the CIS area, the first country from Central Asia, and the first country from the entire continent of Asian to be voted Chairman of the OSCE.

The 17th OSCE Ministerial Council is the central decision-making and governing body of the OSCE. The meeting, held annually, provides the foreign ministers of the 56 OSCE participating States an opportunity to review and assess the Organization's activities during the past year and offer national viewpoints on security matters.

In addition to various meetings of the current OSCE Troika (Finland, Greece and Kazakhstan) and the Asian Partners for Co-operation, Heads of Delegations will all make statements and the adoption of Ministerial Council decisions and documents will be made.

Over the two day Meeting formal addresses will be given by Karolos Papoulias, President of the Hellenic Republic, George A. Papandreou, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairman-in-Office. Joao Soares, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, OSCE Secretary General, will also make keynote speeches. The Formal closing tomorrow will include statements by the current and incoming Chairmen-in-Office – Greece and Kazakhstan.