Statement
by the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, Secretary of State –
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan K. Saudabayev
at the “International Conference on Afghanistan”
(London, January 28, 2010)

Distinguished Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished participants of the Conference,
Ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, let me express my gratitude to the Government of the United Kingdom for organization of the international conference called upon to become an another step on the way to achievement of security and stability in Afghanistan in coordination of efforts of the world community on assistance in rehabilitation of this country.
It is the great honor and privilege for me to speak here as the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE.
We are convinced of necessity to adjust the mechanism of multilateral interaction of corresponding international structures and regional associations on tackling the Afghan problem.
Efforts undertaken in the line of the UN, the OSCE, the European Union, the NATO, the Collective Security Treaty Organization and other organizations are of key value.

Distinguished colleagues,
It is not an occasional coincidence the Afghan issue put forward as one of top priorities by the CiO of the OSCE. The OSCE is interested in fast stabilization in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, its establishment as a peaceful and democratic State.
Despite certain discrepancies in approaches of the members of the Organization regarding forms of involvement into Afghan topic, Kazakhstan, as the CiO of the OSCE, offers to prioritize the theme of rehabilitation and stabilization in Afghanistan within the range of the Organization’s tasks in 2010. This corresponds to the decisions of the Ministerial Council meeting in Madrid in 2007 on initiation of interaction with this country.
The top priority must be paid to further promotion of projects designed to strengthen border security, develop border co-operation and improve law-enforcement activities.
We propose to use the expert potential of the Academy of the OSCE in Bishkek to conduct trainings aimed at improving qualifications of Afghan diplomats, representatives of state departments and funds of Afghanistan.
It seems to be useful to resume training courses for Afghan police on countering drug trafficking at the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Almaty.
Within the framework of Kazakhstan’s Chairmanship, realization of the Program in the sphere of combating illegal drug trafficking is planned, which assumes holding of the OSCE Conference on combating drug trafficking in Vienna, regional workshops on combating illegal drug trafficking.
We also set value to holding of the Conference on prevention of terrorism in Astana under the aegis of the OSCE together with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the European Council.
Kazakhstan for many years has been actively supporting International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF). Thus, on December 29, 2009 I also signed the letter-agreement on NATO conditions of ground cargo transit in support of ISAF, which opens an alternative way to the Alliance to provide combat service support. Such agreements have been already concluded with Spain, Germany, the USA and France.
Kazakhstan sends its several officers to the International Forces for the Security assistance Staff in Kabul. It is the first case of Central Asian military representatives’ participation in such a mission.
We believe that today international community, alongside with military ways of solving the problem, needs to strengthen the humanitarian component aimed at return of Afghanistan citizens from armed confrontation to peaceful and constructive life. Exactly to this end for the passed period Kazakhstan allocated to this country approximately four million USD for reconstruction of schools, hospitals and roads, sent two thousand tones of grain, 1.3 thousand tones of dried milk as humanitarian aid.
Within the program on reconstruction of the agricultural infrastructure we are ready to supply seeds, mineral fertilizers, agricultural equipment and mini-complexes on manufacturing agricultural products.
We call for international donors to use of Kazakhstan’s potential in the process of Afghanistan rehabilitation more actively. Together with the economic aid allocated for rehabilitation of the country, training of national personnel is also of high importance.
In this connection according to the results of my visit to Kabul on November 22, 2009 the Kazakhstan-Afghanistan Intergovernmental Agreement on training in the nearest future of one thousand of Afghans in Kazakh educational institutions for peaceful professions of agronomists, doctors, teachers, and construction engineers was signed.
President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev allocated 50 million USD for realization of the program.

Distinguished participants of the conference,
Afghanistan remains the source of global narcotic threat. We intend to step struggle with this evil within the OSCE. At that, we should note that the State of Central Asia made a considerable contribution to activity in this direction.
Activity of the UN Central-Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center, opened on December 8 last year in Almaty, will serve as consolidation of our joint efforts.
Afghanistan’s active involvement into activity of creating security structures on the Asian continent is also necessary. Today Afghanistan is one of 20 participating States of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building in Asia (CICA). Kabul implements functions of a joint coordinator on confidence building measures implementation in the sphere of illegal drug trafficking counteraction together with Iran, and in the sphere of new challenges and threats with Turkey.
At present in CICA conceptual approaches are elaborated and definite action plans in the mentioned spheres are outlined. The possibility of creation of the CICA Antiterrorist strategy and the integral Forum database on issues of drug trafficking counteraction is under consideration.
Within the context of international community efforts on stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan it is reasonable to consider the possibility of elaboration of mechanisms on regulating co-operation between NATO – SCO – CSTO, the OSCE and CICA within the framework of the dialogues of CICA and EAPC, including issues of countering terrorism and drug trafficking.
I would like to reiterate the necessity of joining efforts, importance of elaboration of common approaches to evaluation of the situation in Afghanistan for the sake of achievement of peace and tranquility in this country and in the whole region as well.
Kazakhstan supports participation of the Central Asian States in rehabilitation of Afghanistan, including trade-economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres.
We intend to continue such work in co-operation with Afghan authorities and the Central Asian States.
The Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE proceeds from the priority of the following principles: development of constructive and trustful political dialogue; stimulation of trade and economic relations as one of the ways for promoting stability and strengthening of Afghanistan; encouragement of investment in the Afghan economy; support of cultural and humanitarian co-operation; providing gratuitous assistance in different spheres.
Development of the transport infrastructure of Afghanistan which would connect the Central Asian States with South Asia is considered to be reasonable. Potential of international financial structures could be attracted for realization of relevant projects. For instance, there has already been a positive experience of co-operation with Asian Development Bank.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,
In the forthcoming work, we will strive for using political and institutional background in full, stipulated by the Ministerial decisions and key documents of the OSCE, inter alia, the Strategy of the Organization on promotion of security and stability in XXI century and the Concept of the OSCE in the sphere of border security and management.
Thereupon, the initiative of the Head of our State on holding the OSCE Summit in 2010 with the substantial focus on Afghanistan is gaining special relevance. This would be within the interests of all participating States of the OSCE, taking into account that 43 states out of 56 has been already practically involved in the processes related to rehabilitation of this country.
Kazakhstan as the Chairman-in-Office intends to take full advantage of opportunities and potential of the OSCE in international efforts on stabilization of Afghanistan.

Thank you for attention.