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KAZAKHSTAN’S OSCE PRESIDENCY STARTED WITH INTERNATIONAL SCANDALS
AZAMAT MUKHAMEDZHANOV,
President of “ECOlight” non-governmental association, Astana
Some sensational scandals with the participation of Kazakhstan took place at the end of 2009 and at the beginning of 2010. At the end of December the Associated Press, while citing a report prepared by special services for the International Atomic Energy Agency, said that Astana and Tehran intended to conclude a treaty on supplies of 1350 thousand tons of the uranic concentrate to Iran for 450 million dollars. Before Kazakhstan’s taking up the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) presidency, this news became a “Christmas gift” for the Kazakh officials. But even when 10-13 days have passed since the last official publication of the information, the Foreign Ministry of Kazakhstan every day makes statements denying that. One cannot say that the incident was settled and forgotten even after Iran had officially denied the fact. The statement can be regarded as a delayed-action bomb. This is not the only event that happened when Kazakhstan took up the OSCE presidency.
The crew of the “Il-76” plane will remember for a long time their ill-fated flight Kyiv – Baku – Fudzheyra - Bangkok –Colombo - Fudzheyra - Kyiv. Four Kazakh citizens, who carried cargo (over 30 tons of weapons) face from the 10 years imprisonment to the death penalty. According to mass media, the Foreign Ministry diplomatic mission on assertion of the Kazakh citizens’ rights was not crowned with success. A state holding the OSCE presidency has to care for its citizens who are outside the country. This issue solution in the context of the PR campaign, which is conducted not only in Kazakhstan, but also in many European countries, is necessary and requires great responsibility. The letter, which Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has received from the compatriots imprisoned in Thailand, urges Kazakhstan to take diplomatic steps. Kazakhstan has always tried to come to terms with everybody, so, this time, the government should do its utmost to solve the problem. The Kazakh people watch the events in Thailand closely, and the public opinion both in Kazakhstan and in the whole world will depend on the results of the Kazakhstan-Thailand negotiations concerning the imprisoned pilots.
So, for Kazakhstan the year 2010 started not only with festivities in honour of its OSCE presidency, but also with the necessity to solve serious diplomatic issues. The current problems can be settled through the political will, the tolerance and the solution firmness. But it is not known whether the politicians will be willing to do that.
January 18, 2010
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