Zits-chair The OSCE In An Hour: Astana, Moscow, Substituting, Had Acquired
For the first time the OSCE Chairman will be one of the former Soviet states – Kazakhstan. The decision was taken in Madrid at the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the OSCE participating states. Kazakhstan will take responsibility chairman in 2010, According to Secretary of State of Kazakhstan Kanat Saudabayev, "Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the OSCE will strengthen the credibility of the Organization of the countries of Eastern Europe and the CIS." Is this true – time will tell, but for now let's trace the ups and downs of this story, in which the key role played by Russia. Moscow has put several conditions on the activities of the OSCE and its specialized institutions. The main purpose of which is guided by the Russian Federation – discontinuing the practice of "double standards" in the OSCE, an urgent reform of this Organization and its activities for some tools. Among the conditions put forward by Moscow, was the issue of Kazakhstan's OSCE chairmanship. In case of failure of these demands Russia threatened to "withdraw from the Organization." Thus, the Russians lobbied the interests of Kazakhstan, demanding "make him chairman of the OSCE" in 2009 Extremely tough, this requirement formulated, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov: "OSCE Chairman in 2009, Kazakhstan has to be, and nobody else." Special benefits for Moscow, it did not carry, but, the source said the Foreign Ministry, "Russia's leadership considered it possible support the long-standing initiative of President Nazarbayev, whom he regards as a friend of Russia. " In this context, the resounding slap in the face of Russian diplomacy was the behavior of the Kazakh mission to the OSCE and the ROK delegation to the Ministerial Council Meeting.