OSCE incumbent President to visit South Caucasus in 2010
07.01.2010 18:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As a state taking over OSCE presidency, Kazakhstan
has drawn up a schedule of multilateral and bilateral consultations,
envisaging the involvement of all organization member states, the
country’s Foreign Ministry says in a release.

`Regular consultations with the European Union, Council of Europe,
Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia
(CICA), CIS, NATO, CSTO and other international organizations will be
held in Vienna and other capital towns of OSCE partner countries.
Experience proves the significance of such approach in terms of
approximating different positions on key agenda issues, coordinating
measures and avoiding repetitions,’ says the statement.

According to the Ministry’s release, Kazakh Foreign Minister and
Secretary of State Kanat Saudabayev, organization’s incumbent
President, is scheduled to visit the South Caucasus, Balkans¸ Eastern
Europe and Central Asia in 2010. Visits will be aimed at mitigating
crisis situations, settling conflicts or ensuring coordination of
state parties’ efforts in specific spheres.

On January 1, 2010, Kazakhstan took over OSCE presidency, replacing Greece.

The world’s biggest regional organization dealing with security
issues, OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe)
unites 56 countries situated in North America, Europe and Central
Asia.

Its member state are: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
Belgium, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France Great
Britain, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg,
Macedonia, Malta¸ Moldova, Monaco Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Russia, Roumania, San-Marino, Serbia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
United States, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vatican.

Partner countries include: Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan,
Jordan, Marocco, Mongolia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia.

Armenia became an OSCE member state on January 30, 1992.