KAZAKHSTAN INTENDS TO DRAW UP ROADMAP ON KARABAKH ISSUE

news.am
Feb 18 2010
Armenia

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Kanat Saudabayev called for effective
cooperation with OSCE parliamentarians to address protracted conflicts,
regional security challenges. NEWS.am posts the full text available
on OSCE website.

"Strengthening co-operation with OSCE parliamentarians is an
important component in tackling regional challenges such as
protracted conflicts and the European arms control regime, said the
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Kazakh Secretary of State and Foreign
Minister Kanat Saudabayev, in Vienna today.

Speaking at the start of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Winter
Meeting, Saudabayev said parliamentarians played a valuable part in
the dialogue between participating States, and noted that Kazakhstan
would host a key parliamentary forum on the OSCE and Eurasia in Almaty
from 14 to 16 May.

He also emphasized their role in election monitoring — most recently
in Ukraine — as well as in efforts towards resolution of protracted
conflicts in the South Caucasus and with the Transdniestrian settlement
process.

"I would like to call on parliamentarians to make good use of
parliamentarian diplomacy to overcome the lack of trust between
states and people. Your words and convictions will help all people
on all sides of conflict to understand the importance of overcoming
confrontation and working toward co-operation and a peaceful
existence," he said.

Earlier this week Saudabayev visited the South Caucasus, where he
met leaders in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia.

On the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Saudabayev said: "We are working on
a Chairmanship roadmap to support and strengthen the peace-building
efforts of all sides of the conflict."

The Chairperson-in-Office emphasized his support to efforts under
the OSCE to maintain the European arms control regime and confidence-
and security-building measures. "We hope that in 2010 there will be
progress in adopting an agreement in this area," he said.

Saudabayev said consensus among OSCE participating States on the
importance of the 1999 Vienna Document was a positive sign. He added
that strengthening the Document, which obliges the participating
States to share information on armed forces and military activities,
was a priority, and could be a theme of the OSCE summit proposed
by Kazakhstan.

"An OSCE Summit is one of the key initiatives of Kazakhstan’s
Chairmanship, and a decision on the Vienna Document could be considered
as a substantive addition to the agenda of a Summit," he said."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress