Prospects of the OSCE chairmanship for Kazakhstan

The government of RK must show adherence to the OSCE principles for Kazakhstan to be approved as a candidate for the OSCE chairmanship. The external affairs commissioner at European Commission Christopher Patten expressed such opinion at a press briefing in Almaty on 15 March, KZ-today correspondent reports. C. Patten has observed that "to become a worthy candidate the government of RL must also должно pay attention to the OSCE. If the OSCE gives an advice concerning the legislation on mass media or elections, I believe, Kazakhstan must be very attentive towards this opinion." "The application for chairing OSCE in 2009 is a very serious undertaking indeed. Kazakhstan must become an exemplary OSCE member country," - C. Patten stressed. Moreover, C. Patten said that "if this right is not given to Kazakhstan I think that it will only weaken the role of the OSCE in Kazakhstan." Earlier it was reported that the permanent representative of RK to the OSCE Rakhat Aliyev speaking at a session of the OSCE permanent council as of 18 February, 2003, made a statement that Kazakhstan was asking to regard it as a candidate for the OSCE chairmanship in 2009.