OSCE puts Central Asia in Spotlight
OSCE puts Central Asia in Spotlight
The OSCE under Spanish chairmanship has defined Central Asia as a priority region, but NBCentralAsia observers say it will have a hard job manoeuvring between the need to strengthen dialogue with governments in the region and encouraging western democratic values.
The current chairman of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE, Spanish foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, visited all five Central Asian capitals between April 10 and 14. Moratinos said Spain would be making Central Asia a priority for the OSCE this year.
The OSCE currently implements security, economic, humanitarian and environmental programmes in the Central Asian states – all of which are members of the grouping.
According to Kazakstan-based political scientist Maksim Kaznacheev, regional governments thing the OSCE is “lecturing” them on democracy, and their criticisms will mount unless it modifies a stance that they now regard as too political.
Kaznacheev thinks the OSCE should assert itself as a “completely independent entity”, so that it is not perceived to be driven by the European Union or the United States.
Russian and its allies have repeatedly criticised the OSCE for its public statements on the political situation in the post-Soviet countries; they think it should be reformed so that it treats all its members even-handedly. The EU and the US oppose any change of direction and according to Kazakstan-based analyst Eduard Poletaev, there are clear dividing lines on this issue within the OSCE’s membership.
Since the decision-making process is based on political consensus, the OSCE finds it difficult to reach agreement on fundamental issues.
Emil Juraev, deputy director of the OSCE academy in Bishkek says while the OSCE has slightly shifted its focus to non-political activities in response to this kind of criticism, there will be no radical changes.
If the OSCE gains more political influence in Central Asia, the effect could be counterproductive, Kaznacheev believes, as this would “reinforce suspicions that the OSCE is a not a diplomatic organisation, but one that is pursuing a certain geopolitical line”.
Kyrgyz political scientist Mars Sariev says the OSCE will have to choose between imposing western values of human rights and democracy in Central Asia or engaging all five countries in dialogue,
“The reality of the political situation in the region is that promoting democratic standards – and above all human rights – in the western sense is ineffective in countries with traditional societies run by authoritarian regimes,” said Sariev.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
The current chairman of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE, Spanish foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, visited all five Central Asian capitals between April 10 and 14. Moratinos said Spain would be making Central Asia a priority for the OSCE this year.
The OSCE currently implements security, economic, humanitarian and environmental programmes in the Central Asian states – all of which are members of the grouping.
According to Kazakstan-based political scientist Maksim Kaznacheev, regional governments thing the OSCE is “lecturing” them on democracy, and their criticisms will mount unless it modifies a stance that they now regard as too political.
Kaznacheev thinks the OSCE should assert itself as a “completely independent entity”, so that it is not perceived to be driven by the European Union or the United States.
Russian and its allies have repeatedly criticised the OSCE for its public statements on the political situation in the post-Soviet countries; they think it should be reformed so that it treats all its members even-handedly. The EU and the US oppose any change of direction and according to Kazakstan-based analyst Eduard Poletaev, there are clear dividing lines on this issue within the OSCE’s membership.
Since the decision-making process is based on political consensus, the OSCE finds it difficult to reach agreement on fundamental issues.
Emil Juraev, deputy director of the OSCE academy in Bishkek says while the OSCE has slightly shifted its focus to non-political activities in response to this kind of criticism, there will be no radical changes.
If the OSCE gains more political influence in Central Asia, the effect could be counterproductive, Kaznacheev believes, as this would “reinforce suspicions that the OSCE is a not a diplomatic organisation, but one that is pursuing a certain geopolitical line”.
Kyrgyz political scientist Mars Sariev says the OSCE will have to choose between imposing western values of human rights and democracy in Central Asia or engaging all five countries in dialogue,
“The reality of the political situation in the region is that promoting democratic standards – and above all human rights – in the western sense is ineffective in countries with traditional societies run by authoritarian regimes,” said Sariev.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
