Statement
by
H.E. Mr. Kassymzhomart K. Tokaev
The Secretary of State - Minister for Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Kazakhstan at the meeting of the Council of Ministers
of Foreign Affairs of the Euro-AtIantic Partnership Council Member States
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and gentlemen!
First of all, let me express my sincere gratitude to the Government
of Iceland and NATO leadership for excellent organization of the Ministerial
meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council Member States.
An outbreak of terrorism and violence has shown vulnerability of the
standard schemes of providing security at a global and regional levels.
A new epoch requires adequate and efficient political approaches to
combat emerging threats. In response to new challenges we should elaborate
new and more effective forms of prediction and counteraction on the part
of the world community. It is gratifying to realize that EAPC has been
successfully moving forward in this direction.
Kazakhstan positively regards the forthcoming signing on 28 May this
year in Rome at the NATO-Russia Summit of the document on the establishment
of "the twenty". This historic step is an indication of the
growing urge of the Alliance to reach consensus-based decisions related
to all Eurasian countries.
We support the main ideas on the Partnership review process pointed out
in the Chairman's report.
As for the mechanism of EAPC activity it is important, in our view,
to envisage a possibility of using a "19+n" formula on a wider
scale in order to make cooperation with all the partner- states more dynamic
and in compliance with their specific interests, without creating dividing
lines inside Partnership. In this context Kazakhstan also deserves attention
on the part of the Alliance.
Proceeding on this assumption we support the initiative of Sweden and
Finland. This primarily refers to the participation of our countries in
decision-making, ensuring transparency of this process, developing the
PARP process, widening the range of PfP exercises, cooperating in combating
terrorism, developing a potential for civil emergency planning.
We believe that the time has come to apply more flexible approach for
financing of cooperation with partner-countries taking into consideration
their concrete priorities.
In this regard, of great interest is a proposal envisaging the use of
a trust fund model for Central Asian countries on humanitarian issues
to strengthen a potential of the states of the region in terms of their
participation in relevant EAPC activities. Kazakhstan is looking forward
to work actively in this field.
The experience of Kazakhstan who contributes to the activities of antiterrorist
coalition testifies to our readiness to work with EAPC on
the settlement of common issues.
I would also like to inform you that the Summit of the Conference on
Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia to be held on 4th
June in Almaty, for the first time in Asia will create a Forum for dialogue
and consultations on a wide spectrum of issues. The necessity of establishing
such a forum in the context of the latest events in the Central Asian
region is quite evident.
Mr. Chairman,
The urgency of addressing the problem of terrorism is indisputable.
At the same time we should not deliberately narrow a sphere of our attention
to this problem only.
One of the most significant elements of the global strategy of combating
terrorism is not only persecution of terrorist organizations but also
intensification of efforts to prevent possession by them of the weapons
of mass destruction into their hands.
No security is ensured without conservation, reinforcement and universalisation
of the existing WMD non-proliferation regimes. International agreements
need improvement to be adjusted to current realities- It is important
to undertake measures to carry out elaboration, universalisation and improvement
of verification mechanisms- The solution of problems of illicit drug trafficking,
illegal migration and ecology must also become a priority issue on the
EAPC Agenda.
Mr. Chairman,
Kazakhstan is interested in developing co-operation with NATO/EAffC
in combating the aforementioned threats. We propose to focus attention
on the following directions of our joint co-operation:
- exchange of information on the issues of combating terrorism, organized
crime and drug trafficking;
- opening of NATO Information center in Kazakhstan;
- creation of the EAPC body that will be responsible for coordination
of activities, exchange of information and sharing experience at the
level of the heads of antiterrorist structures;
- strengthening a border security infrastructure aimed at preventing
the smuggling of WMD, conventional weapons, dual-use materials;
- improvement of the legal basis in the sphere of export control and
border security.
Kazakhstan is also interested in widening and strengthening cooperation
within the framework of the programmes "Investments in security"
and "Science for Peace", as well as in combating illicit drug
trafficking.
Mr.Chairman,
There is no alternative to good will and cooperation in the process
of combating new threats in the new century. Our goal is to create the
necessary political conditions for the realization of such cooperation.
In conclusion I would like to express hope that the forthcoming Prague
EAPC Summit will find answers to the questions of further strengthening
partnership relations within NATO/EAPC.
Thank you for your attention.
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