OSCE Centre supports visit to military air bases in Kazakhstan under Vienna Document

ASTANA, 16 September 2013 – Some 70 military officers from 29 OSCE participating States took part in a military briefing today co-organized by the Centre in Astana and the Defence Ministry of Kazakhstan in Astana.

The briefing starts a four-day visit to Kazakhstan conducted under the Vienna Document 2011 that envisages information sharing and regular visits of the OSCE participating States' representatives to each other's military bases. Military officers from OSCE participating States are scheduled to visit an air base in Karaganda, central Kazakhstan, and the Air Assault Brigade Base in Astana.

The visit to Kazakhstan aims to promote the sharing of information, including details on the number of air sorties and the types of missions conducted, with the ultimate goal to enhance mutual trust and military transparency.

Ambassador Natalia Zarudna, Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana, said in her welcome speech: “Air base visits are convened under the Vienna Document once every five years, which makes this week’s event an exceptionally important one. The transparent demonstration by the OSCE participating states of their military capabilities and resources is designed to promote and enhance trust between them, as well as to strengthen peace and stability in our region and beyond.”

Bagdat Maikeev, Kazakhstan's Deputy Defence Minister, added: "The OSCE has established itself as an active forum for dialogue between the participating States to maintain peace and stability in its region. Mechanisms the OSCE has developed and updated continue to play an important role in shaping a Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian security community based on the concept of comprehensive, co-operative, equal and indivisible security.” In the Astana Commemorative Declaration: Towards a Security Community adopted in December 2010, all OSCE participating States have reiterated their commitment to this principle, he said.

This is the first time when officers from Mongolia, the newest participating State in the OSCE, will take part in an air base visit in the framework of the Vienna Document. Representatives of the inter-governmental organization Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia have been also invited to visit the military installations in Karaganda and Astana.

The OSCE Centre in Astana has been organizing events in support of the Vienna Document in Kazakhstan since 2007. The visit is part of the Centre's long-standing efforts to promote OSCE confidence- and security-building Measures and regional security.