Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-03-16-Speech-4-207"
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"en.20060316.24.4-207"2
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".
Mr President, there is much to say about Kazakhstan. On the one hand, Kazakhstan is and should be a key partner for promoting stability and regional cooperation in Central Asia. Indeed, it is the most important of these countries and it is also rich in energy supplies and therefore it is being courted by many countries today.
Let us analyse President Nazarbayev’s State of the Nation address on 1 March. It was very comprehensive on economic development. However, it was not very detailed on the programme of democratic reforms, despite promises of a programme of democratic changes and promises to the international community. The concept of ‘managed democracy’ was reconfirmed; in fact, it was reinforced.
Let me say a few words about the positive side and the negative side, because we have to see both sides. On a positive note, I would like to welcome Kazakhstan’s ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in January this year. This is a good step. We also hope that Kazakhstan will now take steps to ratify the optional protocols allowing individual complaints. The continuing moratorium on the death penalty is also a step in the right direction.
On the negative side, and as regards issues we should criticise, what has happened to the leading political opposition leader Mr Sarsenbayev is of the utmost concern to us. His murder points towards a very dangerous trend of criminalisation in Kazakh politics. In the absence of clear constitutional mechanisms guaranteeing a peaceful transfer of executive power in Kazakhstan, this development is clearly worrying. We have therefore urged the authorities to ensure complete transparency in the investigation process. I am pleased that the FBI can go there, but some Europeans should be there as well. We are also following very closely the investigation into the murder of Oksana Nikitina, the daughter of another prominent member of the opposition. I have also been very troubled by reports on harassment of opposition figures following two peaceful memorial marches in Almaty, held after Mr Sarsenbayev’s funeral. Some of you have alluded to that.
I would also like to mention the two essential issues of media freedom and restrictions on civil society. We are concerned at reports of numerous instances of harassment of journalists and actions taken against five newspapers and one opposition website. The new law on national security, adopted in July 2005, also permits undue restrictions on civil society and NGO activities.
We have welcomed, on the one hand, improvements noted by the OSCE/ODIHR in the administration of the December 2005 presidential election – a few of you were there to observe them. However, we also regret that the election did not meet a number of OSCE commitments and that no action was taken to amend the legislative framework in line with OSCE/ODIHR recommendations. We will certainly want to continue to monitor the investigations about alleged malpractices.
One lingering core concern is political freedom. For the sake of its internal stability, Kazakhstan needs a political opposition and it is urgent for the authorities to legalise political opposition parties and open a real dialogue with them, for example through the state commission on democratisation, which is to be established soon and chaired by President Nazarbayev. In particular I think that the Kazakh authorities will reconsider their refusal to register the opposition political parties Alga and True Ak Zhol.
I would very much welcome it if you form a parliamentary delegation and if you reinforce your cooperation with delegations from Kazakhstan. It is another very important channel to give them clear messages and it is also an opportunity. Let us not prejudge a decision on Kazakhstan’s bid for the chairmanship of the OSCE in 2009. Perhaps it might provide Kazakhstan with an important challenge in achieving higher standards of democracy.
Finally, we are also concerned about reports of numerous instances of harassment of journalists and actions taken against five newspapers and one opposition website. The new law on national security that was adopted in July last year also permits undue restrictions on civil society and NGO activities. I think therefore that this is a country with which we have to engage very strongly but at the same time we have to deliver firm messages."@en1
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