Kazakhstan will celebrate the New Year by fulfilling a cherished ambition: on January 1 it assumes the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. But an OSCE Ministerial Council meeting, held in Athens December 1-2, offered a stark reminder that doubts remain over Kazakhstan's suitability for the job, due to its controversial record on political and democratic freedoms.
A top OSCE official says Kazakhstan's human rights record is a challenge to its forthcoming presidency of the group.
Human rights groups have expressed concern that Kazakhstan will take the chair of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) next month.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) encouraged Kazakhstan to continue its efforts to diversify its economy and stop relying on commodity prices as an engine for economic growth, visiting EBRD executive said.
He says that his ultimate aim is to overthrow Mr. Nazarbayev, even though he could be caught up in British courts for years to come. "I am just here temporarily," he insisted. "In the end I will return to Kazakhstan."
