"OSCE participating countries' political will is key factor to resolve protracted conflicts"

Political will on part of OSCE participating countries is a key factor for the success of the Organization, including its efforts to resolve protracted conflicts, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office's Special Representative for Protracted Conflicts, Ambassador Bolat Nurgaliyev, said today.

The opportunity offered by the OSCE Summit to be held 1-2 December in Astana had to be used wisely, he said.

"In the vital interests of the Organization's future, we have to make the Astana Summit a success, the measure of which should be its tangible contribution to comprehensive security in international, Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian arenas," he said.

Discussing protracted conflicts, Nurgaliyev said that Kazakhstan's OSCE Chairmanship recognized that mediators, however persuasive their arguments may sound, can achieve only a fraction if there is a lack of political will on the sides to the conflict for lasting, comprehensive settlement.

"The OSCE's impressive collection of conflict prevention tools could be effective in this context - if there is political will to use them," the OSCE Secretary General, Marc Perrin de Brichambaut said.

"The OSCE is a unique forum in which participating States can seek to set new directions to fight transnational threats - from organized crime and cyber threats to trafficking and terrorism. It is also well-placed to contribute to efforts to address threats emanating from Afghanistan, and to work with that country to help create stability there," he said.


/Trend/