OSCE Cyber Crime Initiatives in Central Asia under Discussion in Vienna

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko took part in a regional event of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on the safety of journalists titled "Beyond the Headlines: Protecting Journalists to Advance Media Freedom", press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

The Office of OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro hosted the event. Among attendees were representatives of the media, academia and civil society from Central Asia and Mongolia.

During the meeting, the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) presented to the participants national tools and initiatives related to the safety of journalists, including recommendations developed by the Office - "OSCE RFoM Safety of journalists Toolbox" and "Guidelines for monitoring online violence against female journalists".

Teresa Ribeiro noted the importance of holding such events, which serve as a platform for an open exchange of views on positive initiatives aimed at strengthening the safety of journalists as the most important foundation for media freedom, democracy and security.

Roman Vassilenko stated that since Kazakhstan’s independence, the development of multifaceted cooperation with the OSCE and within the Organization has been one of the strategic priorities of our country’s foreign policy.

It was stressed that cooperation with the OSCE fully corresponds to the conceptual vision of Kazakhstan’s development in implementing the reforms initiated by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. While going through the systemic transformation, Kazakhstan takes into account the best practices and recommendations of international organizations such as the United Nations and the OSCE.

In this regard, the Kazakh diplomat thanked Ribeiro for the expert recommendations developed by the Office of the Representative for Freedom of the Media to the draft law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Mass Media", which was signed by the Head of State on June 19, 2024.

Deputy Minister Vassilenko highlighted that free and independent media are of fundamental importance for sustainable development, protection of human rights and strengthening of democracy. According to him, the safety of journalists is a prerequisite for the exercise of the universal and inalienable right to freedom of expression and freedom of the media.

Vice Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kanat Iskakov, emphasized in his remarks the firm commitment of the country’s leadership to continue creating the most favorable conditions for journalists, establishing and strengthening the legal framework for protecting freedom of speech, and ensuring the safety of journalists. He provided detailed information about the provisions introduced by the new Law on Mass Media, which, according to him, "fully complies with all international standards, as well as the hopes and aspirations of the Kazakhstan’s journalistic community." Iskakov highlighted the commitment to maintain close cooperation with the Office of the OSCE RFoM and journalists to strengthen their safety, including at the regional level.

As an outcome of the event, the parties agreed to continue the constructive partnership between the OSCE and Kazakhstan, in particular, in the implementation of systemic measures taken by the Government of Kazakhstan to protect freedom of speech and improve the legal guarantees of journalists.

 

Consultations on Latin American issues at the level of department directors were held within the framework of the Plan of Measures on Cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation for 2023-2024, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

The Kazakh side was headed by Ruslan Urazalin, Director of the Department of America of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, and the Russian side was headed by Aleksander Shchetinin, Director of the Latin American Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

During the consultations, the sides shared their experience in the field of co-operation with the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, exchanged views on a wide range of issues on the regional agenda, and agreed to continue the practice of regular consultations between the foreign ministries.

 

As part of deepening cultural cooperation between Kazakhstan and Poland, “Uly dala tany” (“Dawn of the Great Steppe”) by director Akan Satayev was screened in the European capital, showing viewers the history of the strengthening of Kazakh statehood, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

The event was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, parliamentarians, figures of socio-political and business circles of Poland, as well as students of Kazakhstan.

In his welcoming speech, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Poland Alim Kirabayev drew attention to the main milestones in the development of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Poland, going back to the Middle Ages, and emphasized that the promotion of historical films significantly contributes to the understanding of cultural heritage, contributing to even greater rapprochement between the peoples of the two countries and enriching inter-civilizational dialogue.

After the film screening, the audience shared their impressions, noting the deep emotional response caused by the movie. In particular, the guests of the event emphasized the historically important events that led to the heyday of the Kazakh Khanate during the reign of khan Kasym.

The audience also noted that they learnt a lot about the ancient rich traditions and cultural peculiarities of the Kazakh people, including military strategies, customs and everyday life.

 

Director of the Department of America of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Ruslan Urazalin during his visit to the Russian Federation held meetings with the Ambassadors of the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Guatemala and Salvador, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

During the talks, the sides discussed issues on the bilateral agenda, including organization of bilateral visits, holding political consultations, expansion of the treaty-legal base, exchange of mutual support within the framework of multilateral structures and facilitation of visa regime with the countries of the region.

It was also agreed to further maintain permanent contacts to expand the areas of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.

 

Online meeting of the Special Working Group of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) held under the Chairmanship of Talgat Kaliyev, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Kazakhstan, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

At the meeting, Member States reviewed the draft outcome document of the Ministerial Conference on Environmental Issues, and Action Plan of the CICA Think Tank Forum, as well as draft concept paper on Security of and in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for 2024-2025.

In addition, participants discussed the draft joint Action Plan of the CICA and Eurasian Economic Commission, draft Memorandum of Cooperation with the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) , as well as prospects for establishing collaboration with the UN Counter-Terrorism Office.

Following the meeting, the SWG participants recommended to the CICA Senior Officials Committee to make decision upon the discussed matters at the next SOC meeting on 27 June 2024 in Astana.

 

Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu had a meeting with OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta Ian Borg as part of his official visit to Astana, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

The officials discussed the current situation within the OSCE and its internal dynamics, exchanging views on potential avenues to enhance trust and restore constructive dialogue among its participating States.

Murat Nurtleu underscored the indispensability of the OSCE as a key negotiation platform for resolving crises in the Organization’s area of responsibility. He assured that Kazakhstan will continue contributing to the bolstering of the OSCE and supporting the Chairperson-in-Office’s efforts in the spirit of the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and the 2010 Astana Declaration.

In his turn, Ian Borg presented Malta’s priorities at the helm of the OSCE, emphasizing efforts aimed at strengthening the Organization’s stability towards a safe and peaceful future.

The parties also reviewed cooperation on issues such as combating international terrorism and extremism, illegal trafficking of drugs and weapons, illegal migration, and border security. They also touched upon enhancing transportation connectivity and addressing environmental issues in the Central Asian region.

Their discussions also focused on further constructive interaction between Kazakhstan and Organization institutions, including the OSCE Program Office in Astana, in implementing joint projects aimed at promoting systemic reforms and sustainable development in Kazakhstan.

With respect to bilateral cooperation, the sides highlighted promising areas such as maritime logistics, trade, and tourism.

The OSCE Chair-in-Office expressed his support for President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s course towards establishing a "Just and Fair Kazakhstan" and highly appreciated the country’s contribution to regional stability and security. He emphasized the critical need for more active participation and cooperation amid numerous crises within the OSCE’s area. In this regard, Ian Borg expressed readiness to further strengthen cooperation with Kazakhstan across all three dimensions of OSCE security: politico-military, the economic and environmental, and the human dimensions.

Following the talks, the two ministers agreed to maintain regular dialogue both bilaterally and within regional platforms.

 

Experts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and South Korea discussed the region's mineral resources at the 2024 Korea-Central Asia Next-Generation Dialogue on Monday, press service of the Ministry of Industry and Construction reports.

This year, the dialogue focused on global supply chain cooperation, with "core minerals" aligning with President Yoon Seok-yeol's agenda during his recent visit to Central Asia.

The Korean government plans to enhance cooperation in key mineral supply chains with Central Asian countries through the "K-Silk Road" initiative.

South Korea's new diplomatic strategy seeks to connect Asia and Europe by deepening ties with Central Asia.

Speaking with The Korea Herald [https://m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20240625050458] on the sidelines of the forum, Kazakhstan's Deputy Chairman of the Industry Committee, Turar Zholmagambetov, discussed Kazakhstan's ambition to become a midstream country in battery materials and plans to establish five plants producing lithium cathode, nickel, and cobalt within the next four to five years.

Spodumene is a lithium aluminum silicate mineral crucial as a commercial source of lithium.

The forum is seen as a step forward in South Korea's strategy to build stronger supply chain partnerships with Central Asia to connect Asia and Europe through enhanced cooperation in the key mineral sector.

 

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko met with Ambassador of the Italian Republic to the Republic of Kazakhstan Marco Alberti, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

The parties discussed current issues on the bilateral agenda, the progress of investment projects, the expansion of the legal framework, as well as planned high-level contacts and cultural and humanitarian events in the year of the 15th anniversary of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Italy.

Roman Vassilenko noted the importance of implementing the agreements reached during the official visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to the Italian Republic in January 2024, as well as the need to maintain the dynamics of contacts at the highest level.

The diplomats agreed that the first Astana-Milan flight scheduled for early July by "Neos" airline, as well as the eventual launch of a regular service in the near future, will give a significant impetus to the entire spectrum of Kazakh-Italian relations.

In turn, Marco Alberti informed about the activities of the Italian Cultural Center in Almaty and shared plans for the implementation of cultural and image projects aimed at strengthening humanitarian ties between the two countries.

In addition, the interlocutors noted with satisfaction the positive dynamics in the development of contacts in the field of education and science, including the planned launch of a double degree program with one of the leading Italian university in the field of agriculture this fall.

At the same time, the Kazakh diplomat raised the issue of facilitating the EU visa regime for citizens of Kazakhstan. Expressing gratitude to the Italian side for its support in this matter, Roman Vassilenko noted that promoting dialogue and achieving specific measures in this area would help create favorable conditions for intensifying mutually beneficial interaction in all areas of cooperation.