Kazakhstan favours increased OSCE presence in S Ossetia

Astana (Kazakhstan), Aug 22 (UNI) Kazakhstan, which will assume Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2010, has expressed concern at the ''serious'' deterioration of conditions for peaceful resolution of the conflict in South Ossetia and called for increased presence of OSCE observers in the conflict zone.

''We stand for increase in the number of the OSCE observers in the conflict zone and their more active role,'' the Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry said in a statement here.

Kazakhstan, which switched over to democracy from a Presidential form of government last August, will assume Chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2010.

The statement said the latest developments in South Ossetia and the entire region required unbiased and balanced assessment as they relate to a range of principal issues.

An attempt to resolve a complicated ethno-territorial issue by the use of force that took place in South Ossetia, led to grave consequences and the conditions for law-based and peaceful resolution of the conflict have severely deteriorated, it added.

It said that given the humanitarian disaster in the region, it is obvious that henceforth the resolution of ethno-territorial problems is to be based upon the recognised international legal base.

''We welcome the arrangements that have been reached by the Presidents of Russia, France, Georgia, as well as by the leadership of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. It is necessary for all parties involved in the conflict to strictly follow these terms,'' the Foreign Ministry statement said.

The statement added Kazakhstan also supported the way the Russia's leadership proposed to resolve the given issue within the framework of the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act of 1975 and International pacts of 1966 and other fundamental documents of the International Law.

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