President Nazarbayev critical of OSCE election observers

Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev once again stated that Astana might refuse presence of the OSCE election observers when holding next elections, Newskaz.ru reports. “As President of the nation that hosted the OSCE summit in December 2010, I’m rather worried over slugging implementation of the Astana declaration. The ship named the OSCE keeps careening (…) We’ve seen attempts during national elections in some countries to use election observers as tools to exert pressure [on countries holding elections]. If the situation remains unchanged, we will have to refuse presence of observing missions in all elections”, President said at his March 2 meeting with all the ambassadors accredited in Kazakhstan. Head of State emphasized that it’s not only his opinion, ”but rather an opinion voiced throughout the CIS”. “One can hear surprising things, things hard to explain (…) Some observers praise the election process in the run-up, out of a sudden starting speaking of the elections mystically falling short of some standards”, Nazarbayev said. “We are fully aware that they come with statements prepared well in advance of the elections … and they voice the same things following the elections (…) all this undermines the significance of the OSCE as an institute of mutual trust”, he said. According to Nazarbayev, the OSCE has failed to be a forum to find a recipe to exit the economic dead-end that all the member states are facing. “Drawbacks of the system are obvious to everyone; however, issues of economy are still outside the OSCE’s priorities”. “The Organization has got stuck with the military dimension… the Corfu process has halted … Kazakhstan’s suggestions on expanding security baskets haven’t been put to practice. I hope you will convey our concerns to your respective governments and international organizations”, President said addressing to the ambassadors.