Current affairs

Central Asia plays a key role in the OSCE, both as a region facing several challenges and as an active participant and supporter of the Organization’s plans to intensify engagement with Afghanistan, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb said today. “Building stability, prosperity and democracy in this region is vitally important for the whole OSCE area,” Stubb told the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Annual Session, held in Astana.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, will visit Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan from 30 June to 2 July.

High-level representatives from the five countries holding the 2007-2011 OSCE Chairmanships met today at the invitation of this year’s OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, to discuss enhanced co-ordination and common priority areas.

The export promotion trip to Kazakhstan led by Paula Lehtomäki, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, has made it clear that Finland is an interesting cooperation partner for the country as it strives to diversify its economic structure. During her trip, Minister Lehtomäki had talks, among others, with Karim Massimov, who was appointed the new Prime Minister on Wednesday, 10 January.