OSCE Centre in Astana conducts regional seminar on Vienna Document 2011

ASTANA, 30 May 2012 - A three-day regional training seminar for military officers on the practical implementation of the Vienna Document 2011 began in Astana today.

The Vienna Document was adopted by all OSCE participating States and obliges the countries to share information on their armed forces and military activities. It also contains provisions on compliance and verification, such as conducting and hosting inspections and evaluations, as well as on risk reduction, military contacts and co-operation, and prior notification of certain military activities.

The OSCE Centre in Astana is organizing the event in co-operation with Kazakhstan's Defence Ministry. More than 30 military representatives from Armenia, Belarus, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan will take part in the seminar to discuss developments in the field of confidence- and security-building measures (CSBM), which are the focus of the Vienna Document 2011. Implementation aspects such as inspection procedures, experience exchange and the demonstration of weapons and equipment systems are also on the agenda.

“The seminar is an excellent opportunity for participants from the broader region to discuss progress made on the implementation of one of the OSCE’s most important instruments to ensure stability, accountability and transparency in the military sphere. The 2011 update of the Vienna Document is an important part of the implementation of the 2010 Astana Commemorative Declaration, adopted at the OSCE summit in Astana,” said Jeannette Kloetzer, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana.

“Compliance with arms control regimes and participating in confidence and security measures are important for stable and peaceful co-existence. I believe this seminar will contribute to regional security not only in Central Asia and the Caucasus, but also throughout the entire OSCE area,” said General B. Maykeev, the Vice Minister of Defence of Kazakhstan.

The seminar will include theoretical exercises and a simulated inspection visit to the 36th Air Assault Brigade near Astana. The participants will carry out an evaluation in accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Document on compliance and verification, and produce a report.

The OSCE Centre in Astana has been organizing seminars on the Vienna Document in Kazakhstan since 2007. The seminar is part of the Centre's long-standing efforts to promote OSCE CSBMs and regional security.