New OSCE Academy in Kyrgyzstan inaugurated
(OSCE/Rainer Hermann)A Kyrgyz student reads an OSCE factsheet at the inauguration ceremony of the new OSCE Academy in Bishkek,
December 2002. (OSCE/Rainer Hermann) Photo details
BISHKEK, 18 December 2002 - A new study and research institute on regional security issues, the OSCE Academy, was inaugurated in Kyrgyzstan yesterday.
"This Academy is a unique institution of a new type that will facilitate the development of democratic processes in Kyrgyzstan", said the Kyrgyz President, Askar Akaev, in an address at the opening ceremony, which was held in the country's capital, Bishkek.
The OSCE Academy's curriculum will include training programmes for experts and scientific research on regional security issues in the context of the OSCE's principles on comprehensive and co-operative security.
"The Academy is designed to become a centre of competence that will support the understanding and investigation of foreign policy questions with which Kyrgyzstan is confronted. In addition, it will help the OSCE to obtain information on this country and the whole region of Central Asia", President Akaev added.
In order to support this Kyrgyz initiative, the OSCE has secured funding for a six-month initial phase through donations of the Swiss and German governments. A first set cycle of lectures on regional security will start on 18 December, with the participation of Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Kazakh and American scholars.
In his opening speech, Ambassador Herbert Salber, Special Adviser to the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on Central Asia, commended the Kyrgyz authorities. "Not many people would have expected that concrete steps would be taken so quickly after the first proposal at the beginning of this year", he said. "What has been achieved in the last few months is a remarkable example of the OSCE's ability to act quickly and achieve results."
Other participants at the opening ceremony were the Kyrgyz Prime Minister, Nikolai Tanaev, the Acting Director of the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Steven Wagenseil, Counsellor Wicher Slagter of the incoming Dutch OSCE Chairmanship, and the Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, Ambassador Aydin Idil.
"This Academy is a unique institution of a new type that will facilitate the development of democratic processes in Kyrgyzstan", said the Kyrgyz President, Askar Akaev, in an address at the opening ceremony, which was held in the country's capital, Bishkek.
The OSCE Academy's curriculum will include training programmes for experts and scientific research on regional security issues in the context of the OSCE's principles on comprehensive and co-operative security.
"The Academy is designed to become a centre of competence that will support the understanding and investigation of foreign policy questions with which Kyrgyzstan is confronted. In addition, it will help the OSCE to obtain information on this country and the whole region of Central Asia", President Akaev added.
In order to support this Kyrgyz initiative, the OSCE has secured funding for a six-month initial phase through donations of the Swiss and German governments. A first set cycle of lectures on regional security will start on 18 December, with the participation of Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Kazakh and American scholars.
In his opening speech, Ambassador Herbert Salber, Special Adviser to the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on Central Asia, commended the Kyrgyz authorities. "Not many people would have expected that concrete steps would be taken so quickly after the first proposal at the beginning of this year", he said. "What has been achieved in the last few months is a remarkable example of the OSCE's ability to act quickly and achieve results."
Other participants at the opening ceremony were the Kyrgyz Prime Minister, Nikolai Tanaev, the Acting Director of the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Steven Wagenseil, Counsellor Wicher Slagter of the incoming Dutch OSCE Chairmanship, and the Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, Ambassador Aydin Idil.