OSCE Envoy urges Kyrgyzstan to become example of good governance for Central Asia

BISHKEK, 21 May 2003 - The OSCE Chairman's Personal Envoy for Central Asia, former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, urged the Kyrgyz government to renew dialogue with civil society and opposition forces in order to secure a peaceful transition of power in forthcoming elections and "turn Kyrgyzstan into an example of good governance for the whole region."

Concluding a three-day visit to the country, he said the 55-nation OSCE would be a demanding but willing partner for Kyrgyzstan in reforming its legal system, judiciary and law enforcement agencies and in the fight against corruption.

Mr Ahtisaari was beginning his second working visit to Central Asia as Personal Envoy for the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Netherlands Foreign Minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

He met Kyrgyz President Askar Akaev, Deputy Prime Minister Joomart Otorbaev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Talant Kushchubekov and other senior officials, as well as ambassadors of OSCE participating States. Talks centred on recent developments in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia, security issues and co-operation between Kyrgyzstan and the OSCE.

Mr Ahtisaari also met representatives of NGOs and political parties, who raised questions about the development of democracy and freedom of the media and, in particular, the growing number of court cases against independent and opposition newspapers. Promising to raise these issues in talks with government officials, Mr Ahtisaari said: "There are universal values which must not be sacrificed."

First Deputy Prime Minister Kurmanbek Osmonov briefed Mr Ahtisaari on recent political developments as well as measures undertaken and envisaged by the government in constitutional reform and democratic transition. He emphasized the readiness of the Kyrgyz authorities to continue and develop co-operation with the OSCE and support the OSCE Academy in Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyzstan's first Ombudsman, Tursunbai Bakir uulu, who was elected recently, briefed the OSCE Envoy about his work and expressed gratitude for the support provided by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Mr Ahtisaari ended his trip with a visit to Kyrgyzstan's southern capital Osh, where he discussed problems of regional development and co-operation in the Ferghana valley with provincial governors and local authorities and met representatives of civil society and the media.