OSCE Bishkek workshop reviews democratic control of armed forces

BISHKEK, 26 November 2002 - The first of a series of Central Asian workshops on politico-military aspects of security ended in the Kyrgyz capital Bishek today.

Opening the two-day meeting, Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Askar Aitmatov, emphasized the importance of the event, by saying: "Democratic control of the armed forces is not an abstract thing, but very urgent and important, particularly in our fight against terrorism and trafficking."

The principle of democratic control of the armed forces is enshrined in the OSCE's Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security, adopted at the Budapest Summit in 1994.

"We have to go a long way in co-operation in order to reduce tensions and the risks of conflicts in Kyrgyzstan and in Central Asia," said Ambassador Aydin Idil, Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, which organized the event together with the OSCE's Conflict Prevention Centre and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The workshop, officially entitled "Implementation of the Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security and the Confidence Building Measures" provided representatives of Kyrgyz security structures with an opportunity to exchange views and experiences not only among themselves, but also with OSCE and foreign experts.