Policy Brief Number 3: The OSCE Political-Military and Security Dimension

Kazakhstan sought the position of OSCE Chairman-in-Office for a number of reasons, including enhanced security and national prestige. Kazakhstan can only achieve these latter goals if it is an active chairman. The agenda Astana adopts should reflect Eurasia’s multiple security challenges as well as the OSCE’s declining capacity to serve as an effective security organization. Accordingly, this policy brief focuses on issues in the OSCE’s security basket that merit Kazakhstan’s sustained attention where, if successful, Kazakhstan will help alleviate threats to its own security, as well as enhance the security of both Central Asia and Europe.