OSCE publishes official final declaration of Astana summit

The official website of the OSCE published today the text of the final declaration of the summit, held from December 1-2 in the Kazakh capital of Astana. The document was adopted by 56 countries.

The declaration consists of 13 paragraphs. In the paragraphs the participating countries reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring a free, democratic, common and indivisible Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian space, stretching from Vladivostok to Vancouver, with respect to common aims, obligations and commitments.

The text of the final declaration excludes provisions related to negotiation processes of settling the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the situation in Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as well as other frozen conflicts. As previously reported, the parties failed to reach consensus on these issues.

Lithuania will become the president of the organization in 2011, followed by Ireland in 2012. In 2013 the OSCE will be headed by Ukraine.