Acceptance of amendments to Law on Religion can negatively affect OSCE chairmanship
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Nurlan Yermekbayev, at the session on Tuesday of the Constitutional Council for consideration of the law accepted by Parliament on consistency with the Constitution of the country stated acceptance by Kazakhstan of the amendments to the Law on Religion can negatively affect its chairmanship in OSCE, the agency reports.
Astana. February 11. Kazakhstan Today - Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Nurlan Yermekbayev, at the session on Tuesday of the Constitutional Council for consideration of the law accepted by Parliament on consistency with the Constitution of the country stated acceptance by Kazakhstan of the amendments to the Law on Religion can negatively affect its chairmanship in OSCE, the agency reports.
The law, in case it will come into force, will instigate even more criticism from the international community and will affect participation of Kazakhstan in the work of 'OSCE Three' and its chairmanship in the OSCE," N. Ermekbayev said.
"Acceptance of the law by Parliament caused a new wave of criticism from the international community," he noted. "The press release of the Bureau for Democratic Institutes and Human Rights of OSCE has been published criticizing the law on behalf of the European Union. The critical remarks were sounded at the session of Foreign Ministers in Helsinki and in the final report of OSCE/ODIHR of January, 2009," Vice Minister emphasized.
On January, 8th, 2009, the Constitutional Council of Kazakhstan accepted for consideration the request of the head of the state, Nursultan Nazarbayev, to check the law for its consistency with the Constitution of the country. The law was accepted by Parliament on November, 26th, 2008 and was forwarded to the President to be signed into law on December, 2nd.
The Constitutional Council continues consideration if the law corresponds to the norms of the Constitution.
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Olzhas Bektenov pays working visit to Bishkek
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On the instructions of the Head of State, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov made a short-term working visit to the Kyrgyz Republic, primeminister.kz reports.
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Kazakh-Uzbek tandem is a vital need, says President Tokayev
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