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Dear Colleagues, Thank you for your participation in the Central Asian Regional Follow-up Conference of the OSCE HDI Meeting “Human Dimension Commitments in Central Asia: Achievements and Challenges”, organized by the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, in cooperation with the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights and the International League for Human Rights. Our organization has proposed and organized this meeting to which we have invited members of human rights organizations from the Central Asian states, in cooperation with colleagues engaged with the problems of the region including Ramazan Dyryldaev (KCHR), Vitalii Pomonarev (Memorial) and Peter Zalmaev (International League for Human Rights). Financial support has been given by the government of Belgium, which will have the Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2006. The objectives of the project include: - To contribute to the implementation of human rights commitments made in the OSCE by the Central Asian states by discussing and debating these with NGOs in the region. The IHF realizes that many human rights activists in the region are frustrated by the OSCE and even confused about what it can achieve. We believe that more human rights NGOs and other members of civil society should engage their governments and OSCE structures on the basis of the commitments made. It is one of the things we can do to help citizens whose basic human rights are violated. - To strengthen our contacts with Central Asian NGOs and to help define monitoring and advocacy strategies. - To provide a forum that can contribute to understanding, cooperation and solidarity. The IHF will be represented at the meeting by Ulrich Fischer, IHF Vice President (German Helsinki Committee); Krassimir Kanev, member of the Executive Committee (Bulgarian Helsinki Committee); Brigitte Dufour, IHF Deputy Executive Director and Natalia Lazareva, IHF Project Coordinator. With all best wishes, Vienna, 20 January 2004 |
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