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Rules of Procedure for OSCE Ministerial Council for Rhodesmrc PAM Award 2012 Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Ministerial Council Topic Area A : “The frozen conflicts in post-Soviet states and Caucasus: Ways for the enforcement of peace and security” Study Guide for the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in the 6th Rhodes Model Regional Co-operation to be held in Rhodes, October 14-18, 2015. Version 1.0 – Pages 20 – Last update: 06/09/2015 © 2015 by the House of Europe in Rhodes. All Rights Reserved. Inspired by the “Guide for Research and Effective Public Speaking” drafted for RhodesMRC 2010-2012 and ThessISMUN 2010-2013 Contributors: Emmanouil Kalaintzis, Magdalene Tsourdiou, Stavros Kourmpetis, Chrysa Tramountana Editor: Michael G. Kavuklis RhodesMRC 2015 - Study Guide for the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Contents Presentation of the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe….3 From Soviet Union to post-soviet States…………………………………………….4 The frozen conflicts in Caucasus……………………………………………………... a. General information about Caucasus……………………………..……...……4 b. Introduction……………………………………………………………………..5 c. The Creation of the south Caucasus States and the issue of the de facto independent States……………………………………………………………………5 d. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic……...……….………………...………….6 e. The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic...………………………..………..... 8 f. Abkhazia and South Ossetia…………………………………………...…......11 Post-Soviet Situations…………………………………………………………………. a. Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (Transnistria)………………..……..13 b. Crimea and the Federal State of Novorossiya…………………………….16 Conclusions………………………………………………………………………….18 Ideas for propositions………………………………………………………………19 Bibliography………………………………………………………………………...20 Additional research material………………………………………………………21 Version 1.0 – Last update: 24/07/2015 2/20 © 2015 by the House of Europe in Rhodes. All Rights Reserved. RhodesMRC 2015 - Study Guide for the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) 1.Presentation of the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe 1 The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe is an institution that today counts 57 participating States and it constitutes the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its secretariat is located in Vienna, Austria, and OSCE has its origins in the 1975 Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) held in Helsinki, Finland. According to the Organization’s rules of procedure, all member States are equal and in order for the Ministerial Court to reach a decision on a resolution, a Consensus is required. Although, the Resolution is a non-binding document, it is considerably important to understand how the Organization and its Member-States analyze each and every situation and issue. This August, the OSCE celebrated the 40 years since the signification of the Helsinki Final Act by 35 States, a fact that changed the future of the Organization. Helsinki Final Act represents a political commitment by national governments to build security and cooperation in Europe. The OSCE has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military [called Politico-military dimension (first dimension)], economic and environmental [called Economic and environmental dimension (second dimension)] , and human aspects [called Human dimension (third dimension)]. It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, border management, military reform confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, national minorities, and democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities. The OSCE’s institutions are: “The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co- operation in Europe”, “The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)”, “The Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media”, “The High Commissioner on National Minorities”. Last but not least, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is an observer in the United Nations General Assembly. 1 Resource of the OSCE logo, from the official site http://www.osce.org Version 1.0 – Last update: 24/07/2015 3/20 © 2015 by the House of Europe in Rhodes. All Rights Reserved. RhodesMRC 2015 - Study Guide for the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) 2. From Soviet Union to post-soviet States The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a union of minor communistic republics that was born after the Russian Revolution of 1917. After the end of the imperial Russia a second revolution followed in which the Bolsheviks with leader Lenin established the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic. On 28 December 1922, the Russian SFSR, the Transcaucasian SFSR, the Ukrainian SSR and the Byelorussian SSR approved the Treaty of Creation of the USSR and so the USSR was born. The USSR for many years was one of the greatest States in the world and one of the two great super powers. The USSR’s part in the fight against Nazism was very important for the end of World War II. The USSR lasted for many decades but since the Cold War and for the last twenty years of its existence was in great decline. 1991 was the year that the USSR was dissolved. On 8 December 1991, the presidents of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus signed the Belavezha Accords. With these Accords the Soviet Union was dissolved and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was established in its place. On 25 December 1991, Gorbachev resigned as the President of the USSR and the Russian Federation has assumed the Soviet Union's rights and obligations. 3. The frozen conflicts in Caucasus 3.1.1 General information about Caucasus The Caucasus is an area located in Eurasia between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. The landscape of Caucasus is well-known for the huge complexes of high mountains called as Caucasian Mountains. This area was one of the most important ways for the famous Silk Road. The Region is divided geographically. All the north territory is part of the Russian Federation divided among several political entities. The South Caucasus area spans the southern portion of the Caucasus Mountains and its lowlands, straddles the border between the two continents of Europe and Asia and extends from the southern part of the Greater Caucasus mountains. 3.1.2 Introduction The land of Caucasus has always been a theater of conflicts. From the times of the ancients Persians, Greeks and Romans, to more moderns struggles between the Ottoman Empire, Iran, Imperial/ Soviet Russia. Nowadays after the collapse of the Soviet Union the area is more than ever a district of significant importance for matter of international diplomacy and international law. The revive of ethnic rivalries, the major opportunities for rapid economic development due the plenty of fuel resources and the geopolitical importance of the Caucasian states make the Caucasian issue a flaming one. The complexity of the Caucasian Issue is huge as the interests of four States, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Russian Federation, prove. For these reasons it a matter of vital importance to assist with the help of diplomacy the Caucasian ceasefire in order to ensure stability in the region. Version 1.0 – Last update: 24/07/2015 4/20 © 2015 by the House of Europe in Rhodes. All Rights Reserved. RhodesMRC 2015 - Study Guide for the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) 3.1.3 The Creation of the south Caucasus States and the issue of the de facto independent States After the collapse of the Soviet Union many of the former soviet republics of south Caucasus declared their independence. First was Georgia on 8th_of April 1991, followed by Azerbaijan on 30th of August 1991 and Armenia on 21st of September 1991. South Caucasus has also been at the center of post-cold war geopolitical rivalries between the newly autonomous republics. Some of the autonomous republics within these republics also declared their independence. As a result in this area are located two de facto yet not internationally recognized independent states the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (Naxçıvan Muxtar Respublikası) and Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի Հանրապետություն). Apart from those two de facto States, there are also the chases of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and their relationship with the Russia Federation. 2 3.1.4. The Nagorno- Karabakh Republic3 Nagorno-Karabakh is located in the south-west of Azerbaijan. It is an area inhabited mostly by Armenians but is not geographically attached to Armenia. With the establishment of soviet control over the area the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) was created within the Azerbaijan SSR in 1923, but the parliament of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) in Azerbaijan voted to unify the region with Armenia on 20 February 1988. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the creation of the three south Caucasian Republics a struggle between Azerbaijan and Armenia for the dominance of NKR continued. A referendum was held in 1991 with the people of the area deciding to declare independence. 2 Source: www.economist.com (accessed 22.08.2015) 3See at http://www.president.am/en/karabakh-nkr/ (accessed 22.08.2015) Version 1.0 – Last update: 24/07/2015 5/20 © 2015 by the House of Europe in Rhodes. All Rights Reserved. RhodesMRC 2015 - Study Guide for the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) 4 With the result of the referendum of 1991
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