The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's 28Th Annual Session
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The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 28th Annual Session Contents 3 5 11 13 21 29 37 39 41 43 48 Contents Advancing Sustainable Development to Promote Security: The Role of Parliaments 3 Summary 5 Opening Plenary Session 11 Standing Committee Meeting 13 General Committee on Political Affairs and Security 21 General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment 29 General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions 37 Working Lunch on Gender Issues 39 Ad Hoc Committee on Migration 41 Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism 43 Plenary Sessions 48 Luxembourg Declaration Summary he OSCE Parliamentary Assembly met for mentary Assembly of the Council of Europe its 28th Annual Session on 4-8 July 2019 in • Miroslav Lajcak, Chairperson-in-Office of the TLuxembourg under the theme “Advancing OSCE and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slova- Sustainable Development to Promote Security: The kia Role of Parliaments.” • Ambassador Thomas Greminger, Secretary General of the OSCE Following several days of intense debate and com- mittee work, the Annual Session culminated in the The Standing Committee of heads of national adoption on 8 July of the Luxembourg Declaration, delegations met on 4 July and re-elected Secre- containing recommendations to the 57 partici- tary General Roberto Montella for a five-year term pating States of the Organization for Security and beginning January 2021. The Ad Hoc Committees Co-operation in Europe – and to the OSCE itself on Migration and Countering Terrorism met on – in the fields of political affairs, security, econom- the margins of the Annual Session and a Working ics, environment, human rights and humanitarian Lunch on Gender Issues took place on 5 July. questions. Numerous side events were held, including one Speakers at the event included: convened by the OSCE PA’s Special Representative • Fernand Etgen, President of the Chamber of on Human Trafficking Issues Chris Smith (United Deputies of Luxembourg States) and OSCE PA Vice-President Roger Wick- • George Tsereteli, President of the OSCE Parlia- er (United States) featuring the participation of mentary Assembly Kenneth Morris, a great-great-great-grandson of • Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg leading 19th century slavery abolitionist Frederick • Steny Hoyer, United States House Majority Douglass and President of the Frederick Douglass Leader and Founding Member of the OSCE Family Initiatives; Bill Woolf, Executive Director of Parliamentary Assembly Just Ask; and Philip Hyldgaard, Senior Operating • Liliane Maury Pasquier, President of the Parlia- Director of A21. 3 4 5 Opening Plenary Session ith just over 250 members of parliament in attendance, the Annual Session ope- ned on 4 July in Luxembourg City under the theme, “Advancing Sustainable De- Wvelopment to Promote Security: The Role of Parliaments.” The opening plenary session began with statements by Fernand Etgen, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg; George Tsereteli, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly; Xavier Bet- tel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg; and a special guest address from Congressman Steny Hoyer (United States), founding member of the Parliamentary Assembly. 6 Opening Plenary Session Fernand Etgen President of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg In his welcoming remarks, Fernand Etgen, Presi- need to raise awareness and, as a parliament, we dent of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg, will take this unique opportunity of the OSCE PA noted that in times of climate change, energy is- meeting in Luxembourg to do so over the next sues and scarcity of natural resources, sustainable days,” he said. Climate change is not only the most development has become a key factor to promote complex and time sensitive issue of our day, but security. “Our aim is not to ‘securitize’ sustainable it is an issue that some governments still deny or development,” he stressed. “But we want to put refuse to acknowledge as a threat. He also noted forward the idea that we can avoid conflicts in that climate change is a cross-dimensional prob- the future if we take our sustainable development lem; questions surrounding energy extraction goals seriously.” and use, as well as addressing diminishing natural resources must be answered. All of this confirms He noted that since these challenges are trans- that developing sustainable solutions is an urgent national in nature, international security organi- requirement, and not merely a slogan of diplomat- zations like the OSCE must step up. “There is a ic intent, Etgen stressed. “We want to put forward 7 Opening Plenary Session the idea that we can avoid conflicts in the future if threats emerge, he pointed out. we take our goals seriously,” he said. He reminded participants that parliaments have a George Tsereteli, President of the unique role to play within their own governments OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in developing and advancing agendas that ensure security, protect democracy and establish sustain- OSCE PA President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) able environment protections. noted that more than 40 years ago, the OSCE’s founding document, the Helsinki Final Act, called Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister for enhancing the role of the United Nations in of Luxembourg strengthening international peace and in promot- ing solutions to international problems. He point- Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg’s Prime Minister, spoke ed out that about the the UN’s rule of law landmark as part of Sustainable the essence Development of what it Goals hold Peace is always like a fertile sapling that means to be particular European. He relevance for we will lose if we don’t take care of it. spoke about the Luxem- his personal bourg meet- - Prime Minister Xavier Bettel experience ing. as an openly gay man and “The goals, a descendent which you all know very well, are founded on five of Holocaust-surviving Jews, urging parliamentar- pillars: people, planet, prosperity, peace and part- ians to take seriously the concept of diversity. He nerships. All five of these priorities are at the core expressed disappointment with the steady creep of our Organization’s major activities. The OSCE is of distrust in institutions and the return of Nazism contributing but we have to do more. We can use to Europe. He underlined the fragility of peace, the potential of our 57 participating States, our and called on parliamentarians to work together to partners and our field missions to keep the devel- solve current issues. opment goals high on the agenda,” he said. “Together we must take this work further,” Bettel Tsereteli regretted however that too many govern- said. “I should do this in my role and you should as ments set aside their responsibilities, noting that well. Peace is always like a fertile sapling that we multilateralism is being undermined and interna- will lose if we don’t take care of it. Let us never for- tional agreements violated with impunity. As many get our history and learn from our many mistakes.” global challenges grow more entrenched, new 8 Opening Plenary Session Congressman Steny Hoyer, founding tions work. Or whether ‘government of, by, and for member of the Parliamentary Assem- the people’ will transform into ‘government of, by, bly and for’ the powerful few.” As one of the founding members of the Assem- The best way to combat anti-democratic forces bly when it was established 28 years earlier, U.S. both from within and from without is to show that Congressman Steny Hoyer spoke about the need democracy works and to restore faith in electoral to strengthen multilateral institutions to protect government, he said. He recalled the centrality of democracy and the importance of legislators in values and virtues of democracy, justice, and liberty, leading the effort to demonstrate democracies’ not only as the pillars of what the Organization ability to deliver a better life for their citizens. “The does, but as the backbone of what the Organiza- success of this Assembly – and, indeed, the success tion fundamentally is. The best way to combat the of democracy – will depend not on what we did destructive forces from within and outside each in 1991 but on what you will do today and in the country is to show that democracy works and to years ahead,” Congressman Hoyer said. “It will de- do all that is necessary to restore faith in electoral pend on whether elected representatives deliver for governments, he said. the people and prove that representative institu- 9 Opening Plenary Session Supplementary Items Following the opening speeches, the plenary adopted two supplementary items. The first was principally sponsored by Congressman Alcee Hast- ings (United States); the latter by Margareta Ced- erfelt (Sweden) and Irene Charalambides (Cyprus). These resolutions dealt with realizing the bridge between civil society and the Organization as well as addressing corruption among the States. Congressman Hastings’ item was entitled, “The Role of Civil Society – Individuals and Non-Gov- ernmental Organizations – in Realizing the Aims and Aspirations of the OSCE.” A debate ensued over the precise definition of “NGO,” with some citing cases where coercive groups had used the cover of “NGO” to speak, move and act as they please. The item passed with 18 votes in support, 8 against and 17 abstentions. The Cederfelt-Charalambides’ item was called, “The Role of National Parliaments in Preventing and Combating Corruption in the OSCE Area,” and it passed unanimously. 10 Standing Committee Meeting he meeting of the Standing Committee on 4 Bratislava. He reported on the results of the elec- July started with a vote on the renewal of PA tion observation missions in Moldova, Ukraine and TSecretary General Roberto Montella’s man- Kazakhstan, where he served a special co-ordina- date. Secretary General Montella was re-elected tor. Additionally, the President also discussed his to a five-year term beginning in January 2021. “I visit to the Arctic and announced that he had ap- am privileged and honoured to continue to serve pointed Torill Eidsheim from Norway as a Special in this position,” he said.