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Vol. VIII No. 3 MARCH 2001

NEWSLETTER Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

INSIDE THIS ISSUE OSCE

■ Media freedom improves in BiH ...... 3

■ Conference reviews role of journalists . . 5

■ How CPC developed over 10 years ...... 6

■ Dayton Article II is success for OSCE . . 8

■ News from the field ...... 9

■ In Brief ...... 11

■ Press profile ...... 13

■ Update from ODIHR ...... 14

■ News from HCNM ...... 17

■ Report from PA ...... 18

■ News from RFOM ...... 21

■ Report from Secretariat ...... 22 The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Mircea Geoana, gives a press conference in Armenia, with Roy Reeve (left), Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan Chairman-in-Office tours the OSCE participating States in southern Caucasus Visit highlights current hopes for thawing out of “frozen” conflicts

he Chairman-in-Office of the His trip was the longest so far in a non-governmental organizations Organization for Security and period of office that started on 1 January. (NGOs) and local media. He also had a TCo-operation in Europe, the He visited the Armenian capital, Yere- working lunch with participating States’ Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea van, on 27 February, spending 28 Febru- Ambassadors and Heads of OSCE part- Geoana, has paid a four-day visit to the ary and 1 March in Tbilisi, Georgia, ner international organizations. three OSCE participating States in the before concluding his trip in Baku, Azer- Assessing the process of democrati- southern Caucasus, during which he was baijan on 2 March. zation in the country, Mr. Geona con- able to see and discuss at first hand the In Armenia, the Chairman-in-Office gratulated Armenia on its recent admis- situation in a region where several con- (CiO) held talks with the President, sion to the Council of Europe. “This step flicts have remained unresolved for a Robert Kocharian, the Chairman of the reflects progress and is a message of period of years, leaving refugees and National Assembly, Armen Khatcha- hope. Armenia is taking its rightful place displaced persons stranded in several tryan and Foreign Minister Vartan among the family of European nations,” locations. Oskanyan, as well as representatives of said Mr. Geoana.

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He expressed his gratitude for the ties would take place in Bucharest, at a southern Caucasus trip, he again stressed support that the Armenian Government date to be specified later. his strong support for the dialogue and authorities have given the OSCE Another of the major topics dis- between Azerbaijan and Armenia on a Office in Yerevan, which was estab- cussed during Mr. Geoana’s visit was the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh lished one year ago. This support, he OSCE monitoring operation along the conflict. This dialogue was due to resume said, proved the importance that Arme- border between Georgia and the in Paris on 4 March, with a meeting nia attached to the implementation of Chechen Republic of the Russian Feder- between the two countries’ Presidents. OSCE commitments. ation. Agreed by the Permanent Council “The current direct dialogue is of critical A number of issues were discussed in December 1999, this activity is seen importance. The OSCE is ready to give in the meetings, among them economic as having significantly contributed last all its support to this process”, said Mr. and environmental issues, legal and elec- year to a lessening of tensions and pre- Geoana. “A lasting agreement depends toral reform and media development. vented a spillover in the region. An on the readiness of all parties to show Also touched upon in flexibility. If there is the discussions was the progress, the international conflict in Nagorno- community will act quickly

Karabakh. The CiO OSCE/KOTEK to assist in the post conflict expressed his hopes for a rehabilitation process.” peaceful resolution to the He emphasized that the conflict, as well as pledging involvement and support of the OSCE’s full support for the OSCE Minsk Group was the peace process. complementary to the direct “We believe the dialogue between the coun- moment has come to be tries. He emphasized how- cautiously optimistic ever that this did not mean regarding a resolution of that the Minsk Group would this conflict, which has become passive; on the con- remained frozen for too The CiO visits a hostel in Baku, Azerbaijan, for persons displaced trary, the OSCE Minsk by the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh long”, he said. Group would remain a part- He emphasized the need for all par- extension beyond April 2001 of this ner in the efforts to reach a settlement of ties concerned to reach a compromise. aspect of the mandate of the Mission to the conflict. He also raised the issue of the return of Georgia, was due to be discussed by the During his visit to Baku, Mr. Geona refugees and displaced persons, offering OSCE Permanent Council during held a tete-â-tete meeting with the Presi- the assistance and expertise of the OSCE March. dent of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev. He in finding durable solutions to this mul- also met the Speaker of Parliament Mur- tifaceted problem. Human rights situation tuz Aleskerov, Prime Minister Artur Continuing on to Georgia, the For- Among other issues touched upon Rasizadeh and Foreign Minister Vilayat eign Minister Geoana had talks with during the visit were the conflict in Guliyev, as well as representatives of President Eduard Shevardnadze, State Abhkazia, the return of refugees and dis- civil society, political parties and the Minister Giorgi Arsenishvili and For- placed persons, property restitution and international community. eign Minister Irakli Mengarishvili, as economic rehabilitation. The Chairman- In Baku, the CiO also visited a hos- well as with other representatives of the in-Office also drew attention to recent tel for persons displaced by the political leadership. He also met repre- reports on the human rights situation in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He sentatives of civil society and media. Georgia. In this context he highlighted expressed his deep sympathy for the Expressing his satisfaction with the the need for reform of the electoral leg- plight of those on both sides of the con- positive developments in the efforts to islation. He also called for a greater flict forced to flee their homes and resolve the conflict in South Ossetia, the awareness of the need for religious tol- stressed that the right of refugees and OSCE CiO announced an agreement that erance. displaced persons to return must be a the next round of talks between the par- In Baku, where the CiO concluded his central part of any lasting solution.

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Media freedom continues to make progress in Bosnia and Herzegovina A number of successful initiatives by the OSCE Mission is helping gradually to enhance the working conditions for media representatives in BiH By Jennifer Stone

eyond any information

doubt, the O BIH must be pro- T Bmedia in tected and pre- Bosnia and Herze- served at all govina (BiH) – as times, in an

well as in neigh- OSCE/MISSION atmosphere bouring Croatia free from fear and Yugoslavia – and intimida- played a signifi- tion. Recogni- cant role in fuelling tion of this fact the propaganda has underlined campaign that many of the inflamed public activities of opinion during the the Mission’s disastrous conflict Department of of 1992 to 1995. Media Affairs. And even in the Although past five years, the encouraging, (From left to right) High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch, Christian Ahlund, Chairman working condi- the progress of the Advisory Group, and OSCE Head of Mission Robert Barry, present the draft law tions of the media that has been in BiH have been marked by consistent improved since 1996 – in the recent made is both tentative and fragile, and pressure on journalists and media outlets, November 2000 elections, local journal- could easily be lost to a new wave of a trend brought into sharp relief during ists reported fewer incidents of threats or focused nationalistic pressure. The abuse the periods of the elections which the intimidation than in any previous elec- of media for political ends has pointed to OSCE’s BiH Mission has overseen in the tion. And BiH has witnessed a continu- the need for an effort to protect journal- past five years. ing improvement in both the profession- ists. Two areas of the OSCE’s work are The implementation of election alism of the media and in the climate for therefore of particular importance: the results and efforts to expose corruption freedom of the media. However, vestiges protection of journalists’ rights and the have resulted in renewed pressure on the of abuse and intimidation continue. development of media legislation. media. This has sometimes taken the Through the evolution of the peace form of direct threats against individual process, the OSCE Mission has recog- Bomb attack journalists, the abuse of defamation laws nized the media as a factor in democracy- Protection of journalists came to the and visitations by the tax police. Such building in its own right, as it plays a sig- forefront of the international commu- tactics have had a chilling effect on nificant social, economic and political nity’s efforts following the October 1999 investigative reporting of all kinds and force in the transition of BiH to a stable car-bomb attack on the editor of Neza- prevented exposure of all but the most European state. This concept supports visne Novine, a daily produced in Banja flagrant crimes and offences of govern- the OSCE’s role in media as a larger sys- Luka, capital of Republika Srpska, one ment officials and political parties. temic issue, based on the belief that access of the country’s two so-called “entities”. But the media environment has to information and freedom to impart In response to this and other threats,

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ship between pression and protection of reputation.” these two groups. To prepare the laws, the OSCE and Officially OHR established an advisory group of launched in May national and international legal experts, 2000, these which guided the review and develop- guidelines ment of these pieces of legislation. Work inform the police on the adoption of the Freedom of Access about the rights to Information Act at the levels of the and proper treat- entities – the BiH Federation and Repub- ment of journal- lika Sprska – is currently underway. The OSCE’s FreeMedia Helpline employs a striking logo ists, while inform- It is hoped that this act will promote ing journalists much greater openness and accountabil- in February 2000 the OSCE initiated the about their responsibilities in dealing ity of government actions as it will limit FreeMedia Helpline, offering a confi- with the police. The principles contained the grounds on which information can be dential contact point for journalists sub- in the guidelines are consistent with local withheld and make it possible to chal- jected to threats, intimidation or inter- laws and international standards of lenge the boundaries of unjustified ference in the course of their work. This human rights principles. secrecy. At the same time, the draft was launched with a public campaign, to In 2001, the guidelines are being inte- defamation legislation will bring BiH's increase awareness of journalists’ rights grated into United Nations training pro- defamation laws into accord with the and the importance of not remaining grammes for its international police task highest international standards. silent when such acts occur. forces and the local police forces This unique facility was established throughout BiH. Increasing accountability for two purposes: first, to document In a complementary initiative, during Giving the public the right to access actual instances of threats to freedom of 2000 the OSCE drafted a bill on freedom information held by public authorities the media and second, to provide direct of access to information, in co-operation enables everyone to participate in the assistance to journalists and media out- with the Office of the High Representa- political process through a more lets which have experienced threats or tive (OHR). This was passed into law by informed and open debate on policy, interference. the BiH State Parliament last November. while guaranteeing the media the free- Since the end of 1999, the Helpline A second piece of legislation on defama- dom to responsibly investigate and has received nearly 155 reports of tion was released for public consultation report on corrupt activities with protec- threats, intimidation or interference, in February this year, and is currently tion and support of the rule of law. This which only partially reflects the actual being considered by the governments of can only increase the level of account- magnitude of the problem. the two BiH entities. Together, these ability of public officials to the citizens laws aim to promote transparency of they are elected or appointed to serve. Police guidelines public offices and ensure freedom of According to Robert Barry, Head of Information collected by the Help expression for both media and citizens. the Mission to BiH, “This legislation, Line, and feedback from the media and “Freedom of expression is a pillar in when adopted, will be an important step local police, raised a further concern: that a democracy. It must be guaranteed and forward for BiH and all of its citizens. In of a lack of mutual awareness about the protected,” said the High Representative, particular, I think that BiH journalists responsibilities and rights of journalists Wolfgang Petritsch, “Freedom of should see this day as an important step and police, which was potentially ham- expression can only be restricted when forward for them, as this legislation will pering the relations between these two there is a legitimate interest and then no guarantee that they can pursue their sto- groups. Together with the United more than absolutely necessary. One of ries without fear of criminal sanctions or Nations Mission to BiH, the OSCE there- the acceptable limitations to freedom of politically motivated defamation suits.” fore developed guidelines that have been expression is protection of reputation, as distributed to both police officers and provided by defamation law. I believe Jennifer Stone is a Media Affairs Officer media representatives, to clarify and pro- the draft legislation strikes the appropri- for the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and mote the best possible working relation- ate balance between freedom of ex- Herzegovina

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Croatia Mission hosts conference on free media in south-eastern Europe Participants met in Zagreb last month to discuss free media in the region, the protection of journalists and their role in promoting peace and reconciliation By Alessandro Fracassetti he four-day event, held at the mation of an honourable profession into in the region would no longer tolerate request of the OSCE Represen- an obedient servant of war masters, chau- being subjected to the hardships which Ttative on Freedom of the Media, vinism and intolerance, are qualified to it went through in the past”. He noted in co-operation with the Media Direc- speak about free media, the promotion of that several participants were journalists torate in the Council of Europe (CoE), peace and prevention of conflict”. who had personally suffered because of was aimed at assessing the current state Despite differences among individual their devotion to finding and reporting of the media in south-eastern Europe and, countries in south-eastern Europe, he the truth. at the same time, encouraging the devel- said, “all of them tried to place the jour- The OSCE Representative on Free- opment of regional strategies to promote nalist profession in the function of poli- dom of the Media, Freimut Duve, said the freedom of the media. It drew some 120 tics, poison the media space with the lan- conference was especially important participants and guests because democracy was

from 17 countries, includ- TIA now emerging in Croatia ing international and local and Serbia. He noted that

media professionals, O CROA most media in the region T media watchdog groups, were no longer fomenting NGOs and international conflict. organizations concerned “But media can do

with media affairs. OSCE/MISSION more to foster a public The participants debate and to promote adopted a set of recom- reconciliation. This will mendations for the not be an easy debate. improvement of freedom Many people, including of the media in the region, those in power, may feel which will be part of a attacked, even libeled. report on the conference Journalists, as public ser- distributed to the States OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Freimut Duve, vants, have to understand belonging to the OSCE and addresses participants at the Zagreb media conference that our level of tolerance the CoE. must be much higher than The event, which the OSCE Mission guage of hatred and consciously that of any ordinary citizen,” added Mr. to Croatia hosted from 28 February to 2 degraded the basic preconditions of jour- Duve. March, was officially opened by Stjepan nalism...television especially was turned Christophe Poirel from the CoE con- Mesic, President of the Republic of into an instrument of spreading national- centrated on the legal aspects of freedom Croatia. He delivered a clear message, ist intolerance and hatred”, President of expression, stressing that the Council calling on media in south-eastern Europe Mesic said. was determined to continue its efforts in to be free of politics. Journalists, he said, order to remove any obstacles to the were “faced with the need to rehabilitate Clear message exercise of freedom of expression and this partly compromised profession.” The Head of the OSCE Mission to freedom of the media President Mesic said that “only those Croatia, Bernard Poncet, also stressed journalists who have experienced in full that the conference was “an opportunity Alessandro Fracassetti is Press Spokes- the lack of free media and the transfor- to send out a clear message that media person for the OSCE Mission to Croatia

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OSCE’s Conflict Prevention Centre marks its tenth anniversary Almost exactly ten years ago, on 18 March 1991, the Conflict Prevention Centre, the first body of the OSCE to be permanently located in Vienna, opened its doors. The following article looks at its origins and its extensive development over the subsequent decade

hortly after the momentous relating to dispute settlement, which may those that may be assigned to it by the events that had unfolded in cen- be assigned to it in the future by the Helsinki Follow Up Meeting and in the Stral and eastern Europe, the sec- Council of Foreign Ministers’. future’. ond Summit of the Conference on Secu- Closely linked to the workings of the Building on these initiatives, the Third rity and Co-operation in Europe, meet- CPC, the Charter also established a Con- Meeting of the Ministerial Council, held ing in November 1990, adopted the sultative Committee. Composed of rep- in Stockholm in December 1992, tasked ‘Charter of Paris’. This document pro- resentatives from all participating States, the CPC with taking rapid steps to vided for the first permanent institutions it was set up initially to supervise the strengthen its ability to provide opera- in what was then the CSCE, namely a working of the CPC, particularly in its tional support for CSCE preventative Secretariat in Prague, an Office for Free pursuance of support to CSBMs. diplomacy missions and peacekeeping Elections in Warsaw, and a Conflict Pre- activities. The Director of the CPC was vention Centre (CPC) in Vienna. Foundations tasked with presenting for approval a pro- The Charter of Paris went on to spec- It was at the second Meeting of the posal setting out the staffing and budget ify that during its initial stage of opera- Ministerial Council, held in Prague in implications of this decision. tions the Centre’s role would consist of January 1992, where the ‘Prague Docu- The first field operation to be launched giving support to the implementation of ment on further development of CSCE was the Mission of Long Duration to Sand- Confidence- and Security-Building Institutions and Structures’ really laid jak, Vojvodina and Kosovo (in the then Measures (CSBMs), all of which were the foundations for what the CPC has Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia). enshrined in the (then) Vienna Docu- become today. Among much else, this Many others have followed, including ment of 1990. These measures included: document set down that in addition to the those to Bosnia and Herzegovina and to tasks already given to the CPC, ‘the Con- Croatia, though of most note were the ● Providing a mechanism for sultative Committee has the authority to CPC’s biggest challenges, the Kosovo consultation and co- initiate and, with the assistance of the Verification Mission and the OSCE Mis- operation as regards unusual CPC Secretariat, execute fact-finding sion in Kosovo that succeeded it. military activities and monitor missions in connection with The final significant step in the for- ● An annual exchange of military paragraph 17 of the Vienna Document mation of the CPC as we know it today information 1990 (Mechanism for consultation and was made at the Fourth Meeting of the ● A communications network co-operation as regards unusual military Ministerial Council, held in Rome at the ● Annual implementation assess- activities)’. end of 1993. Here it was decided to dis- ment meetings Other tasks allotted included institu- solve the Consultative Committee of the ● Co-operation as regards haz- tionalizing the CSCE’s relationships Conflict Prevention Centre, set up at the ardous incidents of a military with other international organizations, Paris Summit, and transfer its compe- nature including NATO, the United Nations and tence to the Permanent Committee by the Western European Union, by invit- establishing a CSCE Secretariat in The Charter also stated that the CPC ing them to make appropriate contribu- Vienna, with an office in Prague. ‘might assume other functions, and the tions to future seminars organized by the This Secretariat was to include above tasks are without prejudice to any CPC. The Consultative Committee was departments for Conference Services, additional tasks concerning a procedure also called upon to ‘develop general Administration and Budget, Chairper- for the conciliation of disputes as well as guidelines for the implementation of its son-in-Office (CiO) support, and the broader tasks concerning a procedure operational tasks including, in due time, Conflict Prevention Centre, all under a

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Secretary General, whose post had been Meeting, a number of new instruments capacity, so ensuring that the link to the established at the third Ministerial Meet- were established. field operations is maintained constantly ing held the previous year. For the CPC this meant the formation with all departments in the Secretariat, Although this move established the of the Operation Centre, which for the as well as with the representatives of the basis of today’s CPC, there have been first time properly ‘operationalized’ the Chairman–in-Office. The appointment many changes on the way to the present Directorate. The Operation Centre now of a Senior Security Advisor is a reflec- situation, reflecting both the growth of provides the means by which forward tion of the changing and more challeng- the OSCE as an organization, and the planning for all aspects of future mis- ing conditions in which some missions changing circumstances it finds itself in. sions can take place, including civilian are required to work. The Forum for In 1993, all aspects of mounting and police aspects, as well as a dedicated liai- Security Co-operation Support Unit, in supporting missions, including person- son function at the expert level with additon to its original tasks relating to nel, logistics, and training were all under international partner organizations. CSBMs, is now engaged in giving sup- the ‘roof’ of the CPC. port on small arms

But in January 1999, the OSCE related issues. CPC relinquished its The CPC also logistic ‘operations’ plays a key role in support function, this liaison with partner passing to a second organizations, often directorate which in conjunction with embraced all aspects of the Secretary Gen- finance as well. The eral’s Office for CPC did, though, main- External Affairs. tain its responsibility The establishment for the staffing and of a Liaison Officer training of missions by in the Operation seconded personnel Centre ensures close from participating working links at States until June last The original decision to set up a Conflict Prevention Centre was taken in expert level, with year (this induction 1990 at the Paris Summit of what was then still the CSCE both military and training for all mission civilian partner members had been launched by the CPC This means that, ten years on, the organizations alike, so ensuring a healthy in the summer of 1998, along with the CPC, as the longest established of the exchange of information at all times, and Integrated Staffing System). directorates within the Secretariat, has a an asset of particular use during periods However, in a second reorganization unique position and one that is often of crisis. that followed in 2000, and as a conse- described as the ‘information hub’ or the Thus, in the development and quence of the recommendations of the focal point for all the field activities of progress of the Organization as a whole, REACT implementation committee, the Organization. It continues to have the the Conflict Prevention Centre holds a these two functions passed to a new (and overall responsibility for overseeing the special position. It does so with only 14 the third) directorate in the Secretariat, support to existing missions, as well as contracted staff and three professionals, that of Human Resources. having the responsibility to lead on the under the leadership of a director, sup- This most recent reorganization establishment of future missions when ported by a deputy director. The past ten came about following the Istanbul Sum- required. As a source of corporate years have seen significant reorganiza- mit Meeting of November 1999, which knowledge, the CPC is required to give tions on the way to where it is today, but recognized the need for enhancements to advice and support to the CiO as and all reflect the timely changes that have the Secretariat, in order to address when required, in particular in the case been necessary to keep pace with devel- quickly and efficiently the new chal- of new developments. opments in the international arena, and lenges in the OSCE area. In the Charter The formation of the Situation Room in turn to ensure that OSCE remains a for European Security, adopted at the gives the CPC a 24-hour operational lean and efficient organization.

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Six years on from the Dayton Peace Accords: Article II proves a success Numerous field activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina foster confidence- and security-building between the armed forces of the two BiH Entities

mplementing the provisions of the tion of the Article II Agreement to dis- of co-operative security measures – for Dayton Peace Agreement that deal cuss the achievements and future goals. example in the field of natural disaster, Iwith the armed forces of Bosnia and What actually constitutes the success military doctrine, and medical co-oper- Herzegovina (BiH) has hardly ever of this implementation process, is the ation between the Entities’ forces’ med- attracted the spotlight of international continued commitment of the Parties ical services. In addition, we have devel- media attention. It is, however, one of the since 1996 to participate actively in the oped a network of security studies in the continuing success stories of the OSCE, initiatives drawn up by General Jean’s BiH universities”, adds General Jean. notably in terms of implementation of the office and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia so-called Vienna Agreement on Confi- and Herzegovina. The main purpose of Expanded activities dence- and Security-Building Measures the Agreement is to create confidence Another way how of expressing the (CSBMs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. and co-operation between the three Par- rate of success of the Article II imple- The continued mentation process is

work with the Par- OSCE the number of activities ties to this agree- involving the BiH ment, which is laid armed forces. In 2000, down in Article II of a total of 11 inspections Annex 1-B of the were conducted in the Dayton Accords, is country, and two aerial one of the main observation flights responsibilities of were carried out in General Carlo Jean, April and October. Personal Represen- Workshops on disaster tative of the Chair- response preparedness man-in-Office (CiO) and military budget, as on Articles II and IV. well as seminars on “The success of code of conduct were the Article II imple- held, and the Inter-Uni- mentation is mainly Several of the participants at the Third Review Conference for CSBMs in BiH, versity Steering Com- due to the engage- with General Carlo Jean, Personal Representative of the CiO, centre mittee on Security ment of the Parties to Studies of BiH final- the Agreement – to their goodwill and ties, and to reduce this risk of conflict. ized six research studies. their conviction that the implementation Since the signing of the Agreement, One part of the Agreement, which process of the CSBMs will constitute the General Jean has initiated a multitude of was signed under the auspices of the basis to build stability in the country”, says different initiatives to further this cause. OSCE in Vienna on 26 January 1996, General Jean. Together with the OSCE Mission to BiH, covers the exchange of military informa- Together with the Parties to the he has conducted educational courses tion and follow-on notifications of any Agreement, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and training programmes on subjects change. The OSCE provides experts who and the two Entities – the BiH Federa- such as democratic control of armed assist the Parties with their inspections tion, and Republika Srpska – General forces, code of conduct and auditing within the regime. With the support of Jean organized in Vienna the Third defence budgets. General Jean’s office, the Parties to the Review Conference on the Implementa- “We have also developed some sort Agreement have adopted two protocols,

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an Aerial Observation Protocol and a ceeded in overcoming quite some polit- ber of other international organizations Visits to Weapons Manufacturing Facil- ical turbulence in BiH and in the region”, operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in ities Protocol, the latter being approved General Jean explains. “They deserve all particular the Stability Pact for South- during the Third Review Conference that our consideration for their dedication Eastern Europe. It certainly has the took place last month in Vienna. and professionalism”. potential to mobilize BiH to try to over- In Bosnia and Herzegovina itself, the The Agreement does not foresee an come the results of a terrible war and to Agreement is managed by the Joint Con- end to its implementation. “The CSBMs try to rebuild co-operation and co-exis- sultative Commission (JCC). are an open-ended process”, says Gen- tence of the different peoples living in “The members of the JCC have suc- eral Jean, “It has the support of a num- the country”.

News from the field The OSCE currently has Missions or other field activities in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia), Latvia, Skopje (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Yugoslavia. The following brief reports reflect some of the recent work which these field operations have undertaken.

Council of Ministers and Federation government which is capable of coming (OMIK) has published a new album of Presidency elected in BiH to terms with the many social and eco- photographs. The book, which contains The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and nomic problems which it is inheriting 750 photographs of clothing and per- Herzegovina (BiH) welcomed the elec- from its predecessors.” sonal effects found with about 200 bod- tion in February of a new Council of Prior to these elections, the OSCE ies recovered during 2000 by the Inter- Ministers and the president and vice- Mission had criticized the decision of the national Criminal Tribunal for the for- president of the BiH Federation. The main Bosnian Croat party, the Croatian mer Yugoslavia (ICTY), is an additional election of these BiH authorities, which Democratic Union (HDZ) not to co- tool that the OSCE and the International took place on 22 and 27 February respec- operate in the election implementation Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) tively, represents a significant step for- process. “The HDZ has been given every hope will help identify some of the vic- ward for the efforts of the Mission to opportunity to participate in the state, tims of ethnically-motivated killings implement the results of the November entity and cantonal legislative bodies – whose bodies were exhumed by interna- 2000 general elections. “Bosnia and including the Houses of Peoples at the tional investigators last year. Herzegovina finally has a new govern- state and Federation level – in order to The album can be viewed at all ICRC ment, and now it must get on with the implement the November election field offices throughout Kosovo and work of leading this country forward”, results”, stated Mr. Barry. through the Missing Persons Bureaux in said Robert Barry, Head of the OSCE “In no democracy can parties pick Pristina and Gracanica. The ICRC’s and Mission to BiH. and choose what laws and rules they the Bureau’s mobile teams will also take “I was encouraged by the programme want to obey and which ones they choose the book to isolated communities. set out by the new Chairman, Bozidar to dismiss. The only way to modify the The OSCE identification project is Matic”, he said. “With the election of system is from within – there is no room part of the Victim Recovery and Identi- Karlo Filipovic and Safet Halilovic as in a democracy for threats, boycotts, and fication Commission, which was set up Federation President and Vice-Presi- withdrawals from government.” last May to help identify recovered dent, respectively, we are brought one remains and provide support and assis- step closer to completing the implemen- OSCE-sponsored photo-album helps tance to the families of the missing. tation of the November 2000 election identification of victims in Kosovo Many of the articles featured in the book results in the Federation,” said Mr. With the aim of making the identifi- were put on view last year to help the Barry. “Now we expect the political par- cation of victims in Kosovo much eas- identification process. ties concerned to promptly propose a ier, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo “We would like as many people as

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possible to be able to view the pho- local organizations and other civic group within the Parliamentary Com- tographs we have”, said OSCE Forensic groups, as well as logistical support to mission for State and Legal Affairs Adviser, Dr. Tarja Formisto, “but going the rapidly growing civil society. would summarize the proposals made at to a presentation can be very stressful. the round table and prepare, within 18 Often people don’t want to go or don’t OSCE runs prison assistance months, a draft for amending the Code. want to recognize something because they programme in Belarus The text will be shared with ODIHR and want to believe their relative is still alive. The OSCE Advisory and Monitoring the Venice Commission, and a public With these books, people from all over Group (AMG) in Belarus has continued hearing on the draft will then be held in Kosovo can look at them, reflect, and to implement a programme aimed at the National Assembly. come back again if they feel there is some- improving conditions in the Belarusian The round table was organized by the thing they recognize.” penitentiary system. On 15 and 16 Febru- OSCE in co-operation with the Com- Last year, 260 bodies were identified ary, the AMG ran a distribution of mission for State and Legal Affairs of the by the OSCE/VRIC team, but 370 bodies hygiene and sanitary items to two National Assembly, the Central Elec- exhumed by the ICTY in 2000 remain to women’s colonies in Gomel oblast toral Commission and the Venice Com- be identified, along with 890 bodies (region). As a result, each of 2,700 mission of the Council of Europe. Rep- exhumed in 1999. female inmates received a hygiene kit. resentatives of parliamentary and non- The OSCE also distributed 3,000 parliamentary political parties, indepen- OSCE to open community centre pocket calendars containing ten rules for dent experts, civil society, and media in Mitrovice/Kosovska Mitrovica tuberculosis patients to inmates and attended the event. In February, the OMIK launched an administration at Tuberculosis Colony important project in the Kosovo munic- No. 12 in Orsha. Other initiatives will OSCE Centre in Ashgabat holds ipality of Mitrovice/Kosovska Mitro- include a joint seminar with the Belaru- security and human rights events vica. It is planned to open a community sian Committee for Criminal Punish- The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, Turk- centre in the town, as part of OMIK’s ment Implementation on prison manage- menistan, held a seminar on the OSCE continuing work with all Kosovo com- ment standards, to be held on 5 and 6 concept of security on 27 and 28 Febru- munities. The planned centre will receive April 2001, and a study-tour of the Pol- ary for mid-level officials of the Turk- a financial grant from the Swiss Gov- ish penitentiary system. This programme men Ministries of Defence, Foreign ernment amounting to DM 220,000, is financed jointly by the European Affairs, Internal Affairs, National Secu- which will cover the basic costs of the Union and the OSCE Office for Demo- rity Committee and State Border Service. centre. OSCE’s community centres aim cratic Institutions and Human Rights. The event was financed by the British at encouraging the confidence building Foreign Office. process in areas where Kosovo Serbs and OSCE organizes round table on The main speaker at the seminar was other smaller communities live by help- election legislation in Yerevan the former US ambassador to Uzbek- ing to develop initiatives in areas where Proposed amendments to the Elec- istan, Joseph Presel, who served earlier there is little formal civic organization. toral Code of Armenia were the focus of in the US Delegation to the OSCE and They provide space, resources, and sup- an expert round table held in Yerevan on was involved in the preparation of vari- port services for community-based civic 9 February. The event was a follow-up ous OSCE security documents. The initiatives and activities. to a series of meetings and consultations Centre staff described the political/secu- Such centres are currently operating held with the National Assembly and rity dimension of the OSCE and what in Leposavic/Leposaviq and other authorities in the Republic of constitutes confidence- and security- Strpce/Shterpce. Other areas soon to Armenia as part of the “Review of Elec- building measures. The Director of the benefit from this programme are Dra- toral Legislation” project carried out by National Institute for Democratization gash/Dragas, Kamenice/Kosovska ODIHR. The participants discussed var- and Human Rights gave a presentation Kamenica, Viti/Vitina and Zubin Potok. ious aspects of election legislation in on the background of Turkmenistan’s The community centres form a part of the Armenia. Experts from ODIHR and the status as a neutral country. OSCE’s existing network of resource Venice Commission presented their The seminar followed two courses on centres, which provide specialized train- assessment of the Electoral Code. international human rights law organized ing, counselling and referral services to Participants agreed that a working by the Centre at the start of February.

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IN BRIEF The OSCE mark yet another milestone in Albania’s strongest terms the attack on a bus in Chairman-in- democratic development. It is of the Kosovo, which resulted in seven people Office (CiO), utmost importance that this opportunity being killed and dozens more injured. “I Romanian For- should not be missed,” he said, adding am outraged and revolted by this cow- eign Minister that “the process of democratic elections ardly act against innocent civilians,” said Mircea Geoana, must not be held hostage to political Mr. Geoana. “The OSCE is working hard had a meeting on 2 polarization.” together with other international organi- February with the United Nations Sec- The CiO noted that Albania was zations to heal the wounds of war and retary-General, Kofi Annan, at the UN already playing an important role in create a tolerant climate in Kosovo. This Headquarters in New York. Mr. Geoana achieving stability in south-eastern horrific crime has been perpetrated by highlighted the main objectives and pri- Europe by strengthening its ties to other persons who want to make peace and rec- orities of the OSCE and expressed inter- countries in the region and participating onciliation among the ethnic groups in est in an enhanced collaboration with the in many regional initiatives. He stated Kosovo impossible. Such acts under- United Nations based on the principles that the OSCE stood ready to assist Alba- mine the efforts of the international com- of complementarity, subsidiarity and nia in the future as it had in the past, in munity to build a multi-ethnic society in synergy. He also emphasized that the close co-operation with the Albanian Kosovo and the wish of the majority of dialogue between the organizations Government and institutions. the people of Kosovo to live in peace and should reflect the importance that both harmony. The murderers must be appre- organizations attached to the operational On 15 February, the OSCE Secre- hended and brought to justice. The spi- co-operation between their staff in the tary General, Jan Kubis, and the Sec- ral of violence in Kosovo must be field. He specifically mentioned co- retary-General of the Council of stopped here and now.” The OSCE operation in fighting organized crime Europe (CoE), Walter Schwimmer, Chairman-in-Office extended his deep- and illegal trans-border trafficking as exchanged letters endorsing mutual co- est sympathies to the families of those well as in the field of human rights. operation between the two organizations killed and wounded in the attack. The CiO stressed the importance of a with regard to their activities in the Fed- comprehensive evaluation of the situa- eral Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). The On 16 February, Nebojsa Covic, tion in south-eastern Europe, based on agreement identified areas of close co- Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia, “lessons learned” in the Balkans, to be operation and co-ordination between the addressed the Permanent Council on conducted by all organizations involved two organizations’ field operations in possible solutions to solve the crisis in in the region. The UN Secretary-General Belgrade and their work programmes. southern Serbia. He was accompanied by welcomed the efforts made by the This included co-operation to strengthen the Foreign Minister of the Federal Romanian Chairmanship of the OSCE the protection of human rights and the Republic of Yugoslavia, Goran Svi- and expressed his personal support for a rule of law, and in their efforts to further lanovic. Speaking at a special session of continuous and dynamic collaboration the development of democratic institu- the Permanent Council, Mr. Covic said between the two organizations. tions and civil society. The two organi- the plan for a solution of the crisis pro- zations would focus, in particular, on posed by him includes many small steps On 12 February, the Chairman-in- minority issues, media, civil society and that can collectively lead to a long-term Office paid a visit to Albania, the main institution-building of the judiciary and peaceful settlement for the area. He said focus of which was on the preparations law-enforcement agencies, and the that southern Serbia needed to remain a for the forthcoming parliamentary elec- reform of the penitentiary system. The part of Serbia and the Federal Republic tions in June. These have been hampered CoE and the OSCE both shard the com- of Yugoslavia, and members of the Alba- by disagreements between the political mon goal of integrating the Federal nian community should have the same parties on a number of issues. After his Republic of Yugoslavia into European rights and freedoms as other people in talks with political leaders in Tirana, Mr. structures, and agreed to exchange infor- Serbia. This plan also includes steps to Geoana issued an urgent appeal to all mation regularly on their respective de-militarize the area, create a period of political forces in the country to con- monitoring activities. amnesty and assist extremists to make tribute to the success of these elections. In a statement issued on 16 February, the transition to becoming members of “The June parliamentary elections could the OSCE CiO condemned in the the civil society.

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In a press release issued on cials to complete the process 16 February, the OSCE Chair- of implementing the election

man-in-Office warned that ALBANIA results, and stressed that there delays in forming governments was no place for boycotts or in Bosnia and Herzegovina other obstructionist tactics in were having a detrimental the democratic process. “We effect on the situation in the support the rights of all con- country. Mr. Geoana called on OSCE/PRESENCE IN stituent peoples in Bosnia and the political parties to end Herzegovina to defend their delaying tactics, form govern- language, culture, religion and ments at all levels, and elect education. However, all parties delegates for the parliaments at must abide by their commit- the Federation and State levels. ments to work within the sys- “We call on all political par- tem, by participating in the ties to respect the results of the elected institutions,” said the elections, to obey the laws of Chairman-in-Office. “There Bosnia and Herzegovina, and are pressing economic and to fulfil the obligations that social problems which will they accepted by participating require the engagement of all in the November 2000 elec- political parties and citizens to tions,” he said. “It has been address.” Minister Geoana also three months since general called for local authorities to elections were held and the pro- During his visit to Tirana, OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Mircea pass an election law, a vital pre- cess remains stalled at the State Geoana (left) meets President Rexhep Meidani of Albania requisite for Bosnia and Herze- and Federation levels. These govina’s admission into the delays are having a detrimental effect on and these deadlines had long since Council of Europe. the economic and social situation in passed, he added. The OSCE Permanent Council Bosnia and Herzegovina.” issued a statement on 22 February con- His statement followed the decision On 19 February, the Chairman-in- demning in the strongest terms the attack by the Croat Democratic Party (HDZ) Office visited Zagreb, where he noted against a bus near the town of Podujevo not to co-operate in the implementation progress in areas covered by the OSCE in Kosovo, FRY, on 16 February. “These of election results at the State and Fed- mandate in Croatia. He specifically men- cowardly attacks undermine the efforts eration levels in Bosnia and Herzegov- tioned progress in police reform and the of the international community to build ina. This decision was criticized by both improvement of police protection. Mr. a multi-ethnic society in Kosovo, and the the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herze- Geoana welcomed the readiness of the efforts of the authorities in the FRY and govina and the Office of the High Rep- Croatian Government to work with the Serbia to find a peaceful resolution to the resentative. “The High Representative OSCE Mission to Croatia in bringing tension in southern Serbia,” the state- and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and about significant reform, particularly in ment read. The Permanent Council Herzegovina have shown patience dur- areas such as the restitution of property, called for an end to the violence and ing the period when the constitutional the return of refugees and displaced per- urged all concerned to show restraint and court was considering the HDZ com- sons and the rights of persons belonging to remain calm, however great the provo- plaint against the OSCE. However, the to national minorities. cation. The members of the Council court issued its decision on 2 February, The following day, 20 February, the expressed their deepest sympathies to the rejecting the HDZ appeal,” Mr. Geoana Chairman-in-Office visited Sarajevo. families of the victims of these attacks said. The statutes of cantons and the Con- Here he expressed concern over delays and stated that the extremists and crimi- stitution of the Federation of Bosnia and in forming governments in Bosnia and nals responsible for these acts of terror- Herzegovina set clear deadlines for hold- Herzegovina after the November 2000 ism must be speedily brought to justice ing inaugural sessions for these bodies, general elections. He urged local offi- and punished in accordance with the law.

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Die Presse, 5 February to bring the fragmented opposition to the PRESS PROFILE ‘The OSCE mission in Minsk has also important realization that they would have a Excerpts from come under pressure. Lukashenko accused its chance against Lukashenko only if they could international media diplomats of “distributing bread during day- agree on a common candidate.’ coverage of the time while taking out their weapons from OSCE and its activ- under the bedsheets during the night.” And BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ities over recent with reference to the fall of his friend Milo- weeks. sevic: “Should I wait until you start bom- Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 24 February barding us with depleted uranium?”... ‘Dayton is much more than a classical ALBANIA Granted, “Luka” has reason to be worried peace agreement. Diverse international orga- about the presence of the OSCE in Minsk. nizations have been given the task of state Reuters, 8 February The parliamentary elections last autumn, building. The OSCE is only one of them. It ‘The OSCE said on Thursday it was dis- which were boycotted by the Opposition and however received crucial tasks, which appointed with preparations for Albania’s by a part of the population, were documented enabled it to prove its competence and general election due later this year. Gerard in detail by 6,000 domestic election resourcefulness... It remains to be seen Stoudmann, director of the OSCE election observers, who had been trained by the whether democratization, in a certain sense watchdog, the ODIHR, urged Albanian par- OSCE. In their report, over 3,000 violations “undemocratically” introduced from the out- ties to stop playing “political games”. “My of law were listed.’ side, will lead to success. The OSCE has conclusions are that the level of election accomplished – with the inclusion of the pop- preparations so far is disappointing,” he told Reuters, 7 February ulation – important contributions to the build- a news conference... Stoudmann said failure ‘The new chairman of the OSCE pledged ing of democratic civil society and respect for to conduct proper elections would deter on Wednesday to press on with efforts to human rights. In these areas, however, it is much-needed foreign investment. “The Octo- ensure that a forthcoming presidential elec- still, five years after the end of the war, too ber elections were good. The parliamentary tion in Belarus was free and fair. Mircea early to draw any definite conclusions. What elections have to be better not only for the Geoana, who is also Romanian foreign min- is clear is that the OSCE since Dayton has sake of democracy but for the signal that ister, said the Minsk mission of the OSCE had evolved from being a much reviled paper Albania is sending to the rest of Europe,” he received a more moderate note from author- tiger to being an operational organization added.’ ities in recent days signalling an improvement with the capacity to act and make decisions.’ in relations with President Alexander BELARUS Lukashenko. The Belarussian leader accused CHECHNYA the OSCE last month of colluding with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, opposition before the poll, expected in Reuters, 7 February 5 February September. “Recently, there was a more mod- ‘A mission from the OSCE will soon ‘Lately, (Lukashenko’s) rage has once erate note. The head of the mission was called return to battle-scarred Chechnya after again hit the mission of the OSCE in Minsk, by the foreign minister and we started renew- pulling out more than three years ago, the which is headed by the German Ambassador, ing the dialogue,” Geoana told a news con- OSCE’s new chairman said on Wednesday. Hans-Georg Wieck. Lukashenko accuses the ference.’ Mircea Geoana, who is also Romania’s for- mission, which has doggedly sought to fos- eign minister, said after talks in Moscow the ter a dialogue between those in power and the Der Spiegel, 10 February “assistance group” would go back after tech- Opposition, of having trained at least 14,000 ‘It comes as no surprise that nical issues were resolved and praised “mod- “Boyevyki”. This word means “fighters” and Lukashenko’s anger specifically targets the est steps in the right direction” to reach a is usually reserved for Chechen separatists. OSCE-Ambassador Wieck. With his political settlement in Chechnya. Russian for- In fact, those 14,000 “fighter” are election observers, (he) had during the October par- eign minister Ivanov said there were no polit- observers from non-governmental organiza- liamentary elections been able to detect ical obstacles to the group’s return.’ tions, who should be observing the presiden- numerous falsifications. And beyond that, tial elections which will supposedly take this diplomat had succeeded with something Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 7 February place in September, and thereby prevent the that neither friend nor foe had thought were ‘According to foreign minister Ivanov, expected election fraud.’ possible: in tough negotiations he managed Russia will allow representatives of the OSCE

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to travel to Chechnya. After a meeting Chechnya... Mr Missong, who has been based in the region and demanded large fines Wednesday in Moscow with the Romanian based in Moscow, also spoke out about his for its release.’ foreign minsiter Geoana, Ivanov said that the frustrations at the failure of the OSCE to be trip could take place in the near future. He able to re-establish a mission within Chech- UKRAINE however did not mention any date. The OSCE nya, blaming Russian obstruction. Russian has been striving for over a year to be allowed officials have repeatedly promised the immi- Der Standard, 15 February to send observers to Chechnya.’ nent return of the OSCE to Chechnya, fol- ‘The OSCE Representative on Freedom lowing its withdrawal on security grounds at of the Media Freimut Duve on Wednesday Financial Times, 16 February the start of 1999, and have even hinted that in Vienna appealed to the participating states ‘The west should provide Russia with Mr Missong preferred to remain in Moscow to investigate all cases of “censorship by greater help in fighting extremists in Chech- rather than be stationed in the republic. But murder”. The Gongadze case and the fierce nya, while pushing for financial assistance Mr Missong said the Russians had repeatedly protests inside and outside the Ukraine give and political negotiations, the departing stalled negotiations with his organization and a clear message to those responsible for mur- regional head of the OSCE said yesterday. refused to provide permission to use com- ders of journalists, said Duve at a press con- Alfred Missong, the Austrian diplomat who munications equipment, adequate security ference: “The more you oppress media, the headed the mission over the past year, said and freedom of movement. He said the less are the chances that you will reach your in an interview that the international com- authorities had tried to force the OSCE to fire goal.” To kill journalists equals killing “the munity should have done more to stop other all its locally hired Chechen employees, and freedom and the future of your country.” nations from providing financial assistance that in the latest move earlier this week they During last year, a total of 11 journalists were to those he described as “terrorist” leaders in had even impounded one of three OSCE cars killed in the OSCE countries.’ from the Office for Democratic UPDATE Institutions and Human Rights The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is located at Aleje Ujazdowskie 19, PL-00 557 Warsaw, Poland, tel.: (+48-22) 520 06 00, fax: (+48-22) 520 06 05, e-mail: [email protected]

ELECTIONS International The international observers noted, Assembly, and the Parliamentary community observes however, that the election process could Assembly of the Council of Europe. An Moldova’s elections be further improved by addressing some ODIHR long-term observation mission for parliament shortcomings such as the inaccuracy and was deployed on 26 January and was An International Elec- incompleteness of voter lists and the headed by Ambassador Charles Magee tion Observation Mis- excessively restrictive media provisions (USA). On election day, the Interna- sion concluded that the 25 February in the Electoral Code. tional Election Observation Mission parliamentary elections in Moldova The parliamentary elections did not deployed more than 140 short-term complied with international standards. take place in Transdniestria due to lack observers, including 35 parliamentarians The Central Election Commission of co-operation of the de facto authori- from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly administered the elections in a non- ties in the territory. Eight special polling and eight from the Parliamentary Assem- partisan, transparent, efficient and stations were set up on the right bank of bly of the Council of Europe. timely manner. the Nistru River for Transdniestrian res- The Electoral Code provided an ade- idents to vote. Voting at these stations Election observation report released quate framework for the conduct of was conducted in a proper manner. How- The OSCE/ODIHR released a final democratic elections and ensured that ever, only a very small percentage of the report on the parliamentary elections in political parties and electoral blocs eligible voters from Transdniestria man- the Republic of Serbia/Federal Republic could enter the political arena on an aged to exercise their right to vote. of Yugoslavia (23 December 2000). The equal basis. State-owned media strictly The International Election Observa- report is available on the ODIHR website: followed the provisions of the Electoral tion Mission was a joint undertaking of Code. the ODIHR, the OSCE Parliamentary www.osce.org/odihr/elecrep.htm.

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Round table on amendments to including artists, journalists, business Dismissed Serbian judges Armenian Electoral Code people and the military. The ODIHR, in are re-appointed The ODIHR took part in a round table close co-operation with the Mission, will In February, a number of Serbian on amendments to the Electoral Code of follow up the expert’s suggestions. judges, who had been dismissed under Armenia in Yerevan on 14 February. The the former Milosevic regime, were re- round table was co-organized by the Par- ODIHR Office in Montenegro appointed to important posts in the jus- liamentary Commission for Legal and provides legal support tice system. The ODIHR had sponsored State Affairs, the Central Election Com- Besides the regular activities in the a presentation by three of the dismissed mission, the OSCE (ODIHR and Office fields of trafficking, environment, assis- judges during the last OSCE Human in Yerevan) and the Council of Europe’s tance to municipalities and Roma issues, Dimension Implementation Meeting and Venice Commission. The objective of the ODIHR Office in Montenegro is had subsequently called for the re- the meeting was to provide a forum to finalizing preparations for an education appointment of those judges. The re- discuss amendments to the 1999 Elec- programme for legal practitioners who appointments are a first step in the toral Code with the authorities and rep- currently work at the Ministry of Justice, reform of the Serbian and Federal resentatives of political parties and civil the Institute for Public Administration, Yugoslav justice system and the estab- society. The round table was a useful Judiciary and Local Self Government, lishment of the rule of law. step in a process that has involved and in the courts. The programme will, detailed discussion with key stakehold- after a short introduction to international Croatian prisons become more ers and the production of comments and law, focus on the European Convention accessible to media recommendations. There appears to be on Human Rights in theory and practice. The Croatian Ministry of Justice in general agreement about the major Together with officials from the February liberalized provisions on con- changes to be made to the Code. Montenegrin prison service and the Min- tacts between the prison administration istry of Justice, the Office conducted a and the media. The move followed rec- DEMOCRATIZATION high-level information and co-ordination ommendations made by the ODIHR in a ODIHR supports conference on prison reform activities in workshop on prisons and media last OSCE Mission 2001. Participants included representa- December. According to the new provi- build-up in tives from local governmental agencies sions, prison governors are now autho- Yugoslavia and non-governmental organizations as rized to communicate to the media with- The ODIHR has well as members of the international out prior approval of their statements by despatched two experts community with interests in prison the Ministry of Justice. It is hoped that to Belgrade for six weeks to participate reform. As a follow-up to the conference this measure will increase the trans- in the activities of the advance OSCE the Office initiated a Prison Reform parency of the prison system. The team before the opening of the OSCE Working Group of international actors ODIHR regards transparency as a key Mission to the Federal Republic of with the aim of reviewing the materials element for addressing human rights and Yugoslavia. The experts prepared a handed out at the conference, harmo- management problems in prisons. comprehensive report with suggestions niziong positions for future activities, and for ODIHR and Mission activities in the identifying concrete actions for support ROMA AND SINTI ISSUES human dimension in Serbia and advised and co-operation for local partners. on the Mission structure in the field of The Office discussed with the Assis- Consultation meeting on Roma issues democratization and the rule of law. tant Minister of Justice the possibilities takes place in Warsaw They also prepared a broad list of con- of advancing the Ombudsman initiative As part of the series of regular con- tacts of non-governmental organizations launched last year by the Office, in the sultations with Roma NGOs and experts, (NGOs) and their activities. light of the forthcoming elections. Activ- the ODIHR Contact Point for Roma and The team co-organized, with the Bel- ities will in the first phase focus on expert Sinti Issues organized a consultation and grade Centre for Human Rights, a brain- advice and consultation, in order to pre- information meeting on 8 and 9 February storming session on the human dimen- pare the ground for implementation as in Warsaw with the participation of rep- sion situation in Serbia. The meeting was soon as the political landscape becomes resentatives of the two leading interna- attended by a wide range of participants, clear after the elections. tional Roma organizations, elected Roma

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representatives, officials from interna- tributed to the evaluation of a four-year NGOs and political parties developed a tional organizations, and independent health project carried out by the Ministry draft common political platform. In this experts on Roma and Sinti issues. and CRISS in Romanian municipalities platform, Roma political parties and Principal areas of discussion and provided information on its own NGOs call for the acknowledgement of included the situation in Kosovo, the activities in this field. Roma as a “national minority” in a future need to enhance the co-operation As a result of the meeting, the Min- law on national and ethnic minorities in between Roma organizations, and the istry undertook to initiate a parliamen- Serbia and the Federal Republic of implementation of the ODIHR pro- tary hearing on Roma and health issues. Yugoslavia. Presently, Roma are refered grammes on Roma for 2001. A Roma community worker was pro- to as an “ethnic minority”, a concept crit- It was acknowledged that the two posed to be established in municipalities icized by Roma representatives as dis- leading Roma associations, the Interna- with Roma inhabitants, with a mandate criminatory in relation to the status of tional Romani Union and the Roma that would include health issues. Partic- other groups in the country and contra- National Congress, have managed to ipants urged the Ministry to integrate this dictory to recently developed interna- build a good working relationship in new position in the regular local admin- tional standards on protection of national quite a short time and as a result have istration structure. and linguistic minorities. also reached understanding on some essential issues, including the assess- Round table on Roma takes ODIHR launches Roma-to-Roma ment of the present situation in Kosovo place in Yugoslavia assistance project and the proposed Consultative Group for A round table discussion on the sta- As part of the ODIHR’s efforts to the Contact Point. However, there is still tus and perspectives of Roma communi- advance the political rights of Roma in room for improvement. Participants also ties in Serbia and the Federal Republic the OSCE area, the Contact Point advanced the opinion that Roma should of Yugoslavia was jointly organized by launched a programme on “Roma-to- be more active in taking on responsibil- the ODIHR and the Project on Ethnic Roma” assistance to further the devel- ity and raising their voice on behalf of Relations in co-operation with the Foun- opment of civil society and NGO capac- other Roma living in difficult conditions. dation on Ethnic Relations on 16 Febru- ity building in Roma communities. ary. The round table was part of the As a first measure, an expert from the Round table on Roma health ODIHR programme on Roma and the Romani Centre for Social Intervention issues held in Romania Stability Pact. and Studies (Romania) assisted Roma In the context of its recently launched The meeting was the first large-scale associations in Moldova to assess the project on promoting non-discriminatory dialogue between Roma and representa- participation of Roma voters in the par- access of Roma to public health, the tives of the authorities of the Federal liamentary elections on 25 February and ODIHR supported a round table discus- Republic of Yugoslavia and the Repub- to launch a series of round table meet- sion on Roma health issues organized by lic of Serbia. The conference had been ings on policy making on Roma issues, the Romani Centre for Social Interven- preceded by a series of three regional to be held throughout 2001, in co-oper- tion and Studies (CRISS) and the Roma- meetings in January and February, also ation with local and national authorities nian Ministry of Health in Bucharest on supported by the ODIHR. and the support of the OSCE Mission to 15 and 16 February. The ODIHR con- As a result of these meetings, Roma Moldova.

Latest edition of OSCE Handbook Updated to 1 July 2000 English version available online at www.osce.org/publications/handbook

Hard copies also available from the OSCE Secretariat, Kärntner Ring 5-7, A-1010 Vienna, Austria

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from the High Commissioner NEWS on National Minorities The Office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) is located at Prinsessegracht 22, NL-2514 AP The Hague, The Netherlands, tel.: (+31-70) 312 55 00, fax: (+31-70) 363 59 10, e-mail: [email protected]

High Commissioner encourages The creation of the university has university. Last November, an Interna- inter-ethnic co-operation in FRY been a contentious issue in the former tional Foundation was created, under his On 2 and 3 February, the OSCE High Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The auspices, to plan and oversee the creation Commissioner on National Minorities, country’s significant Albanian minority of the university, funding for which is Max van der Stoel, participated in a con- has long called for the creation of such being provided by international donors ference in Belgrade on the development an institution of which could offer a cur- including individual OSCE States, the of multicultural and multinational soci- riculum in Albanian. The legal frame- European Union and the Soros Founda- ety. The thrust of his remarks was how work for the establishment of such an tion. to integrate diversity in multi-ethnic institution became possible with the societies. His speech, entitled “Living adoption of a new education law on 25 High Commissioner addresses Together: Fostering Inter-Ethnic Co- July last year. It allowed for the use of security concerns in SE Europe operation in Post-Conflict Yugoslavia” the Albanian language and other lan- On 23 February, the High Commis- is available on the HCNM section of the guages in private institutions of higher sioner addressed a conference on democ- OSCE website. On the margins of the education. racy, human rights and the protection of conference, the High Commissioner met The unveiling ceremony on 11 persons belonging to ethnic and religious Government and minority representa- February was attended by members of minorities in south-eastern Europe, tives to discuss the latest developments the Government of the former Yugoslav which was held in Bled, Slovenia. concerning inter-ethnic issues in the Fed- Republic of Macedonia (including the In his speech, Mr. Van der Stoel dis- eral Republic of Yugoslavia. Foreign Minister and Minister of Educa- cussed the present and future challenges tion), representatives of the country’s of preventing inter-ethnic conflict in New Albanian language university Albanian community, the mayor of South-Eastern Europe. Concerning the project unveiled in Tetovo Tetovo, members of the national and recent violence in the Presovo valley, he On 11 February, the OSCE High international boards of the institution, said that he was encouraged by the Commissioner on National Minorities and representatives of the diplomatic Yugoslav Government’s decision to was among those who addressed an offi- corps. allow for a greater amount of self-admin- cial ceremony in Tetovo, former The ceremony was addressed by the istration, adding: “This sets a good Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, to Prime Minister, Ljubco Georgievski, the precedent for dealing with other complex mark the start of the construction of a Chairman of the national board of the local government issues in other areas of new private institution of higher educa- University, Zamir Dika, the future direc- the country”. tion. The curriculum at the so-called tor of the University, Alajdin Abazi, and At the same time, he warned against “South Eastern Europe University” will Mr. Van der Stoel (who also chairs the the threat of extremism, noting that small be in Albanian. Courses will also be university’s international board). groups of “ethnic entrepreneurs. . . can offered in Macedonian and other Euro- The High Commissioner has con- poison relations to the point that fear and pean languages. centrated on this project as a means of suspicion grip all sides. This is fertile The university, which will include improving inter-ethnic relations in ground for the growth of extreme nation- faculties of law, business administration, Macedonia. Together with international alist and sectarian violence”. The full public administration, communications experts, he offered advice on the com- text of his speech can be found on the and computer studies, and teacher train- patibility of the education law with inter- HCNM section of the OSCE website: ing, should be ready to open its doors on national standards. Under his guidance, 1 October 2001. a business plan was developed for the www.osce.org/hcnm

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from the OSCE REPORT Parliamentary Assembly The Secretariat of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is located at Rådhusstræde 1, DK-1466 Copenhagen K, Denmark, tel.: (+45-33) 37 80 40, fax: (+45-33) 37 80 30, e-mail: [email protected]

OSCE PA STANDING the Office for Democratic Instituion and dimension in the Charter of Paris, and COMMITTEE Human Rights (ODIHR). The Commit- since 1991 when we adopted our basic CONVENES MEETING tee recommended that both delegations modalities and procedures and then IN VIENNA be invited to Paris in order to address implemented them at our first fully- the Assembly on democratic develop- fledged Assembly meeting in Budapest No consensus reached on Belarus ments in Belarus and that the Ad Hoc in 1992, we have indeed brought “added Parliamentary Representatives Committee should continue its work in value” to this Organization and have The Credentials Committee on Belarus. made many important contributions to Belarus met in Vienna on 22 February This recommendation was presented the successful growth of the Organiza- prior to the Standing Committee meet- to the Standing Committee and, after tion into an important and respected ing to address the challenge of the serious discussion, it was concluded that regional political entity”. Belarus National Assembly regarding there was no consensus on the language Mr. Severin referred in particular to the credentials of the Belarus 13th contained in the recommendation. As a the creation, in nearly all member Supreme Soviet. The Committee, headed result, the Belarus seat will remain empty national parliaments, of an informed by Mrs. Tone Tingsgaard (Sweden) and and await further developments. cadre of elected parliamentarians who also composed of Antonio knew and understood the OSCE A Reis (Portugal), Mrs. and who supported the impor-

Geertje Lycklama a Nije- OSCE P tant work that it was doing, par- holt (Netherlands), Kazys ticularly through its missions in Bobelis (Lithuania) and the field. He also drew attention Charles Janssens (Bel- to the fact that the Assembly had gium), heard testimony provided added visibility, as from both parties and from well as enormous political cred- the Head of the OSCE ibility, to OSCE election moni- Advisory and Monitoring toring projects through the hun- Group in Belarus, Hans- dreds of parliamentarians who Georg Wieck, as well as had participated in and led from Gert Weiskirchen OSCE observation missions Romanian Foreign Minister and OSCE CiO, Mircea Dan (Germany) and Urban Geoana (left), addresses the Standing Committee, observed by over several years. Ahlin (Sweden), both of OSCE PA President Adrian Severin Much, however, remained to whom had returned be done: “It is today more clear directly from a visit by the OSCE Par- Parliamentary Assembly “brings added than ever that our Organization, the liamentary Assembly (PA) Ad Hoc value” to the OSCE - Severin OSCE, needs a political impulse”. Such Committee on Belarus to Minsk. In his address to the Standing Com- an impulse could only come from On the basis of the information pre- mittee, composed of the Heads of Dele- strengthening the involvement of sented, the Committee could not recom- gation from OSCE parliaments, the Pres- national governments and parliaments in mend recognizing either of the two del- ident of the OSCE PA, Adrian Severin the processes of the OSCE, he said, and egations since the mandate of the 13th (Romania), focused on the practical “by a much needed institutional rethink- Supreme Soviet, as set out in the Belaru- “added value” that the Parliamentary ing and co-operation of all our bodies”. sian Constitution, had expired, and the Assembly brought to the OSCE overall. In this respect, he emphasized that the elections for the National Assembly had “Since 1990, when the Heads of State or OSCE could improve its effectiveness not met OSCE standards, according to Government created our parliamentary and gain greater public visibility by

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A Annual Winter Session approved by Standing Committee OSCE P At its meeting in Vienna on 22 and 23 February, the Standing Committee approved the holding of an annual OSCE PA Winter Session in Vienna, as part of a general revision of the Rules of Proce- dure. Based on the winter meeting of the Standing Committee, the Winter Session will allow the three General Committees to have additional discussions and debates among themselves as well as to be briefed by high-level OSCE Officials who have responsibilities related to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Adrian Severin (left) meets Portugual’s competence of each of the three General Prime Minister, Antonio Guterres. Committees. improving its decision-making proce- the OSCE by the PA Vice-President The Session will increase the oppor- dures and working methods, and by Steny Hoyer on behalf of the Assembly. tunity for dialogue between OSCE Par- developing procedures that would bring Other OSCE Officials who reported to liamentarians, as well as augment their openness, transparency and account- the Standing Committee included the familiarity with the ongoing work of the ability to the OSCE. Representative on Freedom of the OSCE, without challenging the status of Media, Freimut Duve, the Secretary the Annual Session that remains the main OSCE Chairman-in-Office addresses General Jan Kubis, the Co-ordinator of event in the OSCE PA calendar. PA Standing Committee OSCE Economic and Environmental In his address to the Standing Com- Actitivies, Tom Price, and Ambassador Ad Hoc Committee on Abkhazia mittee, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Liviu Bota, the Chairman of the Perma- At the proposal of the Georgian Del- Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Dan nent Council in 2001. egatio, the Standing Committee autho- Geoana, drew attention to the important rized the establishment of an Ad Hoc role played by the Assembly when he Theme announced of 10th Annual Committee on Abkhazia. The mandate expressed his “firm belief that the multi- Session in Paris tasks the Ad Hoc Committee to promote faceted activity of the OSCE would not The Head of the French Delegation the creation of a broader political frame- be complete without its parliamentary to the OSCE PA, Michel Voisin, reported work in which a peaceful and just settle- dimension...The OSCE Parliamentary on the preparations for the forthcoming ment can be achieved on the basis of Assembly has developed into one of our Annual Session in Paris, from 6 to 10 OSCE principles and commitments. PA most important Institutions, continu- July. He informed the Standing Com- President. Severin will soon announce ously providing new ideas and proposals mittee that preparations were advancing the membership of the Committee. for the promotion of democracy, pros- according to plan and expressed his con- perity and increased confidence within fidence that the next Annual Session Parliamentarians observe and between participating States. It is an would be as successful as the last one in elections in Moldova essential actor in our efforts to push the Bucharest. Mr. Voisin added that both The OSCE Observation Mission to the boundaries of democracy outwards.” the French Parliament and Government Moldovan parliamentary elections on 25 Heads of OSCE Institutions were were preparing to welcome the Assem- February, which included 35 parliamen- also given the opportunity to address the bly and urged all delegations to register tarians from 14 OSCE participating States, Standing Committee. The OSCE High their participation as early as possible. concluded that the elections in general Commissioner on National Minorities, The President announced that the complied with international standards. Max van der Stoel, gave his final report Session’s theme would be ‘European “These elections in Moldova consol- to the Standing Committee in this capac- Security and Conflict Prevention: Chal- idated a democratic trend that should ity and was thanked for his services to lenges to the OSCE in the 21st century’. continue. Unfortunately, people in

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Transdniestria were not able to exercise Committee of the Parliamentary Assem- which takes over the Chair of the OSCE their right to vote. The high voter turnout bly of the Council of Europe. Other next year and is therefore a member of of 69 per cent indicates confidence in the members of the European Parliament the OSCE Troika. He went at the invita- democratic process”, said Finnish par- and the parliamentary assemblies of the tion of Antonio Reis, Head of the Por- liamentarian Kimmo Kiljunen, the OSCE and the Council of Europe were tuguese Delegation to the OSCE PA. In leader of the Observation Mission and also part of the delegation. addition to meetings with Mr Reis and Special Representative of the OSCE The visit took place as part of a con- the Portuguese Delegation, Mr. Severin Chairman-in-Office, during the press tinuing, joint effort of the three parlia- met the President of Portugal, Jorge conference on 25 February. mentary institutions to “further demo- Sampaio, Prime Minister Antonio Guter- The Mission did, however, note some cratic developments in Belarus, and on res and the Deputy Speaker of the Por- shortcomings during the elections the basis of a profound wish to integrate tuguese Parliament, Narana Coissoro. including incomplete voter lists and Belarus and its people in the democratic He also met the Secretary of State excessively restrictive media provisions structures of Europe”. Luis Amado, as well as Ambassador in the Electoral Code. The non-co-oper- The delegation had a consderable Joao Rosa La, who will lead the OSCE ation of the de facto authorities in Trans- number of meetings with representatives unit in the Foreign Ministry during the dniestria meant that only a very small of the Government and the institutions of Portuguese Chairmanship next year. percentage of the Moldovan citizens in the Republic of Belarus, as well as with During his meetings Mr. Severin empha- Transdniestria managed to exercise their representatives of the political Opposi- sized that the Assembly was an essential right to vote. The Preliminary Statement tion and civil society, in order to be OSCE Institution that brought added on the Moldovan elections was a joint informed about the situation in the coun- value to OSCE undertakings. effort of the OSCE PA, the Council of try after the parliamentary elections of Mr. Severin also underlined the need Europe PA and the ODIHR. October 2000 and in the run-up to the for transparency in OSCE decision-mak- presidential elections due later this year. ing mechanisms as well as for better Parliamentary Troika delegation With a view to the presidential elec- inter-Institutional co-ordination in the visits Belarus tions, the Parliamentary Troika stressed OSCE. He also discussed the prepara- The Parliamentary Troika, composed that a free and democratic conduct of tions for the international conference on of members of the European Parliament these elections would be considered as migration being jointly organized by the and the Parliamentary Assemblies of the major progress in the process of democ- OSCE PA and the Portuguese National Council of Europe and the OSCE, vis- ratization in Belarus and would therefore Assembly. ited Belarus from 5 to 7 March. The del- contribute to ending the international This will be held in Sintra on 10 and egation was chaired by Adrian Severin, isolation of the country. 11 October 2001, in conjunction with a President of the OSCE Parliamentary meeting of the OSCE PA Expanded Assembly, Jan Marinus Wiersma, Chair- Parliamentary Assembly President Bureau on 9 October. During his visit to man of the European Parliament delega- invited to Portugal Portugal, Mr. Severin was accompanied tion for relations with Belarus and Terry From 16 to18 February, PA President by the PA’s Secretary General, Spencer Davis, Chairman of the Political Affairs Severin paid an official visit to Portugal, Oliver.

Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg/IFSH OSCE Yearbook 2000 now available in German from Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft Waldseestrasse 3-5, D-76530 Baden-Baden (www.nomos.de) tel: +49 7221 2104-0

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from the OSCE Representative NEWS on Freedom of the Media The Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media is located at Kärtner Ring 5- 7, A-1010 Vienna, Austria. Tel.: (+43-1) 512 21 45-0, fax: (+43-1) 512 21 45-9, e-mail: [email protected]

Gongadze case, especially those aspects Journalists allegedly attacked by OSCE related to the identification of the body police in Azerbaijan and to the circumstances surrounding his On 27 February, the OSCE Repre- disappearance. sentative on Freedom of the Media wrote The possibility should be explored of to the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, starting such a new investigation, Vilayat Guliyev, regarding a recent headed by a well-respected independent action by the police in Baku who pre- judge and involving foreign experts. The vented a group of journalists from cov- investigation should be transparent with ering a mass protest fast by Karabakh information provided in a timely man- war veterans. ner to the public. Allegedly, the police used batons to The report was criticized by the beat a woman reporter, Sevindzh Ukrainian delegation to the OSCE. As a Muradkhanli from Adalyat and Alillyar, result, on 19 February, Mr. Duve wrote while plainclothes police manhandled to the Head of the Delegation, Ambas- another woman journalist, Saadat Akif- sador Volodymyr Ohrysko, informing gyzy from Avropa, and deprived her of Freimut Duve, OSCE Representative him of the position of his Office. her work identification document. on Freedom of the Media In another reported incident, the RFOM reports to Permanent Detained Russian reporter released police forcefully prevented a camera Council on the Gongadze case after appeal by RFOM crew from the television station Space The fate of the Ukrainian journalist, On 20 February, Anna Polit- from filming the beating by policemen Georgiy Gongadze, who disappeared in kovskaya, a reporter for the Russian of a handicapped veteran. The OSCE September last year, has continued to be newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, was Representative has asked for clarifica- a focus of the work of Freimut Duve, the detained by Russian troops at a check- tion on these cases of alleged violations OSCE Representative on Freedom of the point in the Chechen republic of the Rus- against freedom of the media. Media. On 8 February, he presented a sian Federation. The following day, the report to the Permanent Council entitled Representative on Freedom of the Media Conference held on journalists and Ukraine: the Gongadze Case. intervened with the Russian Foreign free media in south-eastern Europe This dealt with the disappearance Minister, appealing for her full safety Protection of journalists and their and subsequent developments in the and security until her release. role in reconciliation, promoting inter- case of Mr. Gongadze, who was the edi- On 22 February, the Office of the ethnic peace and preventing conflicts tor of an on-line publication, Ukrain- Representative contacted the Office of was the theme of a conference on free skaya Pravda. Although the body of Mr. Sergei Yastrzhembsky, Assistant to the media that was organized jointly by the Gongadze was later found, the investi- Russian President, to voice concern OSCE Representative on Freedom of the gation into this case, conducted by the regarding the fate of Ms. Politkovskaya. Media and the Council of Europe. Office of the State Prosecutor, has raised Later that day, she was released and sub- Hosted by the OSCE Mission to Croa- numerous questions. sequent issues of Novaya Gazeta carried tia, the conference was held in Zagreb Among other things in his report, the her personal reports, describing her from 28 February to 2 March. The con- OSCE Representative recommended plight. Her stories have since been pub- ference attracted some 120 participants that the Government of Ukraine should lished by major newspapers throughout including from 17 countries (see news undertake a new effort to investigate the Europe. feature on page 5).

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from the OSCE Secretary General REPORT and the Secretariat The OSCE Secretariat is located at Kärntner Ring 5-7, A-1010 Vienna, Austria. Telephone: (+43-1) 514 36-0, Fax: (+43-1) 514 36-96, e-mail: [email protected]

Secretary General attends meeting of The Secretary General also met the OSCE hosts annual tripartite event UN and Regional Organizations Under Secretary-General for Political with UN and Council of Europe The Secretary General of the OSCE, Affairs Kieran Prendergast, the Under On 16 February, the Secretary Gen- Jan Kubis, travelled to New York last Secretary-General for Peacekeeping eral chaired the annual Tripartite Meet- month to take part in the Fourth Meeting Jean-Marie Guehenno, and the Special ing between the United Nations, the of the United Nations and Regional Representative of the Secretary General OSCE and the Council of Europe (CoE), Organizations, chaired by the UN Secre- for Afghanistan Francesco Vendrell, as which the OSCE organized this year in tary-General, Kofi Annan. The meeting, well as the current President of the Gen- Vienna. The European Commission, the which took place on 6 and 7 February, eral Assembly, Harri Holkeri (Finland) International Committee of the Red dealt with peace-building in all its and Kalman Mizsei, the new United Cross and the International Organization aspects, including the conflict preven- Nations Development Programme for Migration were also invited. tion and post-conflict phases. It concen- Assistant Administrator and Director of South-eastern Europe and the Cau- trated on the interaction and co-operation its Regional Bureau for Europe and the casus were the main areas discussed. The of international organizations and the Commonwealth of Independent States participants agreed that the newly estab- principles and modalities guiding this (CIS). lished OSCE Mission to the Federal co-operation. In all these meetings, the talks cov- Republic of Yugoslavia and the Council The OSCE, also represented by Sorin ered ways and means to improve infor- of Europe Office in Belgrade would co- Ducaru, the Ambassador of Romania mation-sharing and establish more regu- operate closely with representatives of (which holds the Chairmanship of the lar and structured co-operation between the United Nations and its specialised OSCE during the current year), took an the two organizations and their staff, in agencies, offices and programmes, and active part in the deliberations and dis- the light of the recommendations of the representatives of the European Com- tributed background documents on Brahimi report and structural and orga- mission in Belgrade. OSCE instruments, experiences and nizational changes in the OSCE and its The participants agreed in particular activities. Secretariat. that Kosovo-wide elections should be While at the UN, the Secretary Gen- These meetings, which in many thoroughly prepared and that the exact eral held separate meetings with his respects followed up on the visit of the role and status of the elected body should counterpart, UN Secretary-General Kofi Chairman-in-Office to New York on 2 be defined before taking a decision on Annan, as well as with a number of UN February (see News In Brief on page the date for the elections. The partici- officials. With Deputy Secretary-Gen- 11), focused on areas where the two pants also noted with great concern the eral Louise Frechette, Mr. Kubis dis- organizations co-operate directly, such situation in southern Serbia. They cussed preparations for a lessons-learned as the Balkans, the Caucasus and Cen- expressed concern about the political sit- meeting of all major international orga- tral Asia. uation in Albania, and noted that in view nizations co-operating in south-eastern Finally, Mr. Kubis discussed mat- of the elections to be held this year, it Europe; with the Under Secretary-Gen- ters of common interest with the Secre- was high time for political parties, eral for Disarmament, Jayantha Dhana- taries General of the Organization of the including those in the opposition, to seek pala; Mr. Kubis discussed preparations Islamic Conference, Abdulah Belkeziz, common ground. for the UN Conference on the illicit trade and of the Organization of African On the Caucasus, the participants dis- in small arms and light weapons (on this Unity, Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, as well cussed the present situation in both the subject, he briefly met the Chairman of as with the Executive Secretary of the north and the south of the region, and the Preparatory Committee, Carlos dos Commonwealth of Independent States, decided to pursue closer co-operation Santos of Mozambique). Yuri Yarov. and exchange information in a number

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of areas, including the possibility of Senior Director for Europe and Eurasia. this co-operation, as well as internal launching joint projects and pursuing a capacity-building and developments in joint assessment mission in south Cau- SG attends meetings with EC the two organizations. casus. and BOAC in Brussels Also on 27 February, together with The next high-level tripartite meeting At the invitation of the Swedish EU Bruce Connuck, Deputy Head of the will be hosted by the Council of Europe Presidency and Ambassador Bjurner, OSCE Mission to the Federal Republic in 2002 in Strasbourg. Chairman of the Political and Security of Yugoslavia, the Secretary General Committee, the Secretary General vis- attended a meeting in Brussels focusing Address given to conference on ited Brussels on 27 February. During his on the developments in southern Serbia, democracy held in Washington stay he also had meetings at the Euro- the Covic plan (named after Nebojsa At the invitation of the Organization pean Commission, External Relations Covic, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia) of American States, the Secretary Directorate General and at the Council’s and its implementation, and the addressed a conference in Washington, Secretariat. He met Mr. Valenzuela, responses of the international commu- on 20 and 21 February, on the role of Deputy Director-General, Mr. Vinas, nity. The so-called Balkan Operational regional and multilateral organizations Director for Multilateral Affairs, and his Agencies Co-ordination meeting – in the defence and promotion of democ- colleagues; Mr. Briet, Director for Com- BOAC – was chaired by UN Special racy, which was organized in co-opera- mon Foreign and Security Policy; and Envoy, Carl Bildt, and hosted by the tion with the NGO, Community of other representatives of the EC and the NATO Secretary-General in Brussels; it Democracies. In the margins of the con- Council's Secretariat. He discussed was attended by Foreign Minister Lindh ference he had a bilateral meet- of Sweden/EU Presidency, ing with the Secretary General HR/SG Javier Solana, Euro- of the OAS, Cesar Gaviria, and pean Commissioner Chris Pat- also with the Chairman of the ten, OSCE and UNHCR. Committee on Hemispheric Phased and conditioned adjust- Security, Ambassador Ostria. ments of the Ground Safety Topics discussed included Zone were discussed, as well as the experience of the two orga- confidence-building and other nizations in dealing with con- measures to defuse tensions fidence- and security-building and promote confidence, sta- measures. It was also agreed to bility and development in continue the practice of southern Serbia. exchanging occasional visits and other contacts and Seminar held on ‘lessons exchange of official informa- learned’ during the Aus- tion. Similarly, at the margins trian Chairmanship of the Conference the Secretary On 23 February, a seminar General discussed matters of on ‘OSCE: Lessons learned common interest with Mats during the Austrian Chairman- Karlsson, External Affairs ship – a look forward’, was Vice President of the World held at the Diplomatic Bank. Academy, Vienna, and initiated Now on the OSCE website: a page describing the new The Secretary General also Mission to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia by the Academy together with used his stay in Washington to the Permanent Missions of Aus- hold working consultations at the State issues of co-operation between the EU tria and Romania to the OSCE. The Department with the Assistant Secretary and the OSCE, notably in civilian crisis OSCE Secretariat co-sponsored the of State for Europe and the US Policy management, co-operation in specific event and also provided assistance in the Co-ordinator for the CIS, as well as at areas and situations, and ways and preparations for the seminar. the National Security Council with the modalities to structure and better focus The event was opened by the Chair-

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person of the Permanent Council in OSCE once again stages its annual In additon, several new web features 2000, the Austria’s Head of Delegation, charity ball in Vienna have been introduced. The Article II Jutta Stefan-Bastl, who outlined some of On the evening of 9 February, over Agreement under the Dayton Peace the events during last year’s Austrian 1,000 guests flowed through the elegant Accord and the success of OSCE OSCE Chairmanship by pointing out the halls of the former Imperial Hofburg CSBM's in Bosnia and Herzegovina priorities and the achievements, but also Palace in Vienna to while away the hours (BiH) have been profiled. the problems. In the OSCE system of at the OSCE Ball, and at the same time Other stories describe OSCE inter- rotating Chairmanships, she stressed the to contribute generously to international national co-operation with the United importance of close co-operation with charities. Organized by the Conference Nations and the European Union. Multi- the OSCE Secretariat, as this provided Services section of the Secretariat, the media web features currently focus on the institutional memory of the Organi- event enjoyed the generous support of free media in south-eastern Europe, zation. the Hofburg Kongresszentrum (which ‘Censorship by killing’ and new media The OSCE Secretary General, in his manages the premises), Vienna Inter- legislation in BiH, as well as the recent address to the seminar, also supported continental Hotel (which provided the OSCE Supplementary Human Dimen- this view and underlined the importance buffet supper), and the City of San Remo, sion Seminar, which examined the topic of good modalities of co-operation Italy which donated 7,000 flowers of freedom of expression. Listings of between the Chairmanship and the Sec- donated to decorate the rooms). these and other OSCE feature stories can retariat. Mr. Kubis also pointed to last For the first time in its short history, be found by visiting: year’s strengthening of the Organiza- the historic Zeremoniensaal was made www.osce.org/features tion’s capability to act quickly in civil- available as a ballroom. Music was pro- ian crisis management, especially on the vided by the Istvanits Ball Orchestra, the In order to follow daily happenings ground. For the OSCE Secretariat, this Modern Dance Orchestra, the Wolfgang in the OSCE region, or to subscribe to had brought about a re-structuring and Wehner Jazz Quartet, and as a midnight OSCE news releases by e-mail, capacity-building, as well as changes in surprise, the Elvis Presley Revival Band! it is recommended to visit OSCE Online some key positions in the Secretariat. Among the special guests whom the News, at: The aim of the seminar was to dis- Secretary General welcomed at his table www.osce.org/news cuss different aspects of the experiences were the Deputy Mayor of San Remo, gained during the Austrian OSCE Chair- Giovanni Berrino, the President of the manship in 2000, both from a theoreti- OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Adrian cal and a practical point of view, and on Severin, and the Ambassadors of that basis assess future challenges to the Morocco and Thailand. Altogether 45 OSCE. To that effect, the list of speak- Ambassadors attended the Ball. ers included Heads of OSCE Delega- The net income will be again donated tions in Vienna, as well as academics for the benefit of a humanitarian organi- with a profound knowledge of the zation or project, to be decided upon Organization. Interesting and fruitful soon. One final word from the organiz- The OSCE NEWSLETTER is discussions covered areas such as com- ers is that potential sponsors are needed published monthly by the Secretariat prehensive security, peace-keeping for next year. of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. operations and civilian police, the Kärntner Ring 5- 7 regional approach, and the human News from the OSCE website A-1010 Vienna, Austria dimension. The OSCE website continues to pro- Tel.: (+43-1) 514 36-180 Fax: (+43-1) 514 36-105 The seminar provided an opportu- vide timely news and information. Dur- E-mail: infoÍosce.org nity to discuss and exchange experience ing February, a new section was Keith Jinks, Editor and ideas, and lively discussions. It drew launched to highlight the OSCE’s latest Alexander Nitzsche, Deputy Editor around 50 participants, the majority Mission, recently established in Bel- For more information on the OSCE from the Delegations in Vienna, but also grade, capital of the Federal Republic of see the OSCE Website: including students and representatives Yugoslavia. It can be found at the fol- http://www.osce.org of the academic community and non- lowing address: governmental organizations. www.osce.org/yugoslavia