(OSCE) Handbook

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

(OSCE) Handbook cover 9/23/02 16:08 Page 1 ADDENDA WHAT IS THE OSCE? 1 Since this edition of the Handbook went to press, several important HISTORY 2 OSCE-related events have occurred: STRUCTURES 3 1. At the Eighth Ministerial Council in Vienna, 27 and 28 November AND INSTITUTIONS 2000, the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) signed the key documents of the CSCE/OSCE. 2. The Council also welcomed the adoption by the Forum for Security INSTRUMENTS 4 Co-operation of an OSCE Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons. FIELD ACTIVITIES 3. The Ninth Ministerial Council, which was held in Bucharest, 3 and 4 5 December 2001, agreed on a joint Declaration and Plan of Action for Combating Terrorism. MECHANISMS 4. The OSCE decided to open a Mission to the FRY in January 2001; the AND PROCEDURES 6 former Missions of Long Duration to Sanjak, Vojvodina and Kosovo (in the FRY) were dissolved. THE HIGH COMMISSIONER 5. Freimut Duve’s term as Representative on Freedom of the Media was ON NATIONAL MINORITIES 7 extended until 31 December 2003. 6. Negotiations on Article V of the Dayton Peace Accords (Annex 1-B) THE HUMAN DIMENSION were successfully concluded under the auspices of the OSCE on 18 8 July 2001. 7. Rolf Ekeus, a Swedish diplomat, replaced Max van der Stoel on 1 July POLITICO-MILITARY ASPECTS 9 2001 as High Commissioner on National Minorities. OF SECURITY 8. The OSCE missions in Latvia and in Estonia formally ceased to exist 31 December, 2001. THE ECONOMIC AND 10 9. The Opens Skies Treaty entered into force on 1 January 2002, 60 days ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSION after the necessary number of ratification documents was received from States Parties. THE OSCE 11 10. The unified OSCE budget for 2002 was fixed at 177.5 million Euros PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY (excluding the cost of running the Kosovo election). 11. The Secretary General, Jan Kubis, began a second three-year term of EXTERNAL 12 office on 15 June 2002. CO-OPERATION A new edition of the Handbook is in preparation and will be published PARTNERS 13 later in the year. FOR CO-OPERATION HANDBOOK_2002 9/23/02 15:56 Page II TABLE OF CONTENTS List of OSCE participating States VII Part II: The OSCE’s Comprehensive Approach to Security 4. Instruments 42 Introduction VIII 5. Field Activities 44 1. What is the OSCE? 1 Introduction and Overview ........................................................................45 The OSCE Mission in Kosovo ..................................................................46 From Vancouver to Vladivostok ..................................................................1 The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina .......................................48 A Co-operative Approach ............................................................................2 The OSCE Mission to Croatia ...................................................................51 A Unique Status ...........................................................................................3 The OSCE Presence in Albania .................................................................52 The OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje......................................55 Part I: OSCE – An Overview The OSCE Missions of Long Duration in Kosovo, Sandjak and Vojvodina ............................................................................56 2. History 6 The OSCE Mission to Georgia ..................................................................58 The Helsinki Process....................................................................................7 The OSCE Assistance Group to Chechnya................................................60 From the CSCE to the OSCE ....................................................................12 The Conflict Dealt with by the Minsk Conference (Nagorno-Karabakh).....62 The OSCE Today .......................................................................................17 The OSCE Office in Yerevan.....................................................................67 The OSCE Office in Baku .........................................................................67 3. Structures and Institutions 20 The OSCE Mission to Moldova ................................................................68 The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine..............................................70 Negotiating and Decision-making Bodies ..............................................21 The OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group in Belarus ...........................73 Summits .....................................................................................................21 OSCE Activities in Estonia........................................................................74 Review Conferences ..................................................................................23 OSCE Activities in Latvia..........................................................................76 The Ministerial Council .............................................................................25 The OSCE Mission to Tajikistan ...............................................................77 The Permanent Council..............................................................................25 The OSCE Liaison Office in Central Asia ...............................................80 The Senior Council ....................................................................................26 OSCE Centres in Central Asia...................................................................82 The Forum for Security Co-operation .......................................................27 Personal Representatives of the Chairman-in-Office ................................82 The Decision-making Process....................................................................28 Operational Structures and Institutions................................................30 6. Mechanisms and Procedures 86 The Chairman-in-Office.............................................................................30 The Secretary General and the Secretariat ................................................31 Human Dimension Mechanisms................................................................87 OSCE Administration and Finance............................................................33 Vienna Mechanism ...............................................................................87 The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights ......................35 Moscow Mechanism .............................................................................87 The High Commissioner on National Minorities ......................................35 Mechanism for Consultation and Co-operation The Representative on Freedom of the Media ..........................................36 as regards Unusual Military Activities ....................................................88 The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly..........................................................36 Co-operation as regards Hazardous Incidents of a Military Nature..........88 The Court of Conciliation and Arbitration ................................................37 Provisions Relating to Early Warning and Preventive Action...................88 II III HANDBOOK_2002 9/23/02 15:56 Page IV TABLE OF CONTENTS Mechanism for Consultation and Co-operation 11. The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly 138 with regard to Emergency Situations (Berlin Mechanism).....................89 The Parliamentary Assembly’s Objectives ..............................................140 Peaceful Settlement of Disputes ................................................................89 Structure and Institutions .........................................................................141 Valletta Mechanism ..............................................................................89 Principal Activities...................................................................................142 Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration within the OSCE ...........90 Relations with other Institutions and Organizations................................147 Provisions for an OSCE Conciliation Commission .............................90 Provisions for Directed Conciliation ...................................................91 12. External Co-operation 148 7. The High Commissioner on National Minorities 92 Co-operation at the Political Level..........................................................150 Co-operation in the Field .........................................................................155 The High Commissioner’s Involvement....................................................94 Contacts with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)......................160 The High Commissioner’s Mandate ..........................................................94 The Work of the High Commissioner in Practice......................................97 13. Partners for Co-operation 162 8. The Human Dimension 100 Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation ................................................163 Japan and Korea: Partners for Co-operation............................................166 OSCE Commitments in the Human Dimension......................................101 The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights ....................105 Annexes 168 The Representative on Freedom of the Media.........................................112 Gender Issues ..........................................................................................114 ■ Dates of Signature by participating States of the Helsinki Final Act and of the Charter
Recommended publications
  • Croatia Is a Stable Democracy
    Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Mission to Croatia F i e l d C e n t r e V u k o v a r Public Affairs Unit Glas Slavonije / Friday, 28 May 2004 / page 7 Interview with Alessandro Fracassetti, OSCE Mission to Croatia Spokesperson Croatia is a stable democracy The visit by Alessandro Fracassetti, Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the OSCE Mission to Croatia, to Osijek and Glas Slavonije newsroom yesterday was used as an opportunity to discuss Croatia’s democratic progress, the return of Serb refugees, respect of minority rights and Croatia’s prospects in joining the European Union. Q: OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Salomon Passy, recently expressed his satisfaction with the work of the OSCE Mission to Croatia. How much has Croatia progressed since the last parliamentary elections, in terms of democratisation and EU integration? Which areas showed the greatest progress? A: I believe that the greatest achievement since the last parliamentary elections was the creation of a positive atmosphere for the return of refugees and dialogue with national minorities. I believe that in so doing, several taboos were overcome. Also, we believe that the government has shown its determination to deal with issues that are also related to our mandate in Croatia. Q: In every step, the Croatian Government has declaratively refused all displays of extremism. Has this policy impacted on the areas monitored by the OSCE, in particular regarding the respect of minority rights? A: One of the most positive outcomes of this policy is the fact that issues concerning national minorities have been brought into the political mainstream, something which was unthinkable only a short while ago.
    [Show full text]
  • 14. Conventional Arms Control
    14. Conventional arms control ZDZISLAW LACHOWSKI and MARTIN SJÖGREN I. Introduction The year 2006 marked the seventh ‘lean year’ since the signing of the 1999 Agreement on Adaptation of the 1990 Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty), and no signs of further progress were evident at the Third CFE Treaty Review Conference in May. The ‘hard’ conventional arms control regime remains stalled by disagreements between Russia and the West over political texts adopted at the 1999 Istanbul Summit of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).1 As a result, entry into force of the adapted CFE Treaty remains hostage to the completion of Russia’s promised military pullouts from Georgia and Moldova.2 The March 2006 Russia–Georgia agreement, supplementing their 2005 agreement on the with- drawal of Russian military bases and other facilities from Georgia, indicated further progress in the withdrawal process, but deadlock persists over Russian personnel and equipment in Moldova. In 2006 the OSCE continued to review and develop arms control-related endeavours, including confidence- and stability-building measures and other arrangements, to address the common risks and challenges facing Europe. Globally, progress on tackling ‘inhumane weapons’ continues, and Protocol V of the 1981 Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) Convention on explosive remnants of war (ERW) entered into force.3 This chapter analyses the major issues and developments in conventional arms control in 2006. Section II discusses critical elements of the imple- mentation of the CFE Treaty. Arms control-related efforts to promote con- fidence, render assistance and foster stability in the OSCE area and elsewhere are addressed in section III.
    [Show full text]
  • ITF Enhancing Human Security Annual Report 2014
    James Madison University JMU Scholarly Commons Center for International Stabilization and Global CWD Repository Recovery 2014 ITF Enhancing Human Security Annual Report 2014 ITF Enhancing Human Security ITF Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-globalcwd Part of the Defense and Security Studies Commons, Peace and Conflict Studies Commons, Public Policy Commons, and the Social Policy Commons Recommended Citation Human Security, ITF Enhancing, "ITF Enhancing Human Security Annual Report 2014" (2014). Global CWD Repository. 1475. https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-globalcwd/1475 This Other is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery at JMU Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Global CWD Repository by an authorized administrator of JMU Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. // ANNUALREPORT 2014 CONTENTS // INTRODUCTION 5 VISION 8 MISSION 8 PRINCIPLES 9 GOALS 11 // ITF MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 12 ORGANIZATION OF ITF 13 ITF MANAGING BOARD 14 ITF BOARD OF ADVISORS 16 RELATIONSHIPS WITH STAKEHOLDERS 17 A // BENEFICIARY COUNTRIES 17 B // DONOR COMMUNITY 18 C // PARTNERS AND IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES 18 D // HUMAN SECURITY ENVIRONMENT 19 E // ITF EMPLOYEES 19 // MANAGEMENT OF ITF FUNDS 20 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND INTERNAL CONTROL 21 EXTERNAL AUDIT 21 DONATIONS IN 2014 21 A // DONOR REPORT 2014 22 ALLOCATION OF DONATIONS IN 2014 26 1.A // StrAtegic GOAL 1 by countries in 2014 27 1.B // StrAtegic GOAL 1 by purpose
    [Show full text]
  • The CFE Treaty One Year After Its Suspension: a Forlorn Treaty?, SIPRI
    SIPRI Policy Brief January 2009 THE CFE TREATY ONE YEAR SUMMARY w The prolonged crisis over the AFTER ITS SUSPENSION: 1990 Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe is a A FORLORN TREATY? refl ection of the wider spectrum of strategic, political, military and other issues that zdzislaw lachowski divide the OSCE community of states rather than a specifi c confl ict in its own right. On 12 December 2007 the Russian Federation offi cially declared that it The main protagonists— would no longer be bound by the restrictions under the 1990 Treaty on Con- Russia, the United States and ventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty). Russia explained its deci- NATO—share the guilt for the sion as being motivated by the treaty’s ‘divorce from reality’. Nonetheless, present confrontation and all of Russia assured the other parties to the treaty that it had no plans to build up them risk losing from it. Russia or concentrate heavy armaments on its borders. Over shadowed by other has ignored its political developments in Euro-Atlantic relations, the Russian ‘moratorium’ has commitments; the USA has long attracted little public attention and, consequently, the possible solutions to demonstrated its disinterest the issue have gathered little momentum. Now, one year after the suspen- and treated the CFE regime as a sion, it is time to reassess the condition and prospects of the CFE regime. pawn in the broader political Acclaimed as the ‘cornerstone of European security’, the CFE Treaty game with Russia. The European NATO states have regime remains by far the most elaborate conventional arms control regime aligned themselves with the worldwide.
    [Show full text]
  • Glas Slavonije, 20 May 2006
    Glas Slavonije, May 20, 2006 Journalist: Dragana Korpos Interview with Jorge Fuentes Monzonis-Vilallonga, head of the OSCE Mission to Croatia, on the Mission’s current activities and recent events in Croatia ANYTHING RESEMBLING APARTHEID SHOULD BE AVOIDED We are trying to encourage the Government to facilitate refugee return and the Government is doing everything in its power to do so. However, one should not underestimate the impact the social atmosphere has on this process. It would be ideal if there were no [ethnically-motivated] incidents The Head of the OSCE Mission to Croatia, Jorge Fuentes Monzonis-Vilallonga, visited Vukovar on Wednesday where he met with city authorities and representatives of the Serb minority community, as well as open the OSCE’s new field office in Vukovar. The visit was an excellent opportunity to talk to this experienced Spanish diplomat about the Mission’s current activities as well as recent events in Croatia. Since taking over as Head of the OSCE Mission to Croatia a year ago, what major changes have you noticed in Croatia, and to what extent has our country progressed towards EU membership? I came here a year ago, which to a certain extent is the final stage of the Mission’s presence in Croatia. Upon my arrival, I noted that there was room for additional improvement in relations between the Mission and the Croatian government. Likewise, my first impression of the Mission was the great amount of work accomplished, both at the Mission’s HQ in Zagreb and at the various field offices. After a while, I noted that the Mission’s many tasks needed to be directed towards a specific goal for easier orientation.
    [Show full text]
  • Barbara Peranic
    Reuters Fellowship Paper, Oxford University ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE CROATIAN MEDIA IN THE PROCESS OF RECONCILIATION Two Case Studies By Barbara Peranic Michaelmas 2006/Hilary 2007 CONTENTS Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………….. 3 Section 1………………………………………………………………………………………4 Introduction……….…………………………………………………............................4 The Legacy of the Past.………………………………………………………………...5 Section 2………………………………………………………………………..........................7 Regulations & Mechanisms to Prevent Hate Speech ………………………………… 7 Croatian Journalists’ Association……………………………………………………....9 Vecernji list’s Ombudsman and Code of Practice…………………………………...10 Letters to the Editor/Comments………………………………………………………12 Media Watchdogs …………………………………………………….........................12 Section 3………………………………………………………………………........................13 Selected Events and Press Coverage………………………………….........................13 Biljani Donji …………………………………………………….................................13 Donji Lapac …………………………………………………………………………..21 Section 4………………………………………………………………………………………29 The Question of Ethics………………………………………………..........................29 Section 5…………………………………………………………………………....................32 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………….32 2 Acknowledgements I want to express my gratitude to the Reuters Institute for giving me the opportunity to conduct this research. My warm thanks to all of the Reuters Institute team who gave so freely of their time and especially to Paddy Coulter for being an inspiring director and a wonderful host. I owe a huge dept of
    [Show full text]
  • The OSCE Mission to Croatia: the View from Zagreb
    In: IFSH (ed.), OSCE Yearbook 2002, Baden-Baden 2003, pp. 187-198. Michael Merlingen/Zenet Mujic The OSCE Mission to Croatia: The View from Zagreb In this essay, we look at the relationship between Croatia and the OSCE Mis- sion to Croatia from the Croatian point of view. The relationship between Zagreb and the Mission can be divided into three periods based on each side’s understanding of the role of the Mission. The first period, from 1996 to the end of 1999, was characterized by a frosty political climate. Although, the change of government in January 2000 abruptly improved this atmosphere, there was no essential convergence as the two sides had a different under- standing of their mutual relationship. The fair weather period did not last very long and relations worsened again. It has only been since the beginning of 2002 that the government and the Mission have been able to bring their expectations about the role of the Mission into line. Thus a new chapter was opened in their relationship. In this article, we will describe these three phases in detail from the Croatian point of view. Moreover, we pose the question whether the Mission should not have conducted more active public relations work to reach out to the population and the political authorities at the national and local level in order to win over their support for its activities as well as whether this would have facilitated the OSCE Mission’s efforts to contribute to the socio-political normalization of Croatia. The Mandate and the Mission’s Performance Record After the armed conflict between Croats and Serbs from 1991 to 1995, the OSCE sent a fact-finding mission to the country in October 1995.
    [Show full text]
  • English Translation Integra
    GUIDANCE FOR RETURNEES TO CROATIA 1 December 2004 1 GUIDANCE FOR RETURNEES TO CROATIA OSCE Mission to Croatia Author of publication OSCE Mission to Croatia Publisher OSCE Mission to Croatia Editor OSCE Mission to Croatia Cover design and graphic design Zoran itnik English translation Integra Copies 500 Print Columna, Split Tijardoviæeva 16 ISBN 953-99674-3-0 CIP - Katalogizacija u publikaciji Nacionalna i sveuèilina knjinica - Zagreb UDK 364.65-054.75(497.5)(036) 342.726-054.75(497.5)(036) ORGANISATION for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Mission to Croatia Guidance for returnees to Croatia /<author of publication OSCE Mission to Croatia>. - Zagreb : OSCE Mission to Croatia, 2004. Izv. stv. nasl.: Vodiè za povratnike u Republiku Hrvatsku. ISBN 953-99674-3-0 I. Povratnici -- Hrvatska -- Pravna regulativa -- Vodiè 2 441201173 TABLE OF CONTENT Introduction 5 State housing for former holders of occupancy/tenancy rights outside the area of special state concern 7 State housing for former holders of occupancy/tenancy right and others inside the Area of Special State Concern 12 Repossession of property 14 Housing care for owners of damaged private property 17 Looting 19 State Obligation to compensate use of private property 21 Reconstruction of damaged and destroyed properties 26 Compensation for damage caused by armed forces and police and for damage caused by terrorist acts 28 Convalidation/Pension issues 30 Status rights 32 Areas of Special State Concern 34 List of ODPR offices 37 List of OSCE offices 39 List of UNHCR offices 41 3 GUIDANCE FOR RETURNEES TO CROATIA 4 INTRODUCTION Dear readers, The OSCE Mission to Croatia has recognized the need for additional return related information to be provided through the distribution of guidance for return- ees, refugees, expelled and displaced persons.
    [Show full text]
  • Yearbook 2018
    Contents Enzo Moavero Milanesi Foreword by the Chairperson-in-Office 9 Ursel Schlichting Preface 13 I. States of Affairs – Affairs of State The OSCE and European Security Christian Nünlist Diversity as a Strength: Historical Narratives and Principles of the OSCE 25 P. Terrence Hopmann Trump, Putin, and the OSCE 39 Wolfgang Zellner Adapting to a Changed World: The CSCE/OSCE in 1990 and Today 53 Florian Raunig/Julie Peer Chairing the OSCE 67 The OSCE Participating States: Domestic Developments and Multilateral Commitment Focus on the Western Balkans/South-Eastern Europe Julia Wanninger/Knut Fleckenstein Albania Poised for a European Future 83 Axel Jaenicke Serbia at a Crossroads? 93 5 Biljana Vankovska A Diplomatic Fairytale or Geopolitics as Usual: A Critical Perspective on the Agreement between Athens and Skopje 113 Engjellushe Morina Kosovo’s Status Challenged Internally and Externally 135 Goran Bandov/Domagoj Hajduković A Contribution to the Research of a Neglected Past – the Peaceful Reintegration of the Croatian Danube Basin – the Role of UNTAES in Peace Restoration 147 Natasha Wunsch EU Reengagement in the Western Balkans: 2018 as a Missed Opportunity 165 II. Responsibilities, Instruments, Mechanisms, and Procedures Conflict Prevention and Dispute Settlement Lukasz Mackiewicz More than Counting Ceasefire Violations – the Human Dimension within the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine 181 William H. Hill Moldova/Transdniestria: Steps Forward, Stumbles Back 193 Mir Mubashir/Engjellushe Morina/Luxshi Vimalarajah Broadening the
    [Show full text]
  • Southeastern Europe
    U.S. ONLINE TRAINING FOR OSCE, INCLUDING REACT Module 5. Southeastern Europe This module introduces you to southeastern Europe and the OSCE’s work in: • Croatia (The OSCE Office in Zagreb was closed in 2012) • Macedonia • Bosnia-Herzegovina • Serbia • Kosovo • Montenegro • Albania . 1 Table of Contents Overview. 3 Geography. 4 People. 6 Former Yugoslavia. 10 World War I. 11 World War II. 12 Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia. 14 Post-Tito. 15 Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. 17 Croatia. 18 Key information. 19 Historical background. 20 During Tito. 21 After Tito. 22 War of independence. 23 Domestic politics. 25 Macedonia. 35 Key information. 36 Historical background. 38 19th and early 20th centuries. 39 During Tito. 41 Independence. 43 Domestic politics. 44 Prospects and challenges. 67 Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH). 72 Key information. 73 Historical background. 75 During the Tito era. 76 The Bosnian war: 1992-1995. 79 Disunity of international community. 81 The Dayton Peace Accords, 1995. 84 Politics since Dayton. 87 Challenges and pressures. 95 Serbia. 99 Key information. 100 Introduction. 101 Contemporary Serbia. 102 Miloševi?'s rise. 104 Domestic resistance and state oppression. 106 Consequences of Kosovo. 109 The short-lived Kosovo Verification Mission. 110 MODULE 5. Southeastern Europe 2 Regime repression intensifies. 112 Struggle for Serbia’s political direction. 115 Nikolic wins 2012 presidential election. 122 Serbia's identity and its vision for the future. 124 Montenegro. 131 Key information. 132 Contemporary Montenegro. 133 Politics in Montenegro. 134 Other issues. 140 Kosovo. 142 Key information. 143 Historical background of Kosovo. 144 Organized non-violence. 145 After Dayton. 147 UNMIK established.
    [Show full text]
  • The OSCE Mission to Croatia – Springboard to Europe1
    In: IFSH (ed.), OSCE Yearbook 2004, Baden-Baden 2005, pp. 93-106. Solveig Richter The OSCE Mission to Croatia – Springboard to Europe1 Goodbye OSCE? Croatia has arrived: It is a “functioning democracy, with stable institutions”, as the European Commission recently declared.2 Surely it is high time that the OSCE Mission – that awkward, nagging presence – depart from the country. Is it time for the OSCE to say goodbye? This argument has found support not only inside Croatia but also in- creasingly among certain OSCE participating States. However, it does not stand up to considered analysis of the Mission’s role in the country. Without a doubt, the Mission’s legitimacy is increasingly being called into question: Not only is the OSCE shifting its regional focus to the Caucasus and Central Asia, but, at the same time, the EU is increasing its influence through the Stabilization and Association process and the “European Partnership for Croatia”. Nevertheless, the prospect of EU membership has itself had a highly favourable effect on the OSCE’s work in Croatia; according to Head of Mission Peter Semneby, 2003 was the Mission’s busiest year. This contri- bution therefore considers the role of the OSCE Mission in Croatia’s Euro- pean ambitions and asks where the OSCE’s international responsibilities will lie in the future. If the Mission to Croatia succeeds in establishing a solid set of competencies in this area, it will provide an example for the future devel- opment of the OSCE, in South-eastern Europe in particular, with regard to two questions:3 - What are the OSCE’s strengths in the region with regard to the process of convergence with the EU? What synergy effects can be developed (the concept of interlocking institutions)? - In the long term, how can a mission prepare for its exit from the host country and the EU’s entry? 1 This contribution reflects the personal opinions of the author.
    [Show full text]
  • Response to the Report by the Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova Ambassador Michael Scanlan
    PC.DEL/1538/17 16 November 2017 ENGLISH only United States Mission to the OSCE Response to the Report by the Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova Ambassador Michael Scanlan As delivered by Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. Michele Siders to the Permanent Council, Vienna November 16, 2017 Thank you, Mr. Chair. The United States warmly welcomes you, Ambassador Scanlan, to the Permanent Council. Thank you for your substantive report on the work of the OSCE Mission to Moldova in support of achieving progress in the 5+2 settlement process, as well as Moldova’s reform agenda. The United States is a strong supporter of the output-based 5+2 process, and joined consensus on a Ministerial Council declaration in Hamburg last year endorsing this approach. We welcome the recent agreement by the sides on November 3 to reopen the Gura Bicului- Bychok bridge across the Nistru river and congratulate both sides on this achievement. This bridge will facilitate greater trade, thereby improving the lives of ordinary people, and symbolically help stitch the country together. The November 3 agreement also shows that substantive progress can be made when there is political will to do so. Both sides should capitalize on this political will and translate public commitments to the settlement process into additional concrete actions that could generate tangible results, before the end of this year. In this light, we call on the sides to build on this momentum and make progress on other confidence building measures in the “Package of Eight,” before the next 5+2 meeting in Vienna on November 27.
    [Show full text]