2011 Fall Meetings Dubrovnik 7-10 October 2011 2011 Fall Meetings T Dubrovnik
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
REPORT OSCE Parliamentary Assembly 2011 Fall Meetings Dubrovnik 7-10 October 2011 2011 Fall Meetings t Dubrovnik REPORT ON THE 2011 FALL MEETINGS OF THE OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY CONTENTS SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ 1 OPENING SESSION ..................................................................................... 2 CONFERENCE ON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH EAST EUROPE ................................................................................................ 6 SESSION I .................................................................................................... 6 SESSION II ................................................................................................... 9 SESSION III ................................................................................................. 11 SPECIAL PRESENTATION ON “THE ROLE OF THE OSCE IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION: NAGORNO-KARABAKH .................... 13 MEDITERRANEAN FORUM ..................................................................... 16 STANDING COMMITTEE ......................................................................... 18 2 2011 Fall Meetings t Dubrovnik Summary he OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Tholds a set of Fall Meetings every year to enhance inter-parliamentary dialogue on important topics related to OSCE commitments. The Meetings include a conference on a topical issue, a session of the Assembly’s Standing Committee of Heads of Delegations and typically also a meeting of the Mediterranean Forum. Previous Fall Meetings have been held in Portoroz, Malta, Sveti-Stefan, Rhodes, Rome, Toronto, Athens and Palermo. ore than 200 parliamentarians from North African politics and the need for progress across the OSCE region met in toward a two-state solution between Israelis and MDubrovnik, Croatia, on 7-10 Octo- Palestinians. ber to discuss progress in South East Europe, The special presentation on “The Role of co-operation in the Mediterranean region, and the OSCE in Conflict Resolution: Nagorno- conflict resolution efforts of the OSCE Minsk Karabakh” was moderated by the OSCE PA’s Group. The OSCE PA’s 2011 Fall Meetings also Special Representative on the South Cauca- included a meeting of the Standing Committee sus, Assembly President Emeritus Joao Soares. of Heads of Delegations on 9 October. Keynote speakers for the discussion included Speaking at the Fall Meetings were OSCE the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group -- PA President Petros Efthymiou, Head of Croa- Amb. Robert Bradke (United States), Amb. Igor tia’s Delegation to the OSCE PA Tonino Picula, Popov (Russian Federation), Bernard Fassier Croatian President Ivo Josipovic, Prime Minis- (France) -- and the Personal Representative of ter Jadranka Kosor, and Speaker of the Croatian the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the con- Parliament Luka Bebic, among others. flict dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference, “This region is now showing that freedom, Amb. Andrzej Kasprzyk. security and prosperity are not values that stop In his capacity as Treasurer, Roberto Battelli at any borders,” said President Efthymiou on reported to the Standing Committee that the PA the opening day. “They are the common ideals is in good financial health and operating under that live inside us all and shared commitments budget. It has received a preliminary positive that we as parliamentarians, diplomats and gov- assessment for the fiscal year by outside inde- ernment leaders must always work to renew.” pendent professional auditors, Battelli said. OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier PA Secretary General Spencer Oliver spoke at the Mediterranean Forum and briefed informed the Standing Committee of the work the Standing Committee on the proposed OSCE of the International Secretariat including prepa- budget for 2012, which he expected to be ration for upcoming election observation mis- adopted in a timely fashion. sions. Standing Committee delegates also heard For the first time all seven heads of OSCE from Assembly Special Representatives and Ad field presences in South East Europe provided Hoc Committees about their ongoing activities. a joint briefing to the Assembly, in a session With dozens of registered election observ- chaired by OSCE PA Special Representative on ers present, the Fall Meetings also provided an South-East Europe Roberto Battelli. opportunity for Members to discuss the elec- At the Mediterranean Forum on 9 October tion observation missions to Tunisia and Kyr- with representatives present from Algeria, Israel, gyzstan. The heads of these election observation Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia, participants dis- missions, OSCE PA Vice-Presidents Riccardo cussed the need for parliaments and govern- Migliori and Walburga Habsburg Douglas, ments to speak out on human rights issues. briefed Members on their recent pre-election Focus was also placed on the role of women in visits to Tunisia and Kyrgyzstan, respectively. 2 1 2011 Fall Meetings t Dubrovnik Opening Session President Petros Efthymiou Luka Bebić, President of the Croatian Parliament ssembly President Petros Efthymiou Croatia, he emphasized, has a special interest opened the meetings by expressing in long-term stabilization in South East Europe Agratitude to the government of Croatia, and establishing lasting peace in the region. the Parliament, the city of Dubrovnik and the Bebic also took the opportunity to praise Croatian Delegation to the PA for their hospital- the OSCE for its contribution in the region. ity in hosting the 2011 Fall Meetings. He also The field operations, in particular, have been gave particular recognition to the heads of the instrumental in helping return refugees to their regional OSCE field operations who were par- homes, fighting against corruption, and combat- ticipating in the meetings. ing trafficking in human beings. Parliamentary The President said that Croatia and its neigh- diplomacy has also been an important engine bours see desires fulfilled by governments and for change throughout the region, he said. citizens who know first-hand the benefits of co- He closed by calling on all countries of South operation. Mr. Efthymiou acknowledged the East Europe to implement the reforms neces- remarkable success stories of the region, point- sary for the region as a whole to fully integrate ing to the fact that thousands of people have into European structures. He expressed confi- returned to their pre-war homes in Croatia and dence that the Fall Meetings’ discussions would elsewhere thanks l0argely to governmental and help guarantee that this progress continues. OSCE efforts on refugee return. Hundreds of war criminals, he said, have been Tonino Picula, Head of the Croatian convicted, and in Serbia, more than a hundred Delegation to the OSCE PA professional public procurement agents are now bringing a new level of trust and accountabil- Tonino Picula welcomed participants to ity to government contracting thanks to a new Dubrovnik, saying that the city “opens its doors OSCE-sponsored certification process aimed at again to the world, as it has done so many times rooting out corruption. in its history, ready to bring together people of different cultures, traditions, and mindsets.” Luka Bebić, Picula said that multilateral and regional President of the Croatian Pariament organizations, including the OSCE, need to “seriously reconsider their activities.” Multilat- President Bebic noted that with its history as eral diplomacy, he said, cannot meet expecta- a city at a crossroads of civilizations, Dubrovnik tions if the multicultural concept is not respected offers an ideal environment for dialogue. He in each individual society. pointed out that the meeting has been organ- The Parliamentary Assembly, he said, has the ized at an historic moment for Croatia, which is capacity of facilitating the search for solutions on the verge of signing an accession agreement within the OSCE’s comprehensive concept of with the European Union. security. Without the co-operation of direct rep- 2 2011 Fall Meetings t Dubrovnik Opening Session Jadranka Kosor, Prime Minister of Croatia Ivo Josipovic, President of Croatia resentatives of the citizens, success is not pos- The contribution the OSCE has made to sible, he said, highlighting that no other security international security, she said, is great and irre- organization has such a proactive parliamentary placeable. The Organization’s flexibility and dimension as OSCE. capacity for dealing with new challenges, as The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, he said, well as its comprehensive approach to security will continue to reaffirm its relevance by build- is the best guarantee for preventing and man- ing upon its positive legacy, contributing to the aging conflicts. Croatia, the Prime Minister resolution, or, even better, to the prevention of pointed out, recognizes the essential role that conflicts. the Parliamentary Assembly has played in pro- In welcoming the parliamentarians to moting the “Helsinki spirit.” Dubrovnik, Picula reminded participants to “respect the ancient inscription on the Rector’s Ivo Josipovic, Palace in Dubrovnik: Obliti privatorum publica President of the Republic of Croatia curdte, or Leave behind your private interests and promote public interests.” President Josipovic stated that for the Repub- lic of Croatia, the OSCE is one of the most Jadranka Kosor, important platforms for dialogue on European Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia and global security. The interchange between the parliamentary