Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY Winter Meeting Report Vienna PA21-22 February 2002 OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Winter Meeting 2002 Standing Committee Meeting The Standing Committee OSCE PA met in Vienna The Standing Committee heard presentations by on 21 February 2002, prior to the fi rst Winter Meeting the Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Transparency of the Assembly. and Accountability, Congressman Steny Hoyer (United Standing Committee delegates were addressed by the States) and the Chair of the Ad Hoc Working Group Speaker of the Austrian Parliament, Dr. Heinz Fischer on Belarus, Mrs. Uta Zapf, MP (Germany). Mr. Hoyer as well as by OSCE PA President Adrian Severin, who outlined the work already carried out by the Committee reported on the Assembly’s activities since the last Standing during recent meetings in Bucharest and Washington as Committee Meeting in Portugal and on his visits to Georgia, well as the upcoming retreat in Salzburg with selected Azerbaijan, Armenia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, representatives from the governmental side of the OSCE. FYROM, Bulgaria and Norway. The President emphasized Mr. Hoyer emphasized the importance of Assembly the importance of the upcoming Conference on Terrorism recommendations being properly considered by OSCE to be held in St. Petersburg by the CIS at the end of Governmental representatives as well as the need for March 2002. OSCE PA Treasurer Senator Jerry Grafstein more transparency in the OSCE decision-making process. (Canada) told Delegates that he was pleased to report that Mrs. Zapf reported on the recent visit to Minsk by the Ad the International Secretariat was run extremely effi ciently Hoc Committee on Belarus and on the current situation and within the allocated annual budget during the last fi scal and developments in the country. year. The external KPMG auditors used by the Assembly Vice-President Bruce George offered, on behalf of the had found the OSCE PA fi nances to be in good order. United Kingdom Delegation, to host the Annual Session OSCE PA Secretary General Spencer Oliver reported in 2004 in Edinburgh. The Committee decided to accept on the preparations for the next Annual Session to be held the United Kingdom’s offer. in Berlin next July, as well as on the ongoing efforts to The Standing Committee approved three changes establish a Vienna sub-offi ce of the International Secretariat to the Rules of Procedure. One related to providing a to strengthen communication between the Parliamentary procedure for compromise supplementary items, in cases and Governmental dimensions of the OSCE. Mr. Oliver’s when more than one supplementary item is presented report gave an overview of the main activities of the on the same issue. The other two amendments clarify Assembly since the 10th Annual Session in Paris, including procedures with regard to tabling amendments. the particular work of International Secretariat offi cials. Page 1 OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Winter Meeting 2002 Joint Session of the Three General Committees Opening remarks and address by the On the topic of terrorism President Severin argued President of the OSCE PA Mr. Adrian Severin that the fi ght against terrorism “should not in any way undermine the basic principles of human rights and President Severin welcomed participants to the Winter fundamental freedoms that form precisely the foundation Meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, expressing of our civilization.” In this context he drew attention to his hope that this fi rst Winter Meeting would increase the the concept of “multicultural security”. “We, the OSCE level of contact between participants and provide greater parliamentarians could contribute to the fight against continuity in the work of the Assembly. He also noted the terrorism not only by adopting the necessary legislation, opportunity to follow up on decisions and recommendations but also by networking across various cultures and by from the previous Annual Sessions. promoting inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue He thanked the President of the Austrian Republic, Dr. through inter-parliamentary dialogue.” Thomas Klestil, for attending the Joint Session and the Austrian Parliament for its kind assistance in the preparation Address by the President of the Austrian of the event. Republic Dr. Thomas Klestil President Severin stressed that the principal objectives of the winter meetings were: to allow increased interaction President Klestil opened his speech by commenting with the governmental side of the OSCE, to follow-up the that the OSCE PA has progressively obtained greater and Assembly’s decisions taken during the Annual Sessions and greater signifi cance. “I see the holding of the First Winter to present and debate outlines of the reports, which will be Meeting in the premises of the OSCE as a further step put forward for adoption at the July Session. towards strengthening the parliamentary dimension of Mr. Severin also pointed out that the Parliamentary OSCE activities”. Dr. Klestil stressed the vital role of Assembly of the OSCE had signifi cantly developed its parliamentarians in forming dialogue within civil society. structure and activities since its creation, and that this He also addressed the topic of terrorism, stressing that was an ongoing process. He said that there were still fi ghting terrorism should not be allowed to undermine many ideas to develop in the near future. Implementing human rights and democratic principles. Dr. Klestil these initiatives would require a reinforcement of the concluded by remarking that the expansion of OSCE International Secretariat’s human resources, a reassessment activities required a strengthening of the Organization as an of the budgetary policies and an increase in the number of institution. One central aspect of this strengthening would parliamentarians taking part in the Assembly’s activities. be to grant the OSCE legal status, providing the OSCE He encouraged parliamentarians to discuss these issues with the same level of standing as other international during their debates. organizations. Page 2 OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Winter Meeting 2002 Address by the OSCE Chairman-in-Offi ce achieving a greater balance between the activities of Mr. Jaime Gama all three dimensions of the OSCE. In this context he informed the delegates that he had appointed Ambassador The OSCE Chairman-in-Offi ce, Portuguese Foreign Herbert Salber (Germany) as “Special Advisor” on Minister Jaime Gama began his address by announcing Central Asia. that the Portuguese Chairmanship had decided to set the Mr. Gama added that the Portuguese Chairmanship fi ght against terrorism as a priority. He made it clear that fully endorses the objective of enhancing the role of the the OSCE had a role to play in this fi ght and pointed Parliamentary Assembly. He concluded by emphasising out that one of the main goals of the Organization at the that he would continue to work closely with the OSCE moment was to make good use of the instruments for Parliamentary Assembly in the pursuit of common fi ghting terrorism including the Bucharest Plan of Action objectives. and the Bishkek Programme of Action. In this context he told delegates that he had appointed former Danish Discussion Defence Minister Jan Trøjborg as Personal Representative of the CiO for Preventing and Combating Terrorism. The discussion that followed dealt with a wide variety Mr. Gama emphasized that it was vital that the of issues. Concerning the OSCE budget, members of the commitments of the Organization, namely to ensure Assembly pointed out that parliamentarians could assist democracy, the rule of law and the respect for human the governmental side in preventing budgetary crises and rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the OSCE that the budget adoption process should be more open to region. parliamentarians. One parliamentarian also stressed that it The CiO also commented on the need to rebalance the would have been prudent to consult with parliamentarians three dimensions of the OSCE. He reminded delegates that regarding mission closures. A more balanced division the Bucharest Ministerial Council meeting decided to foster between the three baskets in the activities of the OSCE the role of the OSCE as a forum for political dialogue. was urged. Some parliamentarians also stated that the The full development of this political dialogue requires an OSCE should avoid concentrating its activities exclusively enhancement of all three OSCE main dimensions. on the CIS region, and should strive to act in a more Mr. Gama expressed concern over the delay in geographically-balanced way. In the context of the approving the OSCE’s 2002 budget. He said that a fi ght against terrorism, a member of the Assembly also prolongation of this situation could severely undermine the pointed out that parliamentarians have a role to play in work of the OSCE’s various Institutions and Missions. ratifying anti-terrorist conventions and in harmonizing The CiO pointed out that South-Eastern Europe would anti-terrorist legislation across the OSCE. Finally, it was continue to be a priority area for the OSCE. In Central remarked that security measures should never undermine Asia the Chairmanship’s strategy would be based on democratic values. The President of the Austian Republic, Dr. Thomas Klestil (Right) and the President of the Austrian Parliament Dr. Heinz Fischer Page 3 OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Winter Meeting 2002 General Committee on Political Affairs and Security The Chairman of the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security (First Committee), Mr. András Bársony opened the meeting by stressing the importance of this occasion as an opportunity for parliamentarians to be introduced to the theme of the upcoming Annual Session in Berlin, the role of the OSCE in the fight against terrorism, and to hear how the Committee Rapporteur intends to approach this issue in his Report to be presented at the next First Committee Meeting during the Annual Session. Mr. Bársony also introduced two guest speakers, the Chairman of the OSCE Permanent Council, Ambassador João de Lima Pimentel and the Chairman of the Forum for Security Co-operation, Ambassador Pavel Vacek.