Greek foreign minister briefs UN Security Council on OSCE priorities

Mon, Mar 22 2010

Sat, Feb 28 2009 14:32 CET byClive Leviev-Sawyer 2140 Views 21 Comments

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Greek foreign minister briefs UN Security Council on OSCE priorities

Greek foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis

Photo: Nato.int

Greek foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis, whose country currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), has outlined in a February 27 2009 speech to the United Security Council Athens’s priorities for the OSCE.

"The OSCE is the largest and most inclusive regional arrangement under Chapter VIII of the UN Charter. When times are as challenging as they are, close co-operation between the Security Council and a key regional player such as the OSCE becomes all the more indispensable," Bakoyannis said.

She said that the Greek chairmanship’s first priority was to strengthen the OSCE in the field.

"The crisis in Georgia is a reminder that we must do more to translate the principles of the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act into durable reality on the ground."

In the absence of a consensus, the OSCE Mission to Georgia had found itself since January 1 2009 in a phase of technical closure, Bakoyannis said.

"Our position is clear: the OSCE should do more in Georgia and not less and the Greek Chairmanship intends to play an active role to this end, as an honest broker. The OSCE’s experience, its diverse toolbox and comprehensive approach to security are unparalleled assets."

On February 12, OSCE participating states extended the military monitoring activities of the mission until June 30.

"We also followed closely the agreement on the extension of the UN Mission in Abkhazia until June 15. I see both decisions as recognition of the need for the UN and the OSCE on the ground. Much more is needed," she said.

Bakoyannis said that the Greek OSCE Chairmanship would continue consultations on a more comprehensive OSCE presence in Georgia.

"In the meantime, we are committed to the Geneva framework, co-chaired by the UN, the OSCE and the EU.

"Despite steep challenges, we are making progress. Last week, agreement was reached in Geneva on mechanisms for incident management. This is a vital first step toward confidence building and eventual conflict settlement. We must now make these mechanisms work in practice," Bakoyannis said.

She said that humanitarian issues in the region remained a major focus for the OSCE.

"To illustrate, the (OSCE) was asked to address the disruption in the delivery of gas to South Ossetia. The OSCE assisted both sides in identifying the cause for the disruption and taking corrective measures – on January 25, gas deliveries resumed. The Greek Chairmanship is equally dedicated to resolve the disruption in the supply of water in the region and also to address the issue of detainees and missing persons at the request of the parties."

Bakoyannis said that the situation in Kosovo and the restructuring of the international presence there was also high on the OSCE agenda.

"My recent visit to Pristina strengthened my conviction that the OSCE Mission remains a stabilising factor in Kosovo, ensuring continuity of international presence and maintaining good working relationships with all communities."

She said that the Greek OSCE Chairmanship was dedicated also to taking the OSCE further in the field of border security and policing.

"In this respect, deepening OSCE engagement with Afghanistan will remain a priority in 2009 and beyond."

Bakoyannis said that she was convinced that the OSCE, with its expertise in police training and border management and long experience in Central Asia could make a meaningful contribution to the security of Afghanistan and its neighbourhood.

"We should stand ready to consider further assistance as required to the country– while recognising the UN’s co-ordinating role."

The OSCE would continue to play a key role in the fight against terrorism, she said.

The OSCE should also play a role in helping to address the long term threat of climate change, Bakoyannis said. "We will initiate a multi-level dialogue on this issue, aimed at underpinning the work of the UN."

She said that the start of 2009 had highlighted the challenge of ensuring the security of energy supplies.

"The 2003 OSCE Strategy Document for the Economic and Environmental Dimension can provide a starting point to initiate a working level dialogue that includes energy producers, consumers and transit countries."

Greek daily Kathimerini reported that before her UN speech, Bakoyannis UN special mediator on the "Macedonia name dispute" Matthew Nimetz.

"Sources said that the two diplomats simply reviewed the state of affairs and that both agreed that there is little point in attempting to revive negotiations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) at this point," Kathimerini said.

Nimetz is said to have said that Macedonia was due to hold presidential and local elections on March 22, while Greece has European parliamentary polls lined up for June 7, and that experience had shown that pre-election periods were not conducive to producing meaningful positions from either side.

"According to sources, Nimetz is due to pay a visit to Athens and Skopje in April, more as a symbolic gesture than with the aim of achieving any progress," the newspaper said.