Mr. Chairman,
Members of the Security Council,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a pleasure and honour to speak before the UN Security Council.
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 indispensible.
In my statement today, I will outline the priorities of the OSCE Greek Chairmanship for 2009, and address some of the key issues common to the agendas of both of our organisations.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our first priority is to strengthen the OSCE in the field.
Unfortunately, 2008 saw a serious crisis in the Caucasus. 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.
We have devoted great attention to ongoing discussions on the future OSCE presence in Georgia. In the absence of a consensus, the OSCE Mission to Georgia finds itself, since the 1st of January, in a phase of technical closure.
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 the 12th of February, OSCE participating States extended the military monitoring activities of the Mission until the 30th of June. We also followed closely the agreement on the extension of the UN Mission in Abkhazia until the 15th of June. I see both decisions as recognition of the need for the UN and the OSCE on the ground. Much more is needed.
The Greek OSCE Chairmanship will 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.
The Geneva platform demonstrates the importance of co-operation between these three major actors. This is the only framework where all the parties to the conflict meet.
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.
Humanitarian issues in the region remain a major focus for the OSCE. To illustrate, the Organization 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 the 25th of January, 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.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
While the situation in Georgia has drawn much of our attention, it is not the only common challenge we face.
The situation in Kosovo and the restructuring of the international presence there is also high on the OSCE agenda.
We welcome the endorsement by the Security Council of the UN Secretary General Report of the 24th of November 2008, which underscored the importance of the OSCE’s role in building and monitoring Kosovo’s institutions and in supporting its minority communities. The OSCE Mission will continue to implement its mandate, based on UNSC Resolution 1244.
My recent visit to Pristina strengthened my conviction that the OSCE Mission remains a stabilizing factor in Kosovo, ensuring continuity of international presence and maintaining good working relationships with all communities.
May I also here underline the excellent co-operation that our Mission enjoys with the rest of UNMIK, and in particular with Special Representative Lamberto Zannier.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Greek OSCE Chairmanship is 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.
Afghanistan has been an OSCE Partner for Co-operation since 2003 — I should say it is a special Partner, which has expressed an interest in practical co-operation to address concrete problems. In this respect, a multi-million euro package of assistance and capacity-building projects was prepared, in consultation with the Afghan authorities, as well as UNAMA and other international actors.
Most of these projects are entering the operational phase. As a result, the OSCE will provide training, including through our field operations in Central Asia, to Afghan experts on issues such as border management and security, border patrolling, counter-narcotic policing, customs management and travel document security.
In addition, the OSCE has been working closely with Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission (IEC), in consultation also with the UN Electoral Assistance Division, UNAMA and UNDP. Our Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has been providing targeted assistance to the IEC’s efforts in election observation and other election related issues, following up on recommendations made as a result of OSCE election support missions to Afghanistan in 2004 and 2005.
I am convinced that the OSCE, with its expertise in police training and border management and long experience in Central Asia can 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.
Other new avenues of OSCE and UN co-have also opened up in Central Asia. For instance, I believe that the OSCE’s long experience on the ground can be of benefit to the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The priorities of the Greek Chairmanship span across the three OSCE Dimensions.
The OSCE will continue to play a key role in the fight against terrorism.
The thrust of OSCE anti-terrorism work aims to support the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1373. The ratification of universal anti-terrorism conventions and protocols are of special importance, as is our work to enhance legal co-operation in criminal matters related to terrorism, to counter the financing of terrorism and to improve travel document security.
Co-operation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) is intensive, as is our collaboration with the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (UNCTED). The OSCE will continue supporting the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
This year, the OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum will examine cross-dimensional aspects of the migration phenomenon. Uncontrolled migratory movements represent a significant challenge to OSCE participating States. I believe there is a great potential for co-operation with the UN in this important field.
The OSCE should also play a role in helping to address the long term threat of climate change. We will initiate a multi-level dialogue on this issue, aimed at underpinning the work of the UN.
The start of this year 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.
In the Human Dimension, the Greek Chairmanship will seek to strengthen the broad thematic area of the Rule of Law.
Gender equality is also a priority. Dialogue and exchange of experience with the UN system will be particularly beneficial in this area.
The Greek Chairmanship will devote attention to the situation of the Roma and Sinti and to the fight against hate crimes. Freedom of religion and human rights education will also be given prominence.
Greece is determined as well to maintain the highest standards for OSCE election observation activities. This year will see important elections throughout the OSCE region; election observation must remain a flagship activity of the Organization.
Finally, let me draw your attention to the adoption by the Helsinki Ministerial Council of a Declaration on the Occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The participating States reaffirmed here their strong commitment to the Declaration and recommitted themselves to act in conformity with its purposes and principles.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The OSCE was designed as an inclusive forum for political and security dialogue. It should be no surprise that the first high-level, multilateral discussion of the proposals by President Medvedev and others for renewed European security dialogue took place within the OSCE, during the Helsinki Ministerial Council.
These exchanges confirmed the OSCE as a unique platform. Its inclusive composition and signature concept of comprehensive security, remain unparalleled across the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian landscapes.
OSCE participating States are currently discussing how to take this process forward. Certainly, OSCE experience is flexible and can be drawn on in many different ways. Greece stands ready to organize meetings at any level to facilitate further dialogue.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Times are not easy for our States or for our societies. The global economic crisis casts a long shadow, and will affect us in ways that are still unpredictable.
In such circumstances, it is our responsibility to consolidate the pillars of a rules-based international order. It is vital to strengthen further the partnership between the OSCE and the UN across the three dimensions and in all the regions where we operate. This will be consistently on the agenda of the OSCE Greek Chairmanship in 2009.
Thank you for your time.