| OSCE briefed on Moscow's reform proposals Yesterday in Moscow the problems of reforming the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) were discussed. Negotiations with the Russian side were conducted by Dimitri Rupel, head of the Foreign Ministry of Slovenia, which took over the chairmanship of the organization on January 1, 2005. He met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Secretary of the Russian Security Council Igor Ivanov and Chairman of the Duma Committee on International Affairs Konstantin Kosachev.
Last December in Sofia, at the annual Council of Foreign Ministers of the OSCE member countries, reform ideas expressed by Russia and its colleagues from the CIS were not heard. Therefore, yesterday’s gratitude from Sergei Lavrov to the Slovenian Chairmanship for “the ability to listen and hear” is especially significant.
Mr. Rupel agreed with the need to balance the OSCE's activities in three baskets: security, economics and humanitarian areas. In this regard, he supported Russian proposals to hold a seminar to compare the military doctrines of the participating countries and a forum on energy security.
Yesterday the parties also came to a common understanding of the need to revise the scale of contributions to the OSCE proposed by Moscow. “I’m not a mathematician and I can’t evaluate this proposal right now, but in general, everything I heard inspired me,” Rupel said.
Moscow's concern about the election monitoring system in the post-Soviet space was also received with understanding; the presidents of some CIS countries have repeatedly criticized the OSCE on this issue. There is an agreement that OSCE and CIS observers will cooperate more closely.
There is still no clarity regarding the candidacy of Jan Kubis, the OSCE Secretary General, whose mandate will end on July 1. Now, according to Vremya Novostei, several candidates are being discussed, but there is no agreement, so the names are not named.
Mr. Rupel concluded yesterday: "I am very pleased with the open and honest exchange of views with representatives of the Russian government on the issue of making the OSCE more responsible and effective in its activities aimed at strengthening the security of all 55 OSCE member states." Katerina LABETSKAYA |
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