Chechnya Osce Representative Special
2002
1111--12/30/02 OSCE Office in Belarus; Stephan M. Minikes, U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; Address delivered to special session of the OSCE Permanent Council; Vienna, Austria ... 1111--12/12/02 Cooperation Between the OSCE and Croatia; Stephan M. Minikes, U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; Address delivered to the OSCE Permanent Council; Vienna, Austria ... [Read More]
U.S. Policy and the Organization for Security Cooperation in Europe
Explore ways to expand cooperation with the Mediterranean and Asian Partners for Cooperation, as well as adjacent areas, through concrete activities and voluntary implementation of OSCE commitments and decisions by the partner states.Working with the Chairmanship The success in advancing U.S. policies in 2003 was in part the result of an excellent working relationship with the Dutch Chairman-in-Office. The U.S. Mission is establishing effective relationships with the 2004 Chairman-in-Office, Bulgaria, and is also already working closely with Slovenia, which will be the Chairman-in-Office in 2005. The U.S. Mission communicates U.S. priorities to the Bulgarian delegation through weekly meetings at the Ambassadorial level, daily contact at the working level, and by involving higher-level interlocutors as ... [Read More]
U.S. Policy and the Organization for Security Cooperation in Europe
Chechnya is a priority issue for us in the OSCE and in our bilateral relations with Russia, both with regard to human rights and the war on terrorism. The closure of the OSCE Chechnya Assistance Group at Russian insistence remains a matter of deep concern, not only because of the implications for human rights monitoring in Chechnya, but also because other OSCE participating states may be emboldened to seek the closure of OSCE missions in their countries. We will seek support in approaching the Russians on this issue again early in 2003. The object of our efforts will be two-fold: 1) to ensure independent human rights monitoring in Chechnya, and 2) to reinforce the importance of the OSCE as a regional organization. Although the OSCE has not played a role in brokering a political solution in Chechnya, the USG believes that the OSCE could contribute to efforts to consolidating any peace achieved by the parties. The Chechnya conflict’s danger of spreading led to an OSCE border-monitori ... [Read More]
December
1111--12/30/02 OSCE Office in Belarus; Stephan M. Minikes, U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; Address delivered to special session of the OSCE Permanent Council; Vienna, Austria ... 1111--12/12/02 Cooperation Between the OSCE and Croatia; Stephan M. Minikes, U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; Address delivered to the OSCE Permanent Council; Vienna, Austria ... [Read More]
Russia
In December 2002, the mandate of the OSCE's Chechnya Assistance Group, which had been established in 2001, expired and the Government has continued to refuse to renew it. The mission had frequently criticized the actions of military forces. Foreign Minister Ivanov stated that the OSCE mission had failed to understand Chechen realities. Other officials stated that the country wished to continue cooperation with the OSCE but that corrections were required in its operations in Chechnya. ... [Read More]
February
1111--02/13/03 OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro; Stephan M. Minikes, U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; Statement to the OSCE Permanent Council; Vienna, Austria ... 1111--02/27/03 Belarus and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly; Stephan M. Minikes, U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; Statement to the OSCE Permanent Council; Vienna, Austria ... [Read More]
Advancing U.S. Interests Through the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
A good way to address many of the issues is to strengthen the OSCE, but the OSCE can only be as strong as its participating States. This requires the leaders of each OSCE country to honor commitments in word and deed. We must expect more from each other. OSCE provides important tools for promoting democracy and human rights, but ultimately each participating State is responsible for using these mechanisms effectively to hold all OSCE countries to their commitments. ... [Read More]
2003
1111--08/08/03 Secretary’s Meeting with New UN Special Representative to Kosovo, Harri Holkeri ... 1111--01/13/03 Russia: OSCE Mandate in Chechnya (Taken Question) ... 1111--12/01/03 OSCE Foreign Ministers' Meeting Begins With Focus on Terrorism and Human Trafficking ... [Read More]
Russia
Section 3 Respect for Political Rights: The Right of Citizens to Change Their GovernmentThe Constitution provides citizens with the right to change their Government peacefully, and citizens exercised this right in practice through periodic, generally free and fair elections held on the basis of universal suffrage. The Constitution establishes four branches of Government: The Presidency; the Federal Assembly made up of two houses (the State Duma and Federation Council); the Government and Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister; and the Judiciary. The Constitution gives predominance to the Presidency, and the President utilized his many powers to set national priorities and establish individual policies. After President Yeltsin's December 1999 resignation, Vladimir Putin assumed the post of acting President. In a March 2000 election, Putin was elected President. While some ... [Read More]
G - Eurasia Overview
The European Union (EU) has also been deeply involved with both Russia and the OSCE in an effort to enhance counterterrorism cooperation throughout the region. At the November 2002 Summit, the EU and Russia reached agreement on a far-reaching framework for the fight against terrorism through more intensified cooperation. The framework sets out the shared values and commitments in the fight against terrorism and identifies a series of specific areas for future EU-Russia cooperation. EU-OSCE cooperation also has advanced through close contact between the Personal Representative on Counter Terrorism of the OSCE and the Chairman of the OSCE. The objective is to maximize the abilities of both organizations to counter terrorism in the region, especially in Central Asia. ... [Read More]
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