SC - Briefing on the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe - Ambassador Mayr-Harting
Statement by Ambassador Thomas Mayr-Harting, Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations
New York, 5 February 2010
At the outset let me welcome H.E. Mr. Kanat Saudabayev, Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, to the Council today. We congratulate Kazakhstan on the assumption of the Chairmanship of the world’s largest regional security organisation, at a decisive moment in its history.
Let me thank the Minister for his presentation of the programme of work and the priorities of the Kazakh Chairmanship-in-Office for the coming year. Leadership of this important organisation comes with great challenges and responsibilities; this is even more true now that the Organization has embarked on the Corfu Process for a European Security Dialogue in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian regions. As participating State and as host country of the organization, Austria would like to assure Kazakhstan of our full support in her efforts to promote the OSCE agenda and for the endeavours of Kazakhstn to ensure that all three dimensions of the Organization’s work are given equal attention.
Last month the Security Council once again underlined the importance of cooperation between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organisations in the prevention, management, and resolution of conflicts in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter. The OSCE has over the years played an active role supporting the implementation of United Nations principles in various horizontal issues such as counter-terrorism, the fight against trafficking in human beings, drugs and weapons as well as the promotion of human rights, the rule of law and democracy. We are pleased that United Nations representatives will be invited to address the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna this year.In that context we also highly appreciate the personal interest of the Secretary-General in the cooperation and personal contacts with the OSCE.
The OSCE institutions and its field missions significantly contribute to narrowing the security gaps that exist in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian regions. The election observation missions carried out by ODIHR as well as the OSCE field missions operative in Participating States foster democratic stability and security in close cooperation with relevant UN agencies and missions.
In view of its geographic and historical proximity, we deem Kazakhstan particularly well placed to bringing the protracted conflicts in the region closer to a peaceful solution. In this regard we highly appreciate the early personal engagement of the Chairman-in-Office, and of his Special Representative, Ambassador Nurgaliev.
Moreover, we welcome the intention of the Kazakh chairmanship to advance the Organisation’s contribution to non-proliferation in connection with the 1540 regime and to the protection of the Afghan borders. Both issues are crucial for the region’s security and deserve our full commitment.
Let me assure the Minister that we fully share his very positive assessment of the work of the OSCE, both the Border Management Staff College in Tajikistan and the Customs Service Training Centre in Kyrgyzstan. There are also useful synergies between the activities of those institutions and the work of the European Union (EU) in the filed of border management.
The OSCE’s role in Kosovo continues to be an important example for the complementarity of United Nations, OSCE and EU in crisis management efforts. Austria would like to commend the OSCE Mission in Kosovo for the intensive work and coordination with other international stakeholders in the successful organization of the municipal elections recently held in Kosovo.
We appreciate the proposal by the Government of Kazakhstan to convene an OSZE summit later this year. I have listened very carefully and with sympathy to the suggestions made by the Minister as to the preparations of such an event. As the Austrian Foreign Minister, Michael Spindelegger assured the Minister upon his visit to Vienna in January, Austria stands ready to contribute to the necessary preparations in order to produce substantive progress on issues such as the protracted conflicts, the CFE regime, energy security, non-proliferation as well as the promotion of human rights, which would be very important.
