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Associated Press Worldstream
January 13, 2005 Thursday 7:07 AM Eastern Time
OSCE must build on Ukraine election monitoring success, new chairman
says
by: SUSANNA LOOF; Associated Press Writer
VIENNA, Austria
Terrorism and human trafficking remain priorities for the OSCE, but
the 55-nation trans-Atlantic security group must build on the success
its election monitors achieved in Ukraine, the organization's new
chairman said Thursday.
In his first address to the Vienna-based Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe's permanent council since taking office two
weeks ago, Dimitrij Rupel described the OSCE's vote monitoring
mission to Ukraine as "essential in restoring faith in the integrity
of the democratic system."
The group's monitors said the Nov. 21 presidential election did not
meet international standards. The Ukraine Supreme Court ordered a
Dec. 26 rerun, which opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko won.
OSCE monitors said the rerun had made progress in reaching democratic
standards.
"Expectations are high for what comes next," said Rupel, Slovenia's
foreign minister.
"I believe that the OSCE and Ukraine have a good opportunity to
strengthen cooperation across a range of issues, including freedom of
the media, national minorities, democratization, the
political-military dimension and regional security. This opportunity
should not be missed," he said.
Rupel also said the OSCE needs to be reformed to become more
effective, and that its members need to build on common issues to
"prevent political fault lines from reappearing" in the group.
Russia and other former Soviet republics have accused the group of
having "double standards" by focusing too much some former Soviet
republics and the Balkans while ignoring issues such as the plight of
Russian-speaking minorities in the Baltic countries.
Kosovo also could be a major issue for the organization in 2005,
Rupel said, adding the group should be involved in the review of
Kosovo's progress later this year. The review is expected to lead to
talks on Kosovo's future.
Rupel also said the OSCE should "redouble its efforts" to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and continue efforts to bring sustainable
peace to the Georgian region of South Ossetia.
"We have no magic solutions, but we feel that targeted and pragmatic
steps can contribute to thawing frozen conflicts, consolidating
peace-building processes and supporting democratization," he said.
In Central Asia, Rupel said more efforts must be taken to control
migration, promote human rights, strengthen human security, improve
border controls and promote cooperation in de-mining and
anti-trafficking measures.
"I also believe we should deepen our efforts to assist the
governments in Central Asia in their democratization processes,
particularly in relation to elections," he said.
Iraq has requested that the group monitor its Jan. 30 elections, but
diplomats have said the group is unlikely to send a mission because
it is unlikely that its members - many of whom were opposed to the
Iraq war - would reach a consensus on it.
January 13, 2005 Thursday 7:07 AM Eastern Time
OSCE must build on Ukraine election monitoring success, new chairman
says
by: SUSANNA LOOF; Associated Press Writer
VIENNA, Austria
Terrorism and human trafficking remain priorities for the OSCE, but
the 55-nation trans-Atlantic security group must build on the success
its election monitors achieved in Ukraine, the organization's new
chairman said Thursday.
In his first address to the Vienna-based Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe's permanent council since taking office two
weeks ago, Dimitrij Rupel described the OSCE's vote monitoring
mission to Ukraine as "essential in restoring faith in the integrity
of the democratic system."
The group's monitors said the Nov. 21 presidential election did not
meet international standards. The Ukraine Supreme Court ordered a
Dec. 26 rerun, which opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko won.
OSCE monitors said the rerun had made progress in reaching democratic
standards.
"Expectations are high for what comes next," said Rupel, Slovenia's
foreign minister.
"I believe that the OSCE and Ukraine have a good opportunity to
strengthen cooperation across a range of issues, including freedom of
the media, national minorities, democratization, the
political-military dimension and regional security. This opportunity
should not be missed," he said.
Rupel also said the OSCE needs to be reformed to become more
effective, and that its members need to build on common issues to
"prevent political fault lines from reappearing" in the group.
Russia and other former Soviet republics have accused the group of
having "double standards" by focusing too much some former Soviet
republics and the Balkans while ignoring issues such as the plight of
Russian-speaking minorities in the Baltic countries.
Kosovo also could be a major issue for the organization in 2005,
Rupel said, adding the group should be involved in the review of
Kosovo's progress later this year. The review is expected to lead to
talks on Kosovo's future.
Rupel also said the OSCE should "redouble its efforts" to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and continue efforts to bring sustainable
peace to the Georgian region of South Ossetia.
"We have no magic solutions, but we feel that targeted and pragmatic
steps can contribute to thawing frozen conflicts, consolidating
peace-building processes and supporting democratization," he said.
In Central Asia, Rupel said more efforts must be taken to control
migration, promote human rights, strengthen human security, improve
border controls and promote cooperation in de-mining and
anti-trafficking measures.
"I also believe we should deepen our efforts to assist the
governments in Central Asia in their democratization processes,
particularly in relation to elections," he said.
Iraq has requested that the group monitor its Jan. 30 elections, but
diplomats have said the group is unlikely to send a mission because
it is unlikely that its members - many of whom were opposed to the
Iraq war - would reach a consensus on it.