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NEW OSCE CHAIRMAN-IN-OFFICE SEES NO NECESSITY IN REFORMING ORGANIZATION
Trend News Agency
Dec 25 2008
Azerbaijan
Trend News written interview with the newly appointed OSCE
chairman-in-office, Greek foreign minister Dora Bakoyyanis.
Question: What priority does Greece set for its term of chairmanship
at the OSCE? Do you see any need to reform the OSCE?
Answer: I don't think there is a need to reform the OSCE. Instead I
believe that the Organization needs our full support to continue its
good work. Obviously we have set goals for our time in office, and we
plan to announce those in Vienna on 15 January. But in general, the
Greek Chairmanship will try to build a stronger OSCE at the heart of
the European security architecture. This is necessary at a time when
the region faces grave geopolitical challenges. To build the OSCE
the people of Europe deserve we will be guided by three principles:
respect for the Organization's regulations, values and principles,
pursuit of optimum convergence and consensus; and strengthening of
the presence and role of the OSCE in early warning, prevention and
management of conflicts and crises. We believe that the OSCE has a
great role to play and we plan to help fulfill that.
Question: What steps could Greece take on the way of settlement of
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict? What are your views
on the solution to this dispute on the basis of territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan?
Answer: It is well known that we firmly support the territorial
integrity and sovereignty of all States, within their internationally
recognized borders. To resolve this particular dispute, Greece believes
that frequent meetings between the two sides lead to the establishment
of mutual confidence and do initiate positive steps. We also cannot
ignore the human pain caused by the current situation. We believe that
to help the establishment of security and stability in the region,
the thousands of Internally Displaced Persons must return to their
homes. The OSCE Minsk Group should be commended for its efforts to
facilitate negotiations and propose principles for the settlement of
the conflict based on international law. Greece fully supports these
efforts and encourages constructive engagement from both parties,
in line with the Statement delivered at the Helsinki Summit earlier
this month by the French Foreign Minister on behalf of the European
Union. We hope in 2009 we will see progress in this direction.
Question: What issues will be on the focus during your forthcoming
visit to the South Caucasus, in particular, to Azerbaijan in 2009?
Answer: Again, we will outline our priorities and our travel plans
in January.
Question: Will the term of OSCE mission in South Ossetia and Abkhazia
be prolonged and extended next year?
Answer: We very much regret that it was not possible to find the
consensus among the 56 participating States so that the Mission to
Georgia could continue its valuable work. The Greek Chairmanship
will work hard to find a way for the OSCE to continue activities in
Georgia in some form that is acceptable to all.
Trend News Agency
Dec 25 2008
Azerbaijan
Trend News written interview with the newly appointed OSCE
chairman-in-office, Greek foreign minister Dora Bakoyyanis.
Question: What priority does Greece set for its term of chairmanship
at the OSCE? Do you see any need to reform the OSCE?
Answer: I don't think there is a need to reform the OSCE. Instead I
believe that the Organization needs our full support to continue its
good work. Obviously we have set goals for our time in office, and we
plan to announce those in Vienna on 15 January. But in general, the
Greek Chairmanship will try to build a stronger OSCE at the heart of
the European security architecture. This is necessary at a time when
the region faces grave geopolitical challenges. To build the OSCE
the people of Europe deserve we will be guided by three principles:
respect for the Organization's regulations, values and principles,
pursuit of optimum convergence and consensus; and strengthening of
the presence and role of the OSCE in early warning, prevention and
management of conflicts and crises. We believe that the OSCE has a
great role to play and we plan to help fulfill that.
Question: What steps could Greece take on the way of settlement of
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict? What are your views
on the solution to this dispute on the basis of territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan?
Answer: It is well known that we firmly support the territorial
integrity and sovereignty of all States, within their internationally
recognized borders. To resolve this particular dispute, Greece believes
that frequent meetings between the two sides lead to the establishment
of mutual confidence and do initiate positive steps. We also cannot
ignore the human pain caused by the current situation. We believe that
to help the establishment of security and stability in the region,
the thousands of Internally Displaced Persons must return to their
homes. The OSCE Minsk Group should be commended for its efforts to
facilitate negotiations and propose principles for the settlement of
the conflict based on international law. Greece fully supports these
efforts and encourages constructive engagement from both parties,
in line with the Statement delivered at the Helsinki Summit earlier
this month by the French Foreign Minister on behalf of the European
Union. We hope in 2009 we will see progress in this direction.
Question: What issues will be on the focus during your forthcoming
visit to the South Caucasus, in particular, to Azerbaijan in 2009?
Answer: Again, we will outline our priorities and our travel plans
in January.
Question: Will the term of OSCE mission in South Ossetia and Abkhazia
be prolonged and extended next year?
Answer: We very much regret that it was not possible to find the
consensus among the 56 participating States so that the Mission to
Georgia could continue its valuable work. The Greek Chairmanship
will work hard to find a way for the OSCE to continue activities in
Georgia in some form that is acceptable to all.