OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara in his address to the UN Security Council yesterday outlined the Ukrainian OSCE Chairmanship priorities, stressed the importance of further developing the partnership between the two organizations in promoting international peace and security.
“It is a great responsibility for Ukraine to guide the OSCE towards implementing a shared vision of a Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian Security Community, as set forth in the 2010 Astana Commemorative Declaration,” Kozhara said.
He stressed that the OSCE “needs to retain political momentum provided by the Astana Summit” and the Helsinki +40 process initiated last year offers a “promising framework for this”, as the Organization moves towards 2015, a year that marks four decades since the signing of the Helsinki Final Act.
“We strongly believe that this anniversary should serve as a catalyst for re-energizing the Organization. Ukrainian Chairmanship will facilitate the Helsinki +40 dialogue focused on overcoming divergences, clarifying the role and goals of the OSCE in the modern security architecture,” said the OSCE Chairperson.
Kozhara outlined areas in politico-military, economic and environmental, and human dimensions where the OSCE already co-operates with the UN. Among them are activities on preventing and resolving conflicts; addressing protracted conflicts, including the Transdniestrian settlement and the Geneva International Discussions; disarmament and non-proliferation initiatives; countering transnational security threats, as well as developing new trade and transport corridors and fighting trafficking in human beings.
“The Ukrainian Chairmanship lends its full support to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in assisting the parties to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. During my visit to the South Caucasus in June I intend to support the call of the Co-Chairs for a more active engagement in the negotiations,” he said.
“The UN is the OSCE’s principal partner organization and as security challenges continue to evolve, the nature of the OSCE-UN co-operation has to become more pragmatic, effective and result-oriented,” he concluded.
