OSCE, Alm.del - 2010-11 (1. samling) - Bilag 59: PC Brief Week 35, 2011

Permanent Council Brief Week 35, 2011The first week after the Summer Recess started with a three-minute PrepCom and a routine PC witha large number of items under “Current Issues”. The main agenda item was the regular report by theMission in Kosovo. The oral report made virtually no reference to the recent incidents in Northern Ko-sovo. The first statement came from the EU. It also only contained a very vague indirect reference tothe riots. Other statements, in particular the statements by the U.S. and Switzerland, were clearer,although also very carefully avoiding blaming any side for what had happened. Russia and Serbiacriticized the stance of the Kosovo authorities, underlining the validity of UN SC Resolution 1244, andhighlighting the “worrying development” of organized crime there. Albania stated that the status quo inNorthern Kosovo was unsustainable and that Serbia should stop supporting “parallel structures” in thenorth. Switzerland was the only participating State to hint at the need for some downsizing of the mis-sion, referring to a stabilization of the situation of the Serbian population in Southern Kosovo.The list of “Current Issues” contained “Economic Sanctions against Belarus” (brought up by Belarus),“Demolition of Buildings in Baku” (EU), “Rule of Law and Human Rights in Kazakhstan” (EU), “Elec-tions in the Breakaway Region of Abkhasia” (EU), “Capital punishment in the USA” (EU), “Condemna-tion of the Terror Attack in Grozny” (EU), “Capital punishment in Belarus” (Switzerland), “Circum-stances of the Recent Death of Andrzej Lepper, the Chairman of the Polish Self-Defense Party” (Bela-rus).Under “Any Other Business”, Denmark, Poland and Russia announced their upcoming elections (Sep-tember 15, October 9 and November 4, respectively). Whereas the first two invited the ODIHR andthe OSCE PA to observe the elections, the Russian statement only announced Russia’s intention tokeep the PC informed about the issue of international observers. Kyrgyzstan also reminded the PC ofits upcoming elections (October 30).In an informal briefing, OSCE Secretary-General Zannier explained his preliminary plans for somestructural changes in the Secretariat, which he wants to play a more political role. According to him,none of the plans require PC approval nor will they affect the OSCE budget. The most visible changeswould be that the Director of the CPC would additionally acquire the title and function of “Deputy Headof the Secretariat” and that among the directors one would be “Chief of Staff”. Altogether, it soundsmuch like reverting to the de-facto situation under former OSCE Secretary-General Jan Kubis. In ad-dition, he would create the post of a Director of Transnational Threats (police, anti-terror and borders);the costs will be covered by a downsizing of his office and the abolition of the second Deputy Directorof the CPC. Representatives of the participating States did not criticize these plans, but Germany in-sisted on open tenders for any new position.This week will be the first full working week. It will include a joint PC/FSC meeting with an address bythe Director-General of the UN Office in Geneva, former PA Vice President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

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