DRAFT REPORT FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE ON

POLITICAL AFFAIRS AND SECURITY

Rapporteur: Ms. Vilija Aleknaite Abramikiene (Lithuania)

The theme we have picked,Region of Change,embodies the very essence of the OSCE.Since the launching of the Conference for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the securityenvironment in the region has changed radically. The OSCE PA itself was established in theera of positive changes when Eastern and Central Europe decisively refused dependency andtotalitarianism.At that time, change meant hope and progress.In recent years a number of new security challenges have emerged. As a unique securityorganization, the OSCE should continue creating a common security community throughdialogue based on the concept of comprehensive and indivisible security. The Organizationmust continue developing its identity at the political level by linking its activities with newmultidimensional threats to security, both in the OSCE region and neighbouring areas.Moreover, while strengthening our activities and focusing on the security field, human rightsand democracy cannot be compromised. It is very regrettable that a number of participatingStates retreated from this fundamental principle of comprehensive security during the VilniusOSCE Ministerial meeting last December.Over the last decade the notion of “change” has not always had a positive connotation. Whenwe speak about regions of tension and conflict, it often requires enormous effort by ourOrganization and the international community to prevent bad situations from becoming evenworse. We should welcome the positive fact that in 2011 no new conflicts emerged in theOSCE area.

The unresolved or protracted conflicts,

which still exist in the OSCE region, remain one ofthe greatest threats to security and stability. These conflicts have, for too long, cost humanlives, forced large population groups to live as refugees or IDPs, and at the same time, takenup a large portion of a country’s human and financial resources. All these facts hampereconomic growth, social development, and regional stability. It is my pleasure to note that in2011, notable progress was made with the formal resumption of the 5+2 talks in theTransnistrian settlement process in Vilnius. It is now of paramount importance that the partiesinvolved continue the work and negotiations in earnest. I am glad that the second (since theresumption) official 5+2 meeting in Dublin on 28 February was a success, and I hope thateach future meeting will mark a step towards resolution of this conflict. I join in welcomingthe recent agreement allowing the resumption of full rail traffic through the region, whichwill benefit people and local businesses on both sides of the river.Deplorably, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict continues to cost lives along the line of contact,and tensions in this region are still extremely high. The Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group,together with the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, are working on developing a planfor peace, and it is now mainly up to these parties to work to resolve the conflict and reach anagreement. An important first step is to ensure that the ceasefire agreement is beingrespected and that snipers are withdrawn. It is also vital that full investigations are conductedwhen conflict-related incidents occur. The joint statement by the Minsk Group Co-Chair1

countries and the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, issued in Vilnius on 7December 2011, reaffirmed the importance of reaching a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.Regarding Georgia, the Geneva International Discussions continue to serve as a valuablecontribution, although any movement towards a solution will be difficult. However, it isencouraging that in 2011 a number of OSCE-sponsored confidence-building projects wereapproved and implemented. The parties should continue to move forward and seekconfidence-building measures to overcome not only the security related challenges, but alsothe acute humanitarian consequences of the 2008 war. In this respect, the OSCE PAencourages the relevant parties to positively consider the year-end proposals by the 2011Lithuanian OSCE Chairmanship, which called for the restoration of an OSCE presence basedon a status-neutral agreement. This would enable the OSCE to re-open a meaningful presencein Georgia, to cover all three dimensions of the OSCE’s work.The Decision on Elements of the Conflict Cycle was one of the most important outcomesfrom the Vilnius Ministerial Council. This decision strengthens the ability of ourOrganization to respond comprehensively and effectively to emerging risks and existingchallenges across the entire conflict cycle, and at the same time, sets out clear and concretetasks to the OSCE executive structures as well as to participating States themselves. As it alsoprovides clear guidance for future work, the process of implementation of this importantdecision should remain the focus of our attention.Last year, the OSCE continued to prove its value in assisting states that experienced ethnicviolence. Though belatedly, the OSCE participating States deployed the Community SecurityInitiative in Kyrgyzstan. The project is aimed at assisting Kyrgyz law enforcement agenciesin addressing security challenges and restoring confidence in the rule of law after theoutbreak of interethnic violence in the south of the country in June 2010. Considerableprogress in reaching out to the local communities must be noted, yet improvements in humanrights records and anchoring stability, particularly in the south of the country, remain to beachieved. The OSCE PA will continue to lobby for the success of the OSCE andChairmanship activities in Kyrgyzstan.As stated in the Astana Commemorative Declaration, “conventionalarms control andconfidence and security building regimes remain major instruments for ensuring militarystability, predictability and transparency, and should be revitalized, updated andmodernized.”In our Belgrade Declaration the Assembly also adopted a recommendationstemming from this Committee, urging for an

updated Vienna Document,

a furtherelaboration on the

Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security,

and anincreased effort to start negotiations on the strengthening and modernizing of

conventional

arms control in Europe.

Some progress was made with the adoption of nine so-called

“Vienna Plus” decisions taken during the Ministerial Council meeting in Vilnius,

whichled to a reissue of the Vienna Document in 2011. From now on the Vienna Document will beupdated every five years to better reflect the constantly changing politico-military realities.However, the merely technical and procedural decisions made in November fall far short ofthe expectations we had for a general strategic update of the Vienna Document. It is clearlyless ambitious than expected. There is a strong need for participating States to make use ofthe Forum for Security Co-operation to achieve concrete results in areas such as

lowering the

thresholds

at which participating States are obliged to inform each other of militaryexercises, increasing the opportunities for verification activity, modernizing and updating the2

exchange of military information, strengthening risk reduction mechanisms and enlarging thescope of confidence- and security-building measures (CSBMs). Now, more than ever, it is ofcrucial importance to modernize the Vienna Document in a more strategic, forward-lookingway as the worrying stalemate of the CFE regime continues due to the unilateral decision ofone country to suspend the implementation of its obligations under the treaty. Since theoutcome of the negotiation process in the so-called format of 36 was frozen due todisagreements on fundamental issues such as host nation consent within internationallyrecognised borders and interim transparency measures, there is a need for more commonefforts aimed at revitalizing, updating and modernizing the arms control regime in Europebased on key principles. We should be able to set aside our national agendas to engage in thework that would benefit us all.I cannot avoid mentioning that the year 2012 started on an unfortunate note. The RussianFederation’s refusal of Spanish and Swedish Vienna Document evaluation visits on thegrounds offorce majeurebased on a lack of internal regulations is unacceptable andundermines the object and purpose of the document. It is believed that this is merely atechnical issue which Russia will resolve as soon as possible with the aim of ensuring anunimpeded application of the Vienna Document 2011.The Open Skies Treaty is an important foundation and one of the main pillars of confidence-building all across Europe and North America. In March 2012 the 20thanniversary of theTreaty celebrated that over 840 observation flights had been performed. However, there is aneed in these complex economic times to strive towards enhancement of the treaty by furtherachieving more with less financial resources. In this regard more efforts should be puttowards modernizing the treaty to allow for the use of new technologies (digital sensors).The OSCE, due to its broad composition and comprehensive approach to security, offers aunique platform to discuss, share expertise, implement good practices and raise awareness ofcyber threats. In particular the OSCE’s expertise regarding CBMs could be usefully appliedin cyberspace to enhance transparency, predictability, stability and reduce the risks ofmisperception, escalation and conflict. Such CBM’s would also allow for an exchange ofnational views on the norms of behaviour within politico-military contexts, thus building onexisting international law. The OSCE should complement existing efforts and actively co-operate with other regional and international entities active in this thematic area. Much workhas been done during the year 2011 to explore the future role of the OSCE in this context,and this work should continue.With the beginning of the “Arab Spring” in 2011, we expected that several of the OSCE’sMediterranean Partners would further approach the core values of the OSCE, opening newopportunities for development in the region. At the same time, the uprising and war in Libya,as well as increasing violence in Syria and related international diplomatic confrontation,challenged the perception of security in the OSCE region. It has also confirmed that securityin the OSCE area is indivisibly linked to the stability and security in the neighbouringregions: the Middle East, the Southern Mediterranean, Afghanistan and Asia. The discussionat the Assembly’s Mediterranean Forum highlighted the need and willingness to broadendialogue and co-operation beyond the current OSCE region. The forum has also underlinedthat in order to meet common challenges, the current co-operation structures should beimproved and strengthened. The Southern Mediterranean region, as well as Afghanistan,could benefit significantly from the OSCE projecting its core values, principles andexperience beyond the borders of its current participating States to neighbouring areas,3

particularly those that influence security in the OSCE area the most. In the wake of events inthe Southern Mediterranean, the OSCE Institutions and the Chairmanship have been activelyinvolved in a dialogue with the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation, offering concreteproposals in the areas of democratic practices, media freedom, rule of law and police reform.

A decision on strengthening co-operation with the OSCE Partners for Co-operation was

adopted at the Vilnius Ministerial Council.

It should now be consistently implemented.The OSCE can and should play a more active role in facilitating co-operation betweenAfghanistan and the OSCE participating States, including those from Central Asia, inaddressing the security challenges the region is facing, also in light of the planned withdrawalof the International Security Forces (ISAF) from Afghanistan. The Vilnius MC decision onStrengthening OSCE Engagement with Afghanistan, supported by a new package of second-generation OSCE-Afghanistan projects across all three dimensions of security, serves thispurpose. Thirty-two projects ranging from capacity-building of Afghan officials in bordermanagement and security to water management and electoral support are designed to beimplemented during 2012-2014. Lithuania, in its capacity as the 2012 Chair of the ContactGroup with the Asian Partners for Co-operation, is monitoring the process.At the same time, in order to obtain better results and avoid duplication, the OSCE shouldseek to reinforce its strategic co-operation with the EU, NATO, and the UN.The OSCE should further its efforts to consolidate its work in the fight against existing andemerging transnational threats (TNT) and challenges as well as in strengthen the promotionof its unique concept of comprehensive security and increase the level of co-operation withneighbouring regions. The OSCE’s efforts in promoting border security and management aswell as norms and practices of democratic policing are very important in this regard.Within the comprehensive understanding of security, the fight against terrorism cannot bedealt with only from a hard security standpoint. Respect for human rights and fundamentalfreedoms, democracy and the rule of law, as well as an effective and accountable system ofdemocratic governance, are essential to a well-functioning modern democracy. Thepromotion of these core values should, therefore, remain the foundation of the OSCEactivities. These values shall be conveyed continually within the process of OSCE work inthe area of transnational threats and, in particular, the fight against terrorism.To stay relevant and effective, the OSCE must respond to new and emerging securitychallenges. Most importantly, the OSCE needs totake forward and complete the work of the2011 Vilnius Ministerialon Transnational Threats.We are particularly committed to supportfurther development and consolidation of OSCE’smandates as well the OSCE’s significant contribution of cyber securityto internationalendeavours in countering transnational threats and challenges.It is safe to say that a solid agreement exists that the OSCE has a role to play incomprehensively enhancing cyber security. Much work was done in 2011. OSCE expertiseregarding CBMs could be usefully applied in cyberspace to enhance transparency,predictability, stability and reduce the risks of misperception, escalation and conflict. SuchCBMs would also allow for an exchange of national views on the norms of behaviour withinpolitico-military contexts, thus building on existing international law.4

Taking into account increasing involvement of the OSCE in police-related activities, theOSCE needs a clear strategic framework for police-related activities to successfully meetarising challenges. The promotion of democratic policing principles in all OSCE participatingStates is our core objective.In areas such as trafficking in human beings or illegal trafficking of drugs, and other forms oforganized crime, capacity-building for modern and democratic police forces and promotionof border security and management, the OSCE assists, complements, amplifies and promotesefforts by participating States and international actors, in particular the United Nations, atregional and sub-regional levels like in Central Asia or the Western Balkans. The OSCE’swork on TNT must play to the OSCE’s strengths, add value and complement efforts by otherplayers in this field.We are now better equipped to tackle the above-mentioned challenges following the adoptionof the Ministerial Council Decision on Strengthening Co-ordination and Coherence in theOSCE's Efforts to Address Transnational Threats. In this regard, steps have been taken toenable thenew TNT Departmentto begin its important work by giving direction forprogrammatic activities and events related to TNT.The main security concerns that our countries are facing today are of a transnationalcharacter, and ways of addressing them must bemulti-dimensional.Therefore, all ouractivities should be guided by the OSCE’s comprehensive concept of security having at itscore human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law.The global political community nowadays has to operate in a fast-changing environment andto fend off new arising challenges.The current global

financial crisis

has not only hit the financial and business sectors, but hasalso affected most OSCE participating States and their populations. This has led to social andpolitical uncertainty, unrest and a growing concern over a lack of security. In this context,despite the urge of some countries to close their borders and look inwards, there is a greaterneed to increase co-operation across borders and strengthen international and regionalinstitutions. New security challenges relating to stability, democracy and rule of law areinterlinked, and the OSCE is in a unique position to help overcome some of these. However,without political will and engagement from capitals by ministers and Members of Parliament,this cannot happen.From an institutional perspective, the cuts in national budgets have had direct consequencesfor the OSCE. Frankly speaking, we must learn to do more with less. Maximum efficiencymust be our goal. A good example of such ability is the creation of the TNT Department byreallocating the existing staff positions within the OSCE Secretariat. This body will providefor more strategic and higher-profile engagement of the OSCE on TNT issues.However, we must admit that cuts of national budgets make the activities of the OSCE moredifficult when it comes to extra-budgetary contributions, secondment of personnel andnational contributions to the ODIHR’s election observation. More than ever, the economiccrisis forces the OSCE to look at its own performance, to implement reforms to ensure that itremains politically relevant, and to operate in the most transparent, accountable and cost-effective way possible.5

Appropriate funding is crucial for OSCE field operations in order to ensure effectiveimplementation of activities under their respective mandates. The field is where the bulk ofthe project work is carried out and also where the OSCE makes a real difference. Of course,the OSCE needs to refrain from duplicating the efforts of other international organizations.I believe that our Organization will remain viable and proactive notwithstanding the globaleconomic crisis. This is proven by the fact that irrespective of all the difficulties, for threeconsecutive years the OSCE budget was approved on time.The broad and complex concept of security that we apply in our Organization reminds us ofeveryday survival hardships that people in many regions incur due to the economic crisis. Asparliamentarians, we know that budget shortfalls, the necessity to apply austerity measuresaimed at consolidating public finances, unemployment and similar problems create tensionwithin societies. Therefore, we must be prudent to keep the tendencies of radicalism fromgaining force and to commit ourselves even stronger to promote and defend democraticvalues.