Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE125246
2008-11-26 13:40:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Secretary of State
Cable title:
OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO THE REPORT
how-toVZCZCXRO0328 PP RUEHAST RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHC #5246 3311347 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P R 261340Z NOV 08 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 5895 INFO ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS STATE 125246
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM OSCE
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO THE REPORT
BY THE OSCE HIGH COMMISSIONER ON NATIONAL MINORITIES, KNUT
VOLLEBAEK
Post is authorized to make the following statement at the
November 27 meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna:
Begin Text:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The United States welcomes Ambassador Vollebaek back to the
Permanent Council and thanks him for his insightful report.
Mr. Ambassador, we also thank you for sharing your thoughts
on the role of the OSCE in conflict prevention. Rarely have
we heard such a clear assessment of the potential of the
OSCE, and such a concise explanation of why the OSCE must
play a fundamental role in conflict prevention and
resolution.
We share your concern that there has been a shift away from a
sense of common purpose and common values. In recent years, a
few participating States have prevented effective OSCE action
in support of the values and commitments which we have all
pledged to uphold. We agree that the OSCE should indeed
redouble its efforts to find solutions to the protracted
conflicts in our region.
But to do this, the OSCE needs the support of all
participating States. The OSCE's comprehensive definition of
security, which includes the human, economic and
political-military dimensions, is directly relevant to the
challenges we face. We have the tools at hand ) we just
have to use them constructively.
Ambassador Vollebaek, we strongly support your ongoing
efforts to call attention to the rights and needs of members
of ethnic minorities and internally displaced persons in the
region. Your September trip to Georgia, including Abkhazia,
as well as your staff's participation in the joint HCNM-ODIHR
assessment mission in mid-October, were valuable
contributions towards protection of the vulnerable
communities there.
We sincerely regret that you were denied access to South
Ossetia, and regret that the assessment mission was denied
access to Tskhinvali from the south. In the future, we hope
access to the South Ossetian and Abkhaz regions of Georgia
will be granted willingly, not only to missions like yours,
but also to OSCE and EU monitors. We also hope efforts like
yours will help highlight the need for an incident response
mechanism to deal with ongoing violence and abuses, and
further the safe and voluntary return of internally displaced
persons.
We support as well your efforts to assist in the resolution
of the conflict in Transnistria through the organization of
the November roundtable in Odessa for the 5 plus 2 Mediators
and Observers.
The United States commends your essential work to advance
human rights and improve policing and inter-ethnic relations
throughout the OSCE area. Recent experience has unfortunately
demonstrated that allowing inter-ethnic tensions to go
unresolved poses the real possibility of open conflict.
Ambassador Vollebaek, we wish you every success in your work
in the coming year.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
End text.
RICE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM OSCE
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO THE REPORT
BY THE OSCE HIGH COMMISSIONER ON NATIONAL MINORITIES, KNUT
VOLLEBAEK
Post is authorized to make the following statement at the
November 27 meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna:
Begin Text:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The United States welcomes Ambassador Vollebaek back to the
Permanent Council and thanks him for his insightful report.
Mr. Ambassador, we also thank you for sharing your thoughts
on the role of the OSCE in conflict prevention. Rarely have
we heard such a clear assessment of the potential of the
OSCE, and such a concise explanation of why the OSCE must
play a fundamental role in conflict prevention and
resolution.
We share your concern that there has been a shift away from a
sense of common purpose and common values. In recent years, a
few participating States have prevented effective OSCE action
in support of the values and commitments which we have all
pledged to uphold. We agree that the OSCE should indeed
redouble its efforts to find solutions to the protracted
conflicts in our region.
But to do this, the OSCE needs the support of all
participating States. The OSCE's comprehensive definition of
security, which includes the human, economic and
political-military dimensions, is directly relevant to the
challenges we face. We have the tools at hand ) we just
have to use them constructively.
Ambassador Vollebaek, we strongly support your ongoing
efforts to call attention to the rights and needs of members
of ethnic minorities and internally displaced persons in the
region. Your September trip to Georgia, including Abkhazia,
as well as your staff's participation in the joint HCNM-ODIHR
assessment mission in mid-October, were valuable
contributions towards protection of the vulnerable
communities there.
We sincerely regret that you were denied access to South
Ossetia, and regret that the assessment mission was denied
access to Tskhinvali from the south. In the future, we hope
access to the South Ossetian and Abkhaz regions of Georgia
will be granted willingly, not only to missions like yours,
but also to OSCE and EU monitors. We also hope efforts like
yours will help highlight the need for an incident response
mechanism to deal with ongoing violence and abuses, and
further the safe and voluntary return of internally displaced
persons.
We support as well your efforts to assist in the resolution
of the conflict in Transnistria through the organization of
the November roundtable in Odessa for the 5 plus 2 Mediators
and Observers.
The United States commends your essential work to advance
human rights and improve policing and inter-ethnic relations
throughout the OSCE area. Recent experience has unfortunately
demonstrated that allowing inter-ethnic tensions to go
unresolved poses the real possibility of open conflict.
Ambassador Vollebaek, we wish you every success in your work
in the coming year.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
End text.
RICE