OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO AMBASSADOR

UNCLAS STATE 019728

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OSCE PREL SR PGOV
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO AMBASSADOR
HANS URSTAD, HEAD OF THE OSCE MISSION TO SERBIA



1. Post is authorized to present the following statement at
the February 28, 2008 Permanent Council meeting in Vienna.

Begin text:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you as well, Ambassador Urstad, for your excellent and
well-balanced report.

As you have noted, Serbia has had to deal with a number of
challenges since your appearance before us last March.

While these challenges have slowed the pace of reform, we
agree that Serbia still appears to be committed to following
the path of democratic and economic reform. We are pleased
that the relationship between your Mission and the Serbian
government and civil society remains constructive. Your
strong leadership and the meaningful work of you and your
staff are important elements of this success.

The United States is pleased that police reform remains a key
Mission priority. The Mission continues to do excellent work
in helping the Serbian police fight organized crime and
instill community policing principles, particularly in
multi-ethnic areas.

We welcome the close cooperation your Mission enjoys with the
Ministry of Justice and the assistance you are providing to
Serbian authorities in developing legislation to combat
organized crime. Likewise, we welcome the work of the
Mission in the field of domestic war crimes prosecutions; in
particular, support for public outreach efforts and trial
monitoring.

We also congratulate you for the solid relationship the
Mission has established with the Ministry of Culture and the
fine work you are doing to help build accountability and
transparency among Serbia,s print and broadcast media.

The Mission,s efforts to develop the efficiency and
oversight capacities of key parliamentary committees are also
of particular value, as are your endeavors to promote
parliamentary outreach and transparency.

Finally, Ambassador Urstad, the United States would like to
emphasize once again our very strong support for the work the
Mission is doing to build security and stability in southern
Serbia and, more recently, in Sandzak/Raska.

This brings me to my last point. Over the years, Ambassador
Urstad, the United States has made a point of praising the
cooperative and productive relationship that exists between
your Mission and the Serbian government.

Our impression, however, is that certain Ministries in the
Serbian government, notably the Ministry of Interior, could
do much more to facilitate the Mission,s work. In short,
Mr. Chairman, while the OSCE, through its field presences,
can help develop capacity, at the end of the day it is up to
the host country to provide equal opportunity to all of its
citizens.
Once again, we would like to commend you and your team for
all of the excellent work the mission has done.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

End text.
RICE