OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO FOM REPORT ON

UNCLAS STATE 025550

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV OSCE
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO FOM REPORT ON
MARCH 13, 2008



1. (U) Post is authorized to present the following statement
at the March 13th Permanent Council meeting in Vienna.

Begin text:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The Representative on Freedom of the Media has once again
delivered a very informative, factually reliable and
well-reasoned report. Two weeks ago, the OSCE observed the
tenth anniversary of the office that Mr. Haraszti holds. The
event took place here in this chamber, and panelists spoke
who were media experts with first-hand experience throughout
the OSCE region.

One of the panelists noted that some former Soviet states
seem to be competing among each other to create the worst
possible conditions for independent journalism. Panelists
observed that the trend against media pluralism through
government restrictions over broadcasting and by harassment
of journalists is unfortunately on the rise, especially
during elections campaigns and at elections, as we could
witness in the past months with sometimes even fatal
incidents in a number of countries.

Surely we all understand by now that an essential element of
any thriving democracy is a free, robust, and independent
media. Sometimes this may be difficult or uncomfortable for
governments. But free and fair elections are predicated on
an open atmosphere where candidates can express themselves,
where they have access to the voters through mass media, and
where a free press can provide the public with a richness of
information, and diversity of perspectives that allow the
electorate to make an informed choice.

Mr. Haraszti,s report provides a wealth of detail about
specific cases and worrying trends. We should all be
startled at what he characterizes as a &meltdown of OSCE
commitments.8 He is not exaggerating when he calls it a
meltdown.

We appreciate Mr. Haraszti,s determination, under adverse
circumstances, to see to it that his office persists as an
advocate of freedom of expression for the members of the
media and as an agent of change for promoting best practices
and reform of media laws as a means to strengthen the
groundwork of free expression.

In this regard, we found a ray of light in Mr. Haraszti,s
report that his office is continuing to assist Kazakhstan in
reforming the country,s media legislation. Fulfillment by
Kazakhstan of its reform commitments made at last year,s
Ministerial in Madrid is vital in preparing Kazakhstan for a
successful 2010 chairmanship of the OSCE. We look forward to
report of concrete progress.

Finally, we note the formation in Kyrgyzstan last month of
the first independent media self-regulatory body in Central
Asia. Kyrgyzstan journalists, voluntary media complaints
commission will seek to safeguard freedom of the press, by
providing an alternative to court proceeding and giving moral
redress in cases of violations of ethics guidelines. We note
that self-regulation by media professionals has been a topic
of Mr. Haraszti,s office for some time and was the theme of
last year,s Central Asia Media Conference in Dushanbe.

Well done, Mr. Haraszti.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
RICE