CHAIRMAN-IN-OFFICE OF OSCE SEES PRECONDITIONS FOR OPTIMISM IN
SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT

YEREVAN, MARCH 7. ARMINFO. The Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE,
Slovenian Foreign Minster Dimitrij Rupel, urged Permanent Members
of the UN Security Council on Friday to use their influence to help
end some long- standing conflicts in the OSCE region. Addressing the
Security Council in New York, he said there were signs that conflicts
in parts of Moldova and Georgia and in Nagorno-Karabakh, sometimes
referred to as “frozen”, were starting to thaw. “It is difficult for
inter-state organizations to deal with non-state actors, even if –
as in some cases – they are de facto authorities,” Minister Rupel said.

“There are times when the leverage of powerful states – including
Permanent Members of this Council – can be crucial. I urge you to
exert that pressure in the context of OSCE mediation efforts to help
resolve these long- standing conflicts.”

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office said he had noted with interest the report
of the UN High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change. The
OSCE had gone through a similar process two years ago which resulted
in its Strategy to Address Threats to Security and Stability in the
Twenty-first Century. “Through the implementation of this Strategy,
I believe that the OSCE can take on some of the UN s burden in the
OSCE area,” he said.

“As the UN Panel noted, the Security Council s ability to more
proactively prevent and respond to threats could be strengthened by
making fuller and more productive use of regional organizations. The
OSCE is well positioned and well-equipped to do so.”

The Chairman-in-Office said that in addressing new threats to security,
the bottom line for the OSCE was upholding the rule of law.

“For example, we have to be sure that efforts to combat terrorism are
not done in a way that violates human rights. And that border guards
learn sophisticated techniques and a proper code of conduct. And
that human trafficking is tackled by effective investigation, law
enforcement and prosecution.” He singled out policing as a good example
of the type of hands-on work that the OSCE was doing effectively to
address the needs of participating States.

“Good policing has a vital role to play in the prevention of conflict,
the preservation of social stability during political crises and the
post-conflict rehabilitation of societies,” Minister Rupel said.

“No other international organization currently possesses the
potential to strengthen long-term law enforcement capacity- and
institution-building in the OSCE region in the States most susceptible
to crime, corruption and human rights violations.”