Statement by
the President of the Republic of Finland Mr Martti
Ahtisaari at the OSCE Summit Meeting, Istanbul
18.11.1999
I wish to thank the
Turkish Government for the warm welcome and
hospitality that it has extended to all participants
of the OSCE Summit in Istanbul. The efforts of the
host country to make the Summit a success are all the
more appreciated taking into consideration the tragic
loss of life and damage to property caused by the
recent earthquakes. The need for efficient
international co-operation is underlined by natural
catastrophes and by man-made crises alike.
As the
Chairman-in-Office of OSCE Minister Vollebaek and his
team have faced an unusually demanding task, but the
Norwegian Chairmanship has been able to steer the
Organisation through stormy weather and keep
everybody on board. In particular I appreciate the
close co-operation between the CiO and Finland during
our EU Presidency.
Mr. Chairman,
Looking back at the
first post-cold war decade the European Union sees
the Istanbul Summit as an indispensable opportunity
for the participating States to consolidate mutual
confidence and strengthen co-operative security. This
is the message that we would like this Summit to give
at the turn of the new millennium. The OSCE and other
international organisations are meant to be
all-weather instruments.
The Union welcomes the
adoption of the Charter for European Security. The
Charter should guide us in a new decade of change and
challenge, and reinforce efforts to realise the
ideals of democracy, peace and unity declared by the
Paris Charter on the basis of the Helsinki Final Act.
The Charter reaffirms the status of the OSCE as an
inclusive forum for co-operative security and
improves its capability for performing its tasks and
co-operating with other international actors.
No organisation alone
can cope with all the challenges ahead. The Platform
for co-operative security, adopted as a core concept
of the Charter, provides a good basis for closer and
non-hierarchical co-operation and co-ordination
between international organisations and institutions.
At the same time, the OSCE is improving its ability
to quickly mobilise personnel for field operations.
The European Union
also welcomes the adaptation of the CFE Treaty and
the revision of the Vienna Document on Confidence-
and Security-Building Measures. These decisions
contribute to the strengthening of security in Europe
after the cold war.
Mr Chairman,
The eruption of the
crisis in Kosovo was a chilling reminder of the need
of the international community to act in unison to
counter forces that grossly violate commonly accepted
standards. This Summit should render its support and
guidance for the strengthening of peace and stability
in the Western Balkans and offer new visions for
European unification and integration for South
Eastern Europe as a whole.
The UN civil
administration in Kosovo represents a unique example
of co-ordination between international organisations
and institutions. The EU is doing its share. Let me
repeat here that our aim must be to rebuild war-torn
communities, foster tolerance and reconciliation, and
help Kosovo to become a democratic, multi-ethnic
society.
The Stability Pact for
South-Eastern Europe is designed to seek broad-based
and sustainable solutions to issues related to
democracy, human rights, economic reconstruction and
security. The Pact can constitute a turning point for
South-Eastern Europe and its relationship with the
rest of our continent. To ensure sustainable peace we
must build on a vision of longer-term democratic
governance, economic growth and security
co-operation.
The European Union
welcomes the significant progress made in the
Stability Pact process since the Sarajevo Summit last
July. This is extensively reflected in the report
submitted by the Special Coordinator to this Summit.
A great variety of important initiatives within all
three Working Tables has been identified. We invite
the OSCE Summit to endorse here the progress made and
encourage the Stability Pact participants to
intensify the implementation of the initiatives. The
European Union, playing the leading role in the
Stability Pact, pledges its full support to the work
of the Special Coordinator.
Mr. Chairman,
Disturbing
developments in North Caucasus have overshadowed the
final preparations of the Istanbul Summit. The
European Union condemns the excessive use of force in
Chechnya which has given rise to severe hardship for
the civilian population. The EU urges Russia to
observe its commitments under international
humanitarian law and the OSCE Code of Conduct.
Unhindered delivery of international humanitarian
assistance should be assured.
It is the EU´s view
that a military solution to a basically political
problem is neither acceptable nor attainable. We
strongly underline the need of a dialogue between the
Russian Government and the elected leaders of the
North Caucasus, including Chechnya, to seek a
political settlement. Russia should seriously
consider using the good offices of the OSCE. As a
first step, an office of the OSCE Assistance Group
should be opened in Ingushetia.
The EU reiterates its
position concerning the territorial integrity of the
Russian Federation and its condemnation of terrorism.
Mr. Chairman,
The European Union
fully supports the OSCE's work in Central Asia and
welcomes the OSCE's more active role in the region.
It is the view of the EU that the particular needs of
the each state have to be considered individually
within the framework of a coherent OSCE strategy
aimed at promoting regional development, security and
co-operation.
EU would also like to
highlight the need for the OSCE to contribute to the
resolution of conflicts in Moldova, Georgia and
Nagorno-Karabakh without delay.
Mr. Chairman,
Efforts to secure the
proper place for the Human Dimension in the
development of co-operative security should continue.
The Union places a special emphasis on the rights of
persons belonging to national and ethnic minorities,
including Roma and Sinti, and the preservation of the
multiethnic character of societies in all
circumstances. On this occasion I would like to
sincerely thank Ambassador Max van der Stoel for his
work and welcome his readiness to continue in as High
Commissioner on National Minorities for an additional
year.
Finally, it gives me
great pleasure to welcome Austria to the helm of the
OSCE as the new Chairman-in-Office. We can rest
assured that the OSCE will be in good hands in the
year 2000.
