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Foreign Ministers of the OSCE Troika meet in Oslo
OSLO 21 October 1998
OSLO, 21 October 1998 - The OSCE Troika, the Foreign Minister of Poland, Bronislaw Geremek, the Foreign Minister of Norway, Knut Vollebeak and the Foreign Minister of Denmark, Niels Helveg Petersen, met here today to review pressing issues facing the OSCE. The Secretary General of the OSCE, Giancarlo Aragona, also took part.
Their primary focus was on the progress toward establishing the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission (KVM). The Ministers also reviewed a number of regional issues of particular concern to the OSCE and evaluated the work of several OSCE missions in the field.
The Ministers expressed their satisfaction with the signing of the agreement between the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and their expectation that it will be rapidly implemented. They expressed the hope that the agreement will become a turning point in international efforts to bring about a peaceful settlement in Kosovo and expressed their determination to contribute their utmost to that effect. However, the Ministers were disturbed by reports of renewed fighting in Kosovo and urged both sides to abstain immediately from further use of force and work toward a peaceful settlement.
The Ministers stressed the importance of ensuring the security of the KVM personnel. They called on both sides to live up to their responsibilities to this end. Also, Ministers agreed that close liaison with NATO shall be maintained. They welcomed the appointment of Ambassador William Walker as Head of the Mission. Ambassador Walker was also present at the meeting.
The Ministers welcomed the offer from the Norwegian Government to assume responsibility for the set-up and operation of the Kosovo Mission headquarter in Pristina, in co-operation with the OSCE Secretariat.
The Ministers were encouraged by the broad support of OSCE States for an OSCE role in Kosovo and appealed to them to contribute quickly to setting up the Mission and to strengthening the Secretariat. They were pleased that a technical assessment team had visited Belgrade and Kosovo, and that a KVM Support Unit in Vienna has been formed. They agreed that financing the KVM should be based on the scale of contributions for large Missions and projects adopted at the 1997 Copenhagen Ministerial. The Ministers also expressed the need for voluntary contributions to ensure that the Mission becomes operational as soon as possible.
The Ministers also welcomed the initiative by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to convene a meeting in Warsaw with all organizations involved with human rights. The meeting should co-ordinate a strategy for human rights action in Kosovo.
The Ministers noted with satisfaction the OSCE's important role in Albania, including its new function as co-chairman, together with the EU, of the "Friends of Albania" group, which brings together concerned countries and international bodies.
They congratulated the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the successful organization of the September elections and stressed the importance of implementing the election results and of continued emphasis of the full implementation of the Dayton accords. They agreed that the OSCE shall continue its engagement in Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing in particular on human rights and democratization in all parts of the country. At the same time, they called on the authorities of the country to take on greater responsibility in this process.
Regarding Croatia, the Ministers noted with satisfaction the smooth takeover by the OSCE of police monitoring tasks from the United Nations in the Danube region. They reiterated their support for the OSCE Mission's efforts to assist the Government in improving conditions for the return of refugees and displaced persons. They called on the Government of Croatia to ensure real progress in this field.
The Ministers saluted the establishment of OSCE Centres in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in Bishkek, Kyrgystan, and in Asghabat, Turkmenistan as an sign of OSCE commitment in Central Asia and as a expression of the host countries' willingness to enhance co-operation and live up to OSCE principles.
The Ministers expressed their hope that the forthcoming trip of the Chairman-in-Office to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan would bring about progress in OSCE efforts toward peaceful solution of local conflicts and would expand OSCE co-operation with these countries.
The Ministers positively assessed the substantive work by OSCE delegations in Vienna on the development of a Document-Charter on European Security in preparation for the upcoming Oslo Ministerial Meeting on 2 and 3 December. They noted that many of the ideas and concepts put forth in the Document-Charter are being played out in practice, particularly the increasing co-operation between international institutions in handling conflicts.
The Troika thanked Ambassador Lars Vissing of Denmark for his report on enhancing the OSCE Secretariat's operational capabilities. They look forward to a report from the Secretary General at the Oslo Ministerial Meeting on the implementation.
The "human dimension" of the OSCE should continue to be placed high on the OSCE agenda. In this light, the Ministers encouraged wide participation in the forthcoming meeting in Warsaw on the implementation of human dimension committments, organized by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.
Also attending the meeting were the High Commissioner on National Minorities, Max van der Stoel; the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Freimut Duve; the Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Gérard Stoudmann; the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Helle Degn, the Head of the Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Robert Barry and the Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Daan Everts.
Their primary focus was on the progress toward establishing the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission (KVM). The Ministers also reviewed a number of regional issues of particular concern to the OSCE and evaluated the work of several OSCE missions in the field.
The Ministers expressed their satisfaction with the signing of the agreement between the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and their expectation that it will be rapidly implemented. They expressed the hope that the agreement will become a turning point in international efforts to bring about a peaceful settlement in Kosovo and expressed their determination to contribute their utmost to that effect. However, the Ministers were disturbed by reports of renewed fighting in Kosovo and urged both sides to abstain immediately from further use of force and work toward a peaceful settlement.
The Ministers stressed the importance of ensuring the security of the KVM personnel. They called on both sides to live up to their responsibilities to this end. Also, Ministers agreed that close liaison with NATO shall be maintained. They welcomed the appointment of Ambassador William Walker as Head of the Mission. Ambassador Walker was also present at the meeting.
The Ministers welcomed the offer from the Norwegian Government to assume responsibility for the set-up and operation of the Kosovo Mission headquarter in Pristina, in co-operation with the OSCE Secretariat.
The Ministers were encouraged by the broad support of OSCE States for an OSCE role in Kosovo and appealed to them to contribute quickly to setting up the Mission and to strengthening the Secretariat. They were pleased that a technical assessment team had visited Belgrade and Kosovo, and that a KVM Support Unit in Vienna has been formed. They agreed that financing the KVM should be based on the scale of contributions for large Missions and projects adopted at the 1997 Copenhagen Ministerial. The Ministers also expressed the need for voluntary contributions to ensure that the Mission becomes operational as soon as possible.
The Ministers also welcomed the initiative by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to convene a meeting in Warsaw with all organizations involved with human rights. The meeting should co-ordinate a strategy for human rights action in Kosovo.
The Ministers noted with satisfaction the OSCE's important role in Albania, including its new function as co-chairman, together with the EU, of the "Friends of Albania" group, which brings together concerned countries and international bodies.
They congratulated the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the successful organization of the September elections and stressed the importance of implementing the election results and of continued emphasis of the full implementation of the Dayton accords. They agreed that the OSCE shall continue its engagement in Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing in particular on human rights and democratization in all parts of the country. At the same time, they called on the authorities of the country to take on greater responsibility in this process.
Regarding Croatia, the Ministers noted with satisfaction the smooth takeover by the OSCE of police monitoring tasks from the United Nations in the Danube region. They reiterated their support for the OSCE Mission's efforts to assist the Government in improving conditions for the return of refugees and displaced persons. They called on the Government of Croatia to ensure real progress in this field.
The Ministers saluted the establishment of OSCE Centres in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in Bishkek, Kyrgystan, and in Asghabat, Turkmenistan as an sign of OSCE commitment in Central Asia and as a expression of the host countries' willingness to enhance co-operation and live up to OSCE principles.
The Ministers expressed their hope that the forthcoming trip of the Chairman-in-Office to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan would bring about progress in OSCE efforts toward peaceful solution of local conflicts and would expand OSCE co-operation with these countries.
The Ministers positively assessed the substantive work by OSCE delegations in Vienna on the development of a Document-Charter on European Security in preparation for the upcoming Oslo Ministerial Meeting on 2 and 3 December. They noted that many of the ideas and concepts put forth in the Document-Charter are being played out in practice, particularly the increasing co-operation between international institutions in handling conflicts.
The Troika thanked Ambassador Lars Vissing of Denmark for his report on enhancing the OSCE Secretariat's operational capabilities. They look forward to a report from the Secretary General at the Oslo Ministerial Meeting on the implementation.
The "human dimension" of the OSCE should continue to be placed high on the OSCE agenda. In this light, the Ministers encouraged wide participation in the forthcoming meeting in Warsaw on the implementation of human dimension committments, organized by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.
Also attending the meeting were the High Commissioner on National Minorities, Max van der Stoel; the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Freimut Duve; the Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Gérard Stoudmann; the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Helle Degn, the Head of the Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Robert Barry and the Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Daan Everts.