EU External Relations Commissioner Patten praises level of co-operation with OSCE
(OSCE/Alexander Nitzsche)Chris Patten, EU Commissioner for External Relations (left) and Ulrich Knueppel, EU Commission Representative to the OSCE, at the Permament Council session, 15 July 2004. (OSCE/Alexander Nitzsche) Photo details
VIENNA, 15 July 2004 - Addressing the OSCE Permanent Council today, the European Union's Commissioner for External Relations, Christopher Patten, painted a picture of successful EU/OSCE co-operation across a broad range of issues which brought into focus the common principles of the two organizations.
"There is a wide range of co-operation between us and the OSCE at a political level and in the field," he told OSCE Ambassadors.
"EU enlargement inevitably means that we need to develop a very close and co-operative relationship to make the best of what the EU and regional organization like the OSCE can bring to security and co-operation in Europe."
With 25 out of the OSCE's 55 States now part of the EU, he said the recent enlargement process had been greatly assisted by the commitments undertaken by new member states in the OSCE: "This is a major undertaking by which the EU zone of 'security and co-operation' has now been extended towards the East."
"The focus to promote democracy and human rights in Central Asia is a common goal we share with the OSCE and its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights," Commissioner Patten said.
"The implementation of a third joint programme with the ODIHR has recently started in Central Asia, covering assistance in promoting fair trials and actions aiming to abolish the death penalty as well as human rights monitoring."
On the EU's own doorstep, in the Western Balkans, he was pleased with co-operation with the OSCE in the fields of democratisation and reform, where international activities had moved gradually from crisis management to institution building:
Commissioner Patten also spoke about the EU's support for the OSCE's action on countering terrorism. Both organizations continued to work to ensure full implementation of all UN Resolutions and conventions.
"We full support the work the OSCE is doing to in the fight against terrorism, keeping in mind the need to focus activities where there is added value, and we are happy to work with the OSCE where this makes practical sense," he added.
The change in the overall security landscape had prompted both organizations to look at the new threats and challenges in order to orchestrate a strategic response. He noted the OSCE's Maastricht Strategy to address threats to stability and security in the 21st century as well as the EU's own Security Strategy. "I am glad to see that both the EU and the OSCE are convinced of the need to address this issue at both the multilateral and regional level," he said.
The Commissioner also praised the efforts of the OSCE in Belarus and Moldova. The OSCE Office in Minsk had a key role in the implementation of co-operation projects related to electoral matters, he said. In Moldova, the OSCE Mission was working to achieve a settlement in Transdniestria and could draw on all the instruments at the EU's disposal.
Thanking the EU Commissioner for his contribution to the Permanent Council, the Chairman, Ambassador Ivo Petrov, Head of the Bulgarian Delegation, said that the unity of aims and principles made it a necessity for the two organizations and their members to work together:
"It is not a deficiency for a country that is looking towards the EU to make use of all the possibilities offered by the OSCE to bring its practices and standards up to the level of EU criteria," he said.
"There is a wide range of co-operation between us and the OSCE at a political level and in the field," he told OSCE Ambassadors.
"EU enlargement inevitably means that we need to develop a very close and co-operative relationship to make the best of what the EU and regional organization like the OSCE can bring to security and co-operation in Europe."
With 25 out of the OSCE's 55 States now part of the EU, he said the recent enlargement process had been greatly assisted by the commitments undertaken by new member states in the OSCE: "This is a major undertaking by which the EU zone of 'security and co-operation' has now been extended towards the East."
"The focus to promote democracy and human rights in Central Asia is a common goal we share with the OSCE and its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights," Commissioner Patten said.
"The implementation of a third joint programme with the ODIHR has recently started in Central Asia, covering assistance in promoting fair trials and actions aiming to abolish the death penalty as well as human rights monitoring."
On the EU's own doorstep, in the Western Balkans, he was pleased with co-operation with the OSCE in the fields of democratisation and reform, where international activities had moved gradually from crisis management to institution building:
Commissioner Patten also spoke about the EU's support for the OSCE's action on countering terrorism. Both organizations continued to work to ensure full implementation of all UN Resolutions and conventions.
"We full support the work the OSCE is doing to in the fight against terrorism, keeping in mind the need to focus activities where there is added value, and we are happy to work with the OSCE where this makes practical sense," he added.
The change in the overall security landscape had prompted both organizations to look at the new threats and challenges in order to orchestrate a strategic response. He noted the OSCE's Maastricht Strategy to address threats to stability and security in the 21st century as well as the EU's own Security Strategy. "I am glad to see that both the EU and the OSCE are convinced of the need to address this issue at both the multilateral and regional level," he said.
The Commissioner also praised the efforts of the OSCE in Belarus and Moldova. The OSCE Office in Minsk had a key role in the implementation of co-operation projects related to electoral matters, he said. In Moldova, the OSCE Mission was working to achieve a settlement in Transdniestria and could draw on all the instruments at the EU's disposal.
Thanking the EU Commissioner for his contribution to the Permanent Council, the Chairman, Ambassador Ivo Petrov, Head of the Bulgarian Delegation, said that the unity of aims and principles made it a necessity for the two organizations and their members to work together:
"It is not a deficiency for a country that is looking towards the EU to make use of all the possibilities offered by the OSCE to bring its practices and standards up to the level of EU criteria," he said.