STATEMENT BY ANTANAS VALIONIS, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF LITHUANIA AT THE OSCE 9TH MINISTERIAL COUNCIL (Bucharest, 3 December 2001)
Created 2001-12-04
Mr. Chairman,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
At the outset, let me join my colleagues in conveying to our hosts sincere words of appreciation. During this year, the Romanian Chairmanship has made a considerable contribution to the functioning of the OSCE. It is our common interest to foster the role of OSCE as a forum for political dialogue, to improve its management and operational capabilities. Our meeting is expected to increase OSCE's overall efficiency in support of its comprehensive and multidimensional approach to security. Mr. Chairman, Countering terrorism ranks very high on the global and regional agenda of today. We endorse the adoption of the Bucharest Plan of Action that defines Organisation's added value and proper place in international fight against terrorism. As a contribution to its implementation, next year Lithuania will organise, in close co-operation with the UN, an international conference in Vilnius on promotion of entering into force of the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime.Mr. Chairman,The OSCE is highly valued for its significant contribution to the co-operation among various international organisations in addressing current challenges. The Council of Europe and OSCE High Level meeting in Vaduz serves as a good example of this kind of collaboration on the Platform for Co-operative Security, that has to be expanded.Lithuania as a chair of the Council of Europe will use the specific expertise and instruments of this organisation in combating terrorism. Council of Europe and OSCE embody the community of values cast into question by terrorist attacks. Therefore, several common objectives stand before us today. First, co-ordination among international organisations, OSCE and Council of Europe in particular, should ensure the division of functions and responsibilities. Vaduz meeting declaration would guide us in pursuing this goal. Second, legal co-operation to combat terrorism should be intensified. The newly created Multidisciplinary Group on International Action Against Terrorism of the Organization was instructed to consider the possibility of inviting OSCE participating states neither members nor observers to the Council of Europe to accede to the European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism and other relevant instruments. Third, dialogue and co-operation among cultures and religions should be expanded, using the potential of both organisations. Forth, we have to assure that measures against terrorism are consistent with the requirements for democratic principles and human rights.The Council of Europe and OSCE have a prominent role to play in the Balkans in reviving their democratic potential, promoting human rights and rule of law as well as preserving stability. The more countries those international bodies will unite, the more people will benefit from democracy and stability. That is the main reasoning behind the enlargement of the Council of Europe to the Balkans. I am convinced that Bosnia and Herzegovina will benefit greatly from the membership in the Council of Europe soon. We should do our best to bring the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia into Council of Europe as soon as feasible, judging it on its own merits in the efforts for democratic transformation. The elections recently held in Kosovo, the first peaceful elections after the conflict in 1999, prove a continuation of democratisation processes. As Chairman of the Council of Europe I recently visited the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, where I welcomed the Parliament in Skopje on its decision to adopt the Constitutional Amendments foreseen in the Framework Agreement of 13 August 2001. I have invited the Government and political parties to implement the necessary legislative reforms as well as underlined Council of Europe readiness for assistance in implementing the Framework Agreement.Lithuania plans to explore the possibility of extending, also in the framework of regional co-operation, relations between its neighbouring state Belarus and the Council of Europe, with a view to developing momentum in the direction of greater democracy and respect for human rights. I would also like to welcome the good relations between the Council of Europe and the OSCE Assistance and Monitoring Group in Minsk. Mr. Chairman,Promoting regional co-operation constitutes another central task of the Lithuanian Chairmanship. The 110-th session of the Committee of Ministers will be held in Vilnius next May. Regional Co-operation and its Impact on Stability and Democratic Reforms in Europe will be its main theme. The session should reflect on major trends and identify needs, strategies as well as best practices in order to strengthen regional co-operation. Mr. Chairman,Promotion of stability and confidence remains important. That is proved by our own experience. Lithuania has agreed on a set of additional bilateral confidence and security building measures with, respectively, Russia and Belarus that increase military transparency and confidence. We most positively noted that the Treaty on Open Skies will enter into force on 1 January 2002, and it would become open for all OSCE states. Wishing to contribute to its objectives, Lithuania will apply for the accession of the Treaty. We also expect the early entering into force of the Adapted CFE Treaty after all necessary conditions for its ratification being met. The OSCE is and will remain an indispensable actor for early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation. In co-operation with other institutions, it should keep on setting for the participating states high standards of democracy, human rights and rule of law. Much has been done in furthering these values. The work of OSCE missions in Estonia and Latvia, which should be closed because of the fulfilment of their mandates, proved to be a success of this Organisation. Nevertheless, lack of progress in resolving certain problems elsewhere in the OSCE area cause our serious concern. Time and again we reiterate that political means could be the only credible solution to conflicts.In conclusion, I would like to once again commend Romania for the excellent chairmanship and organisation of this meeting. I would also use this opportunity in wishing Portugal, the incoming OSCE's Chair, all the best and in assuring of Lithuania's co-operation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
At the outset, let me join my colleagues in conveying to our hosts sincere words of appreciation. During this year, the Romanian Chairmanship has made a considerable contribution to the functioning of the OSCE. It is our common interest to foster the role of OSCE as a forum for political dialogue, to improve its management and operational capabilities. Our meeting is expected to increase OSCE's overall efficiency in support of its comprehensive and multidimensional approach to security. Mr. Chairman, Countering terrorism ranks very high on the global and regional agenda of today. We endorse the adoption of the Bucharest Plan of Action that defines Organisation's added value and proper place in international fight against terrorism. As a contribution to its implementation, next year Lithuania will organise, in close co-operation with the UN, an international conference in Vilnius on promotion of entering into force of the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime.Mr. Chairman,The OSCE is highly valued for its significant contribution to the co-operation among various international organisations in addressing current challenges. The Council of Europe and OSCE High Level meeting in Vaduz serves as a good example of this kind of collaboration on the Platform for Co-operative Security, that has to be expanded.Lithuania as a chair of the Council of Europe will use the specific expertise and instruments of this organisation in combating terrorism. Council of Europe and OSCE embody the community of values cast into question by terrorist attacks. Therefore, several common objectives stand before us today. First, co-ordination among international organisations, OSCE and Council of Europe in particular, should ensure the division of functions and responsibilities. Vaduz meeting declaration would guide us in pursuing this goal. Second, legal co-operation to combat terrorism should be intensified. The newly created Multidisciplinary Group on International Action Against Terrorism of the Organization was instructed to consider the possibility of inviting OSCE participating states neither members nor observers to the Council of Europe to accede to the European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism and other relevant instruments. Third, dialogue and co-operation among cultures and religions should be expanded, using the potential of both organisations. Forth, we have to assure that measures against terrorism are consistent with the requirements for democratic principles and human rights.The Council of Europe and OSCE have a prominent role to play in the Balkans in reviving their democratic potential, promoting human rights and rule of law as well as preserving stability. The more countries those international bodies will unite, the more people will benefit from democracy and stability. That is the main reasoning behind the enlargement of the Council of Europe to the Balkans. I am convinced that Bosnia and Herzegovina will benefit greatly from the membership in the Council of Europe soon. We should do our best to bring the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia into Council of Europe as soon as feasible, judging it on its own merits in the efforts for democratic transformation. The elections recently held in Kosovo, the first peaceful elections after the conflict in 1999, prove a continuation of democratisation processes. As Chairman of the Council of Europe I recently visited the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, where I welcomed the Parliament in Skopje on its decision to adopt the Constitutional Amendments foreseen in the Framework Agreement of 13 August 2001. I have invited the Government and political parties to implement the necessary legislative reforms as well as underlined Council of Europe readiness for assistance in implementing the Framework Agreement.Lithuania plans to explore the possibility of extending, also in the framework of regional co-operation, relations between its neighbouring state Belarus and the Council of Europe, with a view to developing momentum in the direction of greater democracy and respect for human rights. I would also like to welcome the good relations between the Council of Europe and the OSCE Assistance and Monitoring Group in Minsk. Mr. Chairman,Promoting regional co-operation constitutes another central task of the Lithuanian Chairmanship. The 110-th session of the Committee of Ministers will be held in Vilnius next May. Regional Co-operation and its Impact on Stability and Democratic Reforms in Europe will be its main theme. The session should reflect on major trends and identify needs, strategies as well as best practices in order to strengthen regional co-operation. Mr. Chairman,Promotion of stability and confidence remains important. That is proved by our own experience. Lithuania has agreed on a set of additional bilateral confidence and security building measures with, respectively, Russia and Belarus that increase military transparency and confidence. We most positively noted that the Treaty on Open Skies will enter into force on 1 January 2002, and it would become open for all OSCE states. Wishing to contribute to its objectives, Lithuania will apply for the accession of the Treaty. We also expect the early entering into force of the Adapted CFE Treaty after all necessary conditions for its ratification being met. The OSCE is and will remain an indispensable actor for early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation. In co-operation with other institutions, it should keep on setting for the participating states high standards of democracy, human rights and rule of law. Much has been done in furthering these values. The work of OSCE missions in Estonia and Latvia, which should be closed because of the fulfilment of their mandates, proved to be a success of this Organisation. Nevertheless, lack of progress in resolving certain problems elsewhere in the OSCE area cause our serious concern. Time and again we reiterate that political means could be the only credible solution to conflicts.In conclusion, I would like to once again commend Romania for the excellent chairmanship and organisation of this meeting. I would also use this opportunity in wishing Portugal, the incoming OSCE's Chair, all the best and in assuring of Lithuania's co-operation.
Social media
