The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe

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The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in
Europe

• IR 2001 International Organisations in Europe

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OSCE Questions

• Under what conditions was the CSCE created?
• What were the objectives of the CSCE?
• How did the CSCE encapsulate the changing nature
  of security?
• What is the role of the OSCE following the end of
  the Cold War?
• Does it have a part to play in the so-called War
  on Terror?

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OSCE and European Security

• The mandate for regional security institutions is
  established in the UN Charter, Chapter VIII.

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OSCE and European Security

• The OSCE begins with a non-traditional approach
  to the concept of security.

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OSCE and European Security

• The rationale behind the OSCE Participating
  states have a common stake in the security of
  Europe and should therefore co-operate to prevent
  crises getting worse. The underlying assumption
  is that co-operation can bring benefits to all
  participating States, while insecurity in one
  state can affect the well-being of all.

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OSCE and European Security

• Decisions by the OSCE are not legally binding,
  that is they do not enter into international law.
• However, OSCE decisions are politically important.

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OSCE and European Security

• OSCE/CSCE What is the difference?
• History

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OSCE and European Security

• Final Recommendations of the Helsinki
  Consultations
• The Helsinki Process

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OSCE and European Security

• The CSCE Final Act
• Basket I
• Basket II
• Basket II

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OSCE and European Security

• The CSCE Final Act
• Basket I politico-military aspects of security,
  military confidence-building measures, and
  guiding relationships between states (Helsinki
  Decalogue)

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OSCE and European Security

• The CSCE Final Act
• Basket II the co-ordination between
  member-states concerning such areas as economics,
  science and technology as well as the environment

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OSCE and European Security

• The CSCE Final Act
• Basket III Co-operation in humanitarian and
  other fields
• Human Rights and Security

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CSCE A Unique Institution?

• Was the CSCE a unique and innovative
  institution?
• Wide-membership representing both blocs
• Comprehensive approach to security
• Consensual decision-making
• Decisions were (are) politically binding rather
  than legally
• No institutional structure

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From CSCE to OSCE

• The Collapse of Communism and end of Cold War
• Paris Charter for a New Europe (1990)
• Berlin 1991 and Prague 1992
• Helsinki 1992
• Budapest Conference 1994

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From CSCE to OSCE

• Paris Charter for a New Europe (1990)
• Addressed the end of the Cold War
• Regular meetings of Heads of States and Foreign
  Ministers
• Permanent administrative infrastructure
• Director, Secretariat, Conflict Prevention Centre
  and an Office for Free Elections
• Decentralised bureaucracy Prague, Vienna, Warsaw

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From CSCE to OSCE

• First Council Meeting Berlin 1991
• Berlin Mechanism emergency consultation
• Second Council Meeting Prague 1992
• Committee of Senior Officials
• Consensus minus one

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From CSCE to OSCE

• Helsinki Follow-up Meeting 1992
• Institutionalisation of the CSCE
• Forum for Security Co-operation
• High Commissioner on National Minorities
• Economic Forum
• Financial Committee of Experts

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From CSCE to OSCE

• Budapest Summit 1994

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The OSCE in the Post-Cold War

• The basic priorities of the OSCE
• Democratisation
• Conflict prevention/resolution
• Common security
• http//www.osce.org/publications/video/

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OSCE Instruments

• Fact-finding and rapporteur missions
• Missions and other field activities
• Personal representatives of the
  Chairman-in-Office
• Ad hoc steering groups
• Mechanisms for peaceful settlement of disputes
• Peacekeeping operations

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OSCE Field Activities

• Front-line of the OSCE
• Most visible part of the OSCE
• From policy to implementation
• Areas early warning, preventive diplomacy,
  conflict management, and post-conflict
  rehabilitation.

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Case study Kosovo

• July 1999
• Objectives
• Police training
• Judicial and civil admin
• Civil society
• Media development
• Elections
• Human rights

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Case study Latvia

• November 1993
• Objectives
• Naturalisation
• Language
• Education
• Employment
• Integration

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Case study Georgia

• December 1992
• Objectives
• Negotiations between parties
• Human rights
• Focus
• South Ossetia
• Abkhazia
• Chechnya

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Case study Chechnya

• April 1995-
• Objectives
• Conflict-resolution
• Post-Conflict Rehabilitation
• Pulled out December 1998

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Case study Tajikistan

• December 1993
• Objectives
• Political reconciliation
• Confidence-building
• Democratisation
• Human rights