Post on 20-Dec-2015
Dr. Alice Ackermann OSCE/Conflict Prevention Centre, Vienna
INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS
The OSCE is...o A regional security arrangement
o broad membership - 56 participating States o norms and value-based organizationo comprehensive and co-operative Security
- three dimensions of security o political decisions, not legally bindingo consensus - equal sovereign stateso extensive field presence - 19 operations in 17
countries
56 participating States…
4
…from Vancouver to Vladivostok
missionNW
IS
IR
UK
SDFI
ES
F
EP
LV
NL
B
DK
D
CH
I
RUS
BL
UKR
PL
CZ
SK
HA
RO
MO
L
CRBH
SERBUL
ALB
GRE
TUR
GEO
AR
AZ
KAZ
SL
UZB
TKM
KGZ
TAD
LI
Zagreb Zagreb
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina
KosovoKosovo
GeorgiaGeorgia
MoldovaMoldova
Project Co-ordinator in UkraineProject Co-ordinator in Ukraine
DushanbeDushanbe
SkopjeSkopje AlbaniaAlbania
MISSIONS MISSIONS
ViennaVienna
Other OSCE Field ACTIVITIESOther OSCE Field ACTIVITIES
Office in MinskOffice in MinskProject Project Co-ordinator in Co-ordinator in
UzbekistanUzbekistan
AstanaAstanaBishkekBishkek
AshgabadAshgabad
The Conflict in the Area Dealt The Conflict in the Area Dealt by the OSCE Minsk Conferenceby the OSCE Minsk Conference
OSCE Field ActivitiesOSCE Field Activities OSCE Field ActivitiesOSCE Field Activities
YerevanYerevan BakuBaku
SerbiaSerbiaThe boundaries and names shown on
this map do not imply official endorsement or
acceptance by the OSCE
Revised July 2006
MON
MontenegroMontenegro
Major OSCE Focus
o One of the major focus of the OSCE is:
early warningconflict preventioncrisis managementpost-conflict rehabilitation
• Addressing the conflict cycle
Early warningEarly warning
Conflictprevention
Conflictprevention
Crisis management
Crisis management
Post-conflict rehabilitationPost-conflict rehabilitation
ADDRESSING A WIDE-RANGE OF POLITICAL AND SECURITY-
RELATED CONCERNS• Arms Control• Confidence-building Measures• Human Rights• National Minorities• Democratization• Rule of Law• Civil Society Development• Border Management and Security• Anti-Trafficking• Police Training• Tolerance Building• Counter-Terrorism• Economic and Environmental Issues
Types of Crisis/Conflict Situations Addressed by OSCE
• Political Crises
• Protracted Conflicts
• Crisis Situations in the context of post-conflict reconstruction
• Other security challenges (e.g. violent extremism; trafficking)
A Unique Toolbox for Crisis/Conflict Management
o Long-standing history of crisis/conflict management activities
o Structures and Mechanisms
o Political Dialogue and Good Offices (CiO, Personal/Special Envoys, SG, D/CPC; Permanent Council)
o Support for political negotiations o Institutions (e.g. HCNM; RFOM; ODIHR; OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly)o Field Operations
o Special body of “Existing OSCE Mechanisms and Procedures “
o Co-operation with other Actors
Co-operation with the European Union
o OSCE-EU co-operation well- developed—”natural born partners” (Solana)
o Almost half of OSCE participating States are EU members
o EU covers more than 70% of OSCE’s core budget
o OSCE and EU share well-established and extensive mechanisms for co-operation
o HQ level-Staff meetings; o Ambassadorial and Ministerial EU-OSCE Troika meetings; o Field level: European Commission delegations; EU Special
Representatives; co-operation on project level activities;
o ENP: continues to provide opportunity to bring EU-OSCE closer together in a number of regions (Eastern Europe and Southern Caucasus)
The OSCE’s Perspective on ENP and its Crisis Management/Conflict Management
Capabilities
ENP as Efficient Tool for Conflict Management from OSCE Perspective
o In general, from OSCE perspective ENP functions as efficient tool for conflict/crisis management as well as conflict prevention
o In particular, ENP seen as a much needed tool that complements existing OSCE efforts
o Complementarities:o ENP is complementary to the OSCE’s broader efforts in addressing all three dimensions of
security
o ENP focus is similar to that of the OSCE: stability, promoting and supporting long-term reform processes, addressing security-related problems
o Democratization and consolidation of democratic gainso Rule of Law o Human Rights and Fundamental Freedomso Economic Development and Reformso Enhancing Border management and securityo Fighting illicit trafficking (drugs, human beings)
o Complementarity takes place mostly on level of OSCE field presences ENP provides a link between OSCE-EU on field level
ENP Commitment to Support Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts
o From OSCE perspective, ENP commitment to support peaceful resolution of conflicts important
o ENP Action Plans for Armenia and for Moldova, for example, entail support to the settlement and peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the Transniestria conflicts
o ENP allows EU to increase its political support to OSCE-established and OSCE-led conflict settlement frameworks (e.g. Minsk Group and the 5+2)
o ENP can provide a potential economic boost and might be used as an important leverage/carrot for advancements in negotiations
o ENP can contribute also to the people-to-people level to the peaceful resolution of conflicts (e.g. 2007 visit of a delegation of Armenian and Azerbaijan intellectuals to each others capitals)
Recognizing and Managing the Limitationso ENP is excellent example for the enhancement of EU-OSCE co-operation
o There are some limits as to ENP’s crisis management efforts
o ENP focuses on long-term reform o ENP allows for less engagement in immediate crisis management o ENP allows for less engagement in managing re-occurring crisis
situations
o OSCE-EU face similar limitations when it comes to resolve crisis and conflict situations, particularly in the case of protracted conflicts-> Need for political will on part of political leaders
o Prevention, management, and resolution of crisis and conflict situations need to be viewed from a long-term view—not processes that yield instant results but require sustained commitment