Statement by the State Secretary Mr. Māris Riekstiņš,
Head of the Delegation of Latvia
at the OSCE Ministerial Council
6 December 2002, Porto
Mr. Chairman,
Let me express our thanks to the Portuguese Government for inviting us to Porto and organising the 10th OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in this historic and famous city. We are here to discuss issues which have been, are and will be of high importance to our nations the security in OSCE area, its new challenges and threats.
This year is a year of significant events, marking a new page of the history of our region. The recent decision of the Prague North Atlantic Council to invite seven countries from Central and Eastern Europe to join NATO and the upcoming European Council decision to conclude accession talks with ten candidates are a just response to strive for expanded security and stability on a basis of shared values. We are convinced, that this enlargement will bring benefits to all. Both decisions are truly historical steps towards a stable, prosperous and inclusive Europe. They contribute to the largest extent to an increased collective and individual security, which remains the basic goal of the OSCE.
This year the world has witnessed new acts of terrorism along with the unprecedented forming of an international coalition that takes serious multi-layer action to combat it. The OSCE has not stood aside and has actively sought its role. Based on the Bucharest Action Plan and the Bishkek Declaration, the Charter on Terrorism is an adequate contribution of our organisation to the international efforts. A common understanding of the scourge of terrorism and how it should be addressed along the consideration of practical steps will help counter terrorism globally and regionally.
Mr. Chairman,
The OSCE has its well-known and unique role in conflict prevention. But it must keep up with the overall changes and developments, find ways how this role can be adjusted to the new realities of our time. The elaboration of a Strategy to address threats in the new century seems to be a major step in this direction. We wish to have a productive year ahead of us, that will bring a meaningful and workable strategy document for adoption by the Heads of State and Government.
In the same context, the idea of an Annual security review conference that will materialise in this council decision should become a useful tool for the implementation of the new strategy and give quick response to the most actual challenges of the time. Latvia looks forward to an active participation in these annual meetings, based on experiences stemming from effectual strategy implementation.
Mr. Chairman,
The human dimension commitments should remain in the core of our organisation. Latvia has achieved significant progress and fulfilled a number of difficult tasks. The work of previous governments is taken up by the new government and social integration is among the top priorities, as the appointment of a well known human rights expert to a newly created post of Minister for Special Assignments for Integration Affairs attests. My country values the good co-operation with the OSCE institutions and we have always carefully considered and striven to implement the obligations arising from the international human rights treaties. Similarly, we will also continue to share our successful experience in the field of social integration with other states, especially in the CIS region. Several projects have already been set up and financed by the Government imparting technical expertise in the field of society integration to our partners in the OSCE region.
Mr. Chairman,
The strength of our organisation lies in the credibility of our efforts. Once a decision gains consensus, it should be implemented accordingly. The Istanbul commitments must be regarded in this light.
The observance of the undertaken commitments is among the essential tasks of numerous OSCE missions. As a country where two field presences have successfully concluded their work, Latvia supports further activities of the OSCE missions and salutes the cases where the constructive engagement of a field presence is combined with the good will and efforts of the host government. At the same time we are concerned with the fact that an OSCE mission can be bared from fulfilling its mandated activities. I believe that both the individual member states and organisation would gain from a continuous work of an OSCE field presence assisting the democratic developments. There should be no place for excuses in keeping up with the basic OSCE obligations.
Mr. Chairman,
Latvia supports the ongoing efforts to reform the OSCE and considers it a useful and necessary task. We must proceed with a view that our organisation is able to carry on established functions even more successfully and to cope with the new tasks from the management and procedural aspect. The OSCE mechanism should remain flexible and the structures adequate and task-oriented. We must be always ready to turn away from completed matters and start anew.
Let me once again thank the Portuguese chairmanship for its sincere efforts and wonderful hospitality here in Porto and wish all of success to our Dutch colleagues.
Thank you!
