MC.GAL/11/13

6 December 2013

ENGLISH only

     Closing Statement by H.E. Mr. Leonid Kozhara,

Chairperson-in-Office, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine at the 20^th Meeting of the Ministerial Council of the OSCE

 (Kyiv, 6 December 2013)

 

Dear Ministers, 

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen, 

 

 

Two days of intensive work are behind us. I hope you have found these days in Kyiv both pleasant and productive.

The Ukrainian Chairmanship has done its best to create a constructive atmosphere that was conducive to dialogue and reaching agreements.

All contributions, made in this hall, clearly indicated that our Organization remains relevant and instrumental framework for comprehensive security dialogue in the region.

I am delighted that we have succeeded in building consensus around a number of important decisions. Kyiv Ministerial Council has provided the OSCE with a solid input to the common efforts on strengthening trust and confidence in our cooperation.      

We reaffirmed our strong engagement in the Helsinki +40 Process. 

We will continue to work together towards more effective and efficient OSCE on the way towards the 40^th anniversary of Helsinki Final Act. To this aim we need to revitalize the spirit of cooperation that inspired the signing of the Final Act, the Paris Charter and other landmark documents of the OSCE. 

Protracted conflicts were an important part of our work during the year and of our deliberations here in Kyiv. 

The Ministerial Statement on the negotiations in the 5+2 format contains a strong signal on our joint determination to achieve progress on the whole agenda of the talks with the aim of reaching a comprehensive settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict. 

With regard to Nagorno-Karabakh, the Ministers endorsed the new dynamics in the bilateral dialogue at the highest level between Azerbaijan and Armenia. We hope that this joint support will assist in reinvigorating the negotiation process.

I welcome the OSCE readiness to step up efforts to combat human trafficking, endorsing Addendum to the 2003 OSCE Action Plan. The document will contribute to fostering global action aimed at eradicating this modern slavery.

We were able to adopt important decisions within the Politico-Military dimension, enhancing our acquis in the areas of non-proliferation and transnational threats. I would like to particularly highlight the contribution to this end of the Forum for Security Co-operation.

We also agreed on strengthening the OSCE mandate in the area of energy and environment. Particular focus on promoting energy efficiency and renewables proves that the OSCE keeps up with the times.  

I am very pleased to underscore that, after a significant pause, we have succeeded in adopting decisions in the Human Dimension. We clearly pointed out the OSCE remains relevant and instrumental across all dimensions of security without any exception.

Our ministerial meeting was preceded by the OSCE Parallel Civil Society Conference, engaging 80 NGO’s and academia representatives from across the OSCE region. The dialogue with civil society should be maintained and developed. 

Unfortunately, we have not been able once again to agree on Political declaration, despite the efforts of the Chairmanship. 

I must also say I would have been happier if we had adopted the entire Human Dimension set of decisions. The Chairmanship worked very hard to facilitate the negotiation process and my feeling was we came close to reaching compromise on broader scope of issues. 

I do believe we can further capitalize on the groundwork made in the run-up to Kyiv in the areas of freedom of media and freedom of movement.

 

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen, 

I thank you for your participation at this meeting and for your cooperation and support to the Chairmanship throughout the year. 

My warmest words of gratitude and appreciation go to the Secretary General Lamberto Zannier and his able team for their dedicated assistance and advice.

I would like to thank my Special and Personal Representatives, Heads of Missions, Heads of Institutions and all staff from the OSCE family who work on a daily basis to promote the principles and goals of the Organization.

It is important to mention the tireless efforts of our Ukraine OSCE teams in Kyiv and Vienna, to whom I extend my special gratitude.

Finally, I would like to convey my best wishes of success to the incoming Swiss Chairmanship and to the next Chairperson-in-Office, my Swiss colleague Didier Burkhalter.

Wishing our Swiss friends every success in their endeavours, I would like to assure that Ukraine, as a member of the OSCE Troika in 2014, will provide full support for their fruitful Chairmanship. 

  Thank you!