Naujienos

Chairman Smith, Co-Chairman Cardin,

Ranking member Hastings,

Dear other members of the Commission,

Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honor and pleasure to appear before the Helsinki Commission. Thirty-five years ago, in 1976, following the signing of the Final Act, a Helsinki Committee was formed in Vilnius.  I need not remind you that Lithuania was not free at that time. I associated myself with members of that new Helsinki Committee, in 1976. For this action the State authorities had me summarily removed from the University. Today, I have the honor to appear before your Commission as the Lithuanian Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE.

In this capacity I recently visited Moscow where I met with Liudmila Alexeyeva, Chairwoman of the Moscow Helsinki group. I was reminded that 35 years ago physicist Yuri Orlov established the Public Group to Promote Fulfillment of the Helsinki Accords in the USSR. On 11-12 May this year Russia will commemorate this event and pay tribute to those courageous individuals who stood against totalitarism and oppression.  A little later, the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the  birth of Andrei Sakharov will provide another occasion.  I draw the attention of the respected Senators and Representatives to the significance of those grassroots organizations and private individuals who continue fulfilling the vision of Helsinki. Individuals like these paved the way at the beginning.

The continuous engagement of the US with the Helsinki process and OSCE activities was always essential to the Organization’s success. I would like to use this opportunity to thank the US and, in particular, the unique institution of the Helsinki Commission, for their support to the Lithuanian OSCE Chairmanship on the follow-up to the Astana Summit.

The OSCE participating States have made progress, individually and collectively, toward the goals of the Helsinki process.  Today, however, we still see individuals facing challenges in securing basic human rights, ensuring fair elections, protecting freedom of speech and the safety of journalists and ensuring that anti-terrorism measures comply with international human rights standards. 

As the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE I have set goals that will further the key principles of the Helsinki Decalogue, support implementation of the commitments undertaken in Paris, Istanbul and Astana, and realize the vision of a security community throughout our shared OSCE area. In this endeavor I have already visited Vienna, Brussels, Moscow, Kiev, Moldova (Chisinau and Tiraspol) and New York.

The Chairmanship has engaged in talks over the situation in Belarus and the OSCE presence in Minsk. OSCE SG M.P. de Brichambaut, ODIHR Director J.Lenarcic, and OSCE Representative for Freedom of the Media D.Mijatovic remain in close contact with me, coordinating actions in relation to Belarus. 

In close co-ordination with the US and EU, the Chairmanship conducted preventive diplomatic efforts to help the government and opposition get out of dangerous political gridlock in Albania.

My special representative for protracted conflicts, together with the UN and EU Co-chairs of the Geneva discussions, visited key capitals and talked to key parties in preparation for the next round of the Geneva talks in March. The resumption of the formal 5+2 negotiation format has become my key preoccupation in the last weeks. My interlocutors, High Representative Ashton, Foreign Ministers Lavrov of Russia, Gryshchenko of Ukraine and  Leanca of Moldova, have sent me signals of the need to move ahead. 

Lithuania is under no illusions about the enormity of the tasks that face us this year. As the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office I plan to focus our attention on specific key outcomes which we will pursue on a step by step basis. 

Our key goals:

§         register tangible progress in addressing protracted conflicts;

§         significantly improve our record of implementation of media freedom commitments;

§         promote tolerance education throughout the OSCE area in order to combat hate crimes and discrimination;

§         address transnational threats, including border management and other projects involving Afghanistan, drug trafficking, cyber threats;

§         enhance the OSCE’s role in energy security dialogue.

During my recent visit to Russia, Ukraine and Moldova, I met with the governments involved in the 5+2 Talks and with the political leadership on both sides of the river Nistru. We discussed ways forward in the settlement process, fully respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova. I remain cautiously optimistic that the resumption of official negotiations in the 5+2 format with a full agenda is achievable. Meanwhile, I recognized the need for a continued focus on restoring trust between the two sides through the implementation of various confidence-building measures.

I will shortly meet again with the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group. The threat of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh has never been more dangerous in recent years. Minister Lavrov and I shared our deep concern over this at the recent meeting. Long agreed upon confidence and security building measures must be implemented immediately. Snipers must be withdrawn along the Line of Contact. The OSCE monitoring capacity must be beefed up. There is, therefore, a pressing need for mechanisms and fora for two-way communication channels, about the peace process and about public reactions to it.

Progress on the conflict in Georgia will not be easy either. I will use the Geneva process to rebuild trust and will work to restore a meaningful OSCE presence in Georgia. I will work with the participating States to explore possibilities for extending the OSCE’s activities in Georgia, including  a meaningful OSCE presence on the ground. Full-fledged roles played by the UN and the EU remain essential and must not be diluted.

In March I will visit Baku, Yerevan and Tbilisi. In all of the capitals I will talk to my counterparts, opposition and civil society, arguing that engagement in peaceful and negotiated settlements, and continuing on the democratic path are the best ways to fulfill the aspirations of these proud nations for freedom, liberty and prosperity.

When you look at the causes of conflict in the OSCE area you are repeatedly struck with how often discrimination against minorities lies at the root of the problem.  Working quietly and discretely with the High Commissioner on National Minorities our Lithuanian Chairmanship will continue to seek ways to guarantee minority rights. The Chairmanship will continue to encourage  the work of ODIHR in support of non-discriminatory treatment of Roma and Sinti.  Equality for women and men will remain a central tenet of our programs.

Together with Rabbi Andrew Baker, who has happily agreed to continue his service as Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office for Combating Anti-Semitism, we will hold an event in Prague next month specifically devoted to the struggle against anti-Semitism in public discourse. I am also pleased to tell you that by the declaration of the Parliament and decision of the Lithuanian Government, Lithuania will mark the 70^th anniversary of the Holocaust with a year-long commemoration, featuring numerous activities, conferences, education in the schools and acts of remembrance.  

My personal representative on combating discrimination against Christians and other religions will organize an event on this topic in Rome in May. My Personal Representative on Combating Discrimination against Muslims will roll out new guidelines for educational tools. 

Our community is safest when human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law are upheld. Working with the Representative on Freedom of the Media I will call an OSCE conference on the safety of journalist in Vilnius on 7-8 June.  I am speaking out in support of the freedom of the media.

We will look again at our individual electoral processes and work harder to see that commitments are lived up to.  The follow-up process of implementing ODIHR election-related recommendations is an integral part of this process. Shortly the ODIHR will present its report on the presidential elections in Belarus. Despite certain steps in the right direction, the people of Belarus were not given the opportunity to participate in elections that were consistent with OSCE commitments. 

The decision by Belarus to close down the OSCE Office in Minsk eliminates a valuable resource for helping the authorities and civil society in Belarus address these short comings. The activities that were within the mandate of the Office should continue and I will work with all concerned to make this happen.

I have encouraged the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to continue co-operating with the election observation missions from ODIHR in monitoring elections, with each of these bodies bringing their own special talents and strengths to that essential task.

Some of the greatest threats to our individual and collective security are trans-national threats. I am speaking of challenges to cyber-security, support for terrorism, the trafficking of human beings, weapons, and drugs. 

I am particularly satisfied to report, based on recent travels and discussions, that there is broad EU, US and RF support to address transnational threats related to terrorism, cyber security and drug trafficking, and to intensify OSCE engagement with Afghanistan, particularly through the border management and security programmes and better co-ordination on the regional level and between different actors. The OSCE cannot launch large scale projects inside Afghanistan, but it can continue to bring Afghanis to our programs, and work with border control programs.  We are to make better use of the OSCE field operations in Central Asia as well as the OSCE institutions in Dushambe and Bishkek.

Lithuania has constantly supported strengthening energy security in the OSCE area.  We will seek to promote the energy dialogue as a factor for peace and cooperation.  We will promote dialogue on energy security issues by using the OSCE’s unique framework that involves some of the main energy producers, consumers and transit countries. 

Summing up,

throughout this year the Chairmanship will be able to advance the OSCE agenda as long as key players – the United States, the Russian Federation and the EU – support the relevance of, and our commitment to, the principles on which this Organization is based, and maintain the level of cooperation and dialogue which was evident at the Astana OSCE summit.

The OSCE remains the most inclusive and comprehensive regional security organization in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian area. It will continue to provide a unique forum. I intend that we follow a pragmatic and constructive course.  We must move forward one step at a time, promoting our ideals and commitments in issues and regions where we can make a difference.